Is There Room In Your Heart for a Boxer? - July/August 11

by Valerie Robinson

MoKan Boxer Rescue was created in 1998 when Kansas City Boxer Rescue and Sunflower Boxer Rescue merged. Starting with just three original volunteers, the group now boast of up to 25 volunteers, and the boundaries have spread from Hays, and Wichita, KS, to Jefferson City, MO, and all points in between.

In 2002, boxer rescue groups in the Midwest joined together to form Midwest Boxer Rescues (MWBR). While they operate independently, they share a website, applicants, ideas and sometimes boxers! Currently MWBR is made up of Missouri Valley Boxer Rescue (MVBR), Boxer/Schnauzer Rescue of the Ozarks (BSRO) and MoKan Boxer Rescue.

Foster Homes Are Key
All of our rescues are housed in a foster home and they learn house manners, basic obedience, and any vet needs are tended too. All boxers in our program have been heartworm tested, and treated if necessary, up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, and spay or neutered.
We are currently looking for more foster homes. They need to have a fenced yard, preferably boxer experience, be within their pet limit for their city ordinances, be willing to absorb daily food expenses; all current pets are spayed/neutered. An application can be completed on our website.

MoKan Boxer Events
MoKan Boxer Rescue hosts several events throughout the year on both sides of the state line. Our biggest fundraiser by far is our annual 5K Run/Walk called, “Running of the Dogs” which is held this year on July 10. The run is a nice scenic route at Waterfall Park, near the BassPro, in Independence, MO. It’s a dog friendly event but we also attract avid runners as it is a USAT&F certified course.
As a rescue group, we are committed to the dogs in our care, even after adoption. If for some reason their adoptive family can no longer care for them they always come back to our rescue group. With the economic downturn, we’ve had six boxers returned. These dogs were with their families for an average of five years. It’s heartbreaking to see them so lost and out of their element, and also because now they are no longer young pups with grey on their faces, it much harder to find them adoptive homes.

Rescues of All Ages
MoKan receives animals at all stages of their lives. Five days after being rescued from an urban shelter, Momma E “Edelweiss.” presented us with seven puppies of which five survived. Named for characters from The Sound of Music, we had Kurt, Friedrich, Louisa, Marta and Gretl. (We lost Leisl and Rolf.) Momma E was plagued with hook worms and kennel cough at delivery and two weeks later, so were all the puppies. Fifteen months later. Momma E and all but one of the puppies has been adopted. Marta remains in the foster home, where she was born. Marta is happy, healthy and content, but would really like a family of her own.

If you would like more information about fostering for MoKan Boxer Rescue, our 5K run, or our adoptable boxers, please visit our website at www.midwestboxerrescues.com.