WCP Dog Rescue is an international rescue organization dedicated to helping dogs in need find loving homes.

We work with dogs in countries including Mexico and South Korea, as well as dogs who are already in Canada.

Many of our dogs are currently living in shelters, rescues, or foster homes in their country of origin. They come to Canada once we have an approved adopter or a local foster home available for them.

We do not operate a physical shelter in Canada.

Our dogs can be located in several places depending on their individual circumstances.

Many of our dogs are currently in shelters, rescues, or foster homes in Mexico or South Korea. Some dogs are already in Canada and living with local foster families.

Dogs coming from outside Canada generally travel here once we have an approved adopter or local foster home ready to receive them.

As an international rescue, we coordinate each dog's move to Canada based on having an appropriate home available for them.

Rather than bringing dogs to Canada without knowing where they will go, we arrange their travel once we have an approved adopter or local foster home ready to receive them.

This allows us to use our limited Canadian foster capacity responsibly and ensures that dogs have a safe place to go when they arrive.

No.

WCP does not have a physical shelter in Canada. Our dogs are either living in shelters, rescues, or foster homes in their country of origin, or they are placed with local Canadian fosters once they arrive in Canada.

Our adoption process generally includes:

1. Submit an adoption application
2. Application review
3. Phone interview
4. Home check
5. Adoption approval
6. Adoption payment
7. Transportation arrangements if the dog is coming from another country
8. Airport pickup or local meet and greet depending on where the dog is located
9. Bringing your new dog home
10. Post adoption support

Our goal is not to place dogs quickly. Our goal is to find the right match between each dog and their forever family.

The timeline can vary depending on the dog, the applicant, and how quickly each step of the process can be completed.

From submitting an application to your dog arriving home, the process can generally take a few weeks to approximately two months. Some adoptions may move more quickly, while others may take longer depending on the individual circumstances and transport availability.

We aim to move through each step as efficiently as possible while making sure we have enough information to determine whether the placement is appropriate. As a 100% volunteer-run non-profit organization, our volunteers are balancing WCP alongside work, family, and other commitments. We generally aim to arrange phone interviews within approximately one week of receiving an application, although this may vary during particularly busy periods.

We truly appreciate your patience and understanding throughout the process!

Yes! You are welcome to apply for a specific dog. However, submitting an application does not guarantee that you will be approved for that particular dog as we often get numerous applications for each dog.

Our priority is finding the right match for the dog.

We may recommend another dog if we believe they would be a better fit for your lifestyle, home, experience, schedule, or existing pets.

Every WCP dog is vaccinated and spayed or neutered prior to travel. Each dog will also travel with a veterinarian-issued Certificate of Health, as required for import into Canada or the USA. Any known health concerns identified prior to travel will be disclosed to adopters in advance.

No. Approval means that we believe you are an appropriate adopter and that we can move forward with the adoption process.

The final decision always considers the individual dog's needs and whether your home is the right fit.

Our application is not designed to judge you. We are trying to determine whether the adoption will be successful for both you and the dog.

We consider things such as:

• Your lifestyle
• Your daily schedule
• Your home environment
• Your previous dog experience
• Your exercise routine
• How long the dog will be alone
• Other pets in the home
• Children in the home
• Your expectations
• Your ability to manage training needs
• Your ability to manage potential behavioural challenges
• The needs of the specific dog you are interested in

Our goal is a lifelong match, not simply getting a dog into a home quickly.

WCP offers a four-week foster-to-adopt period. This gives you and your new dog time to live together, settle into a routine, and make sure the placement is the right fit before the adoption is finalized.

The four week period is essentially a trial period, but the dog is still considered placed with you and you are responsible for their care and expenses during this time.

Yes. The adoption fee is still paid before the dog goes home with you.

The four week foster-to-adopt period does not mean that the adoption is free or that payment is delayed. It simply gives both the adopter and WCP an opportunity to make sure the placement is successful before officially finalizing the adoption.

Rescue dogs are individuals, and sometimes it is difficult to know exactly how a dog will adjust until they are actually living in their new home. The four-week period allows everyone to see how the dog settles into the household and how the relationship develops.

It gives you time to learn about your dog's:

• Personality
• Routine
• Training needs
• Behaviour in the home
• Relationship with other pets
• Ability to settle
• Comfort with being alone
• Exercise needs
• Overall compatibility with your lifestyle

It also gives WCP an opportunity to support you through the adjustment period and address any concerns that may come up.

Yes. Once the dog goes home with you, you are responsible for providing their daily care, safety, food, exercise, supervision, and appropriate training.

The foster-to-adopt period is not an opportunity to casually "test drive" a dog. We expect adopters to make a genuine commitment to giving the dog time to adjust and to working through normal transition challenges. The goal at the end of the four-week period is to finalize the adoption.

The first few days and weeks should focus on helping your dog decompress and establish a routine. You should expect an adjustment period and understand that your dog may not immediately behave exactly as they did in their previous environment.

During the four weeks, we encourage you to communicate with WCP about how things are going. If questions or challenges come up, please reach out to us. We want to support you and your dog and help address concerns before they become bigger problems.

At the end of the four week period, we will check in with you and make sure everything is going well. If the placement is a good fit, the adoption continues as planned and your dog remains with you as their forever family!

If significant concerns arise during the foster to adopt period, we will discuss the situation with you and determine the appropriate next steps based on what is in the best interest of the dog.

Return - no, rehome - yes.

The purpose of the 4-week foster-to-adopt period is to give everyone an opportunity to identify whether the placement is genuinely appropriate. After that period, you can request that the dog be rehomed.

However, because we do not have a physical shelter to 'return' the dog to, you would be required to continue to foster the dog until a more suitable home is found.

We would ask you to help facilitate meet & greets with potential new adopters, once we receive applications for the dog.

Once the dog goes to their new home, your adoption fee (minus the $100 deposit) would be returned to you.

Please note, the rehoming process can sometimes take a few weeks to a few months, depending on the reason for rehoming. You would be required to foster the dog until a new home is found.

We ask that adopters communicate with us openly throughout the four weeks so that we can provide support and work together on any challenges.

No. The foster-to-adopt period is not intended to guarantee that everything will be perfect.

Rescue dogs need time to adjust, and normal challenges such as accidents, nervousness, separation difficulties, leash issues, or changes in behaviour can occur during the transition.

We encourage adopters to approach the four weeks with patience and realistic expectations. The goal is to determine whether, with reasonable adjustment and support, the dog and your household are a good long term match.

That's wonderful! The four-week period is not intended to make you wait to bond with your dog. Think of it as a period of settling in, learning about each other, and making sure the placement works in real life.

Our hope is that by the end of those four weeks, you and your dog are well on your way to building your life together.

No. Submitting an adoption application is the first step in our process for all potential adopters, regardless of whether the dog is located locally in BC or currently overseas.

Please keep in mind that the majority of our dogs are located in Korea or Mexico and are not available to meet in person before adoption.

LOCAL DOGS

If you are interested in a dog located locally in BC, you must first submit an application and complete the required steps in our adoption process, including a phone interview and home check.

If, after completing these steps, we believe the dog may be a good match for your home, we can arrange a meet & greet with the dog and their foster family.

OUT-OF-COUNTRY DOGS

For dogs currently in Korea or Mexico, an in-person meeting is not possible before they travel to Canada.

Once your application has been reviewed and you have completed the required steps, including your phone interview and home check, we will determine whether we believe the dog may be a good match for you.

If so, we will request that the dog be booked on a flight to Vancouver. You will meet your new dog when they arrive at YVR, and your foster-to-adopt trial period will begin from the time of airport pickup.

Because of this, adopters of overseas dogs need to be comfortable making a commitment based on the information available to us about the dog, while understanding that their behaviour may change as they decompress and adjust to their new environment.

No. Local dogs are generally living in private foster homes. Our foster families generously volunteer their time and open their homes to rescue dogs, so we do not arrange casual visits simply so someone can meet a dog before applying.

The first step is always to submit an application. Once you have been screened and we believe the dog may be a suitable match, we can arrange a meet and greet with the foster family.

Our foster homes are private homes, and our foster families are volunteers. We want to respect their time, their homes, and the needs of their foster dogs.

The application process allows us to determine whether a particular dog may be an appropriate match before asking our foster family to facilitate a meet and greet.

Not necessarily. Our goal is to arrange meet and greets when we believe there is a reasonable possibility that the dog and applicant are a good match.

If we do not believe a particular dog is suitable for your household, we may recommend another dog instead.

Once an adopter or local foster has been approved, we work on transportation arrangements for the dog.

Many of our dogs travel with flight volunteers who are already travelling from their country of origin to Canada. Because we rely on volunteer travellers, we cannot guarantee an exact arrival date.

The timeline depends on finding a suitable flight volunteer and completing all required transportation and veterinary arrangements.

Generally, it takes 2 to 8 weeks to find a flight volunteer for dogs coming from Mexico, and 4 to 8 weeks for dogs coming from South Korea (though that timing is subject to finding a flight volunteer).

Your rescue coordinator will keep you updated as transportation details become available.

If your dog is arriving internationally through Vancouver International Airport, yes.

You will need to be available to travel to YVR on the dog's arrival date to pick them up and safely bring them home. We provide information about the arrival process so you know what to expect.

Yes. If your dog flies into Vancouver, please expect a $38 CAD Agricultural Inspection Fee and a typical $25 CAD (cash) porter fee. Similar airport fees may apply in Seattle. You may also be charged duty and taxes by CBSA, which can typically range from $75–$130 CAD. Whether these fees apply is determined by the CBSA officer processing your arrival, so we recommend being prepared for this additional cost, just in case!

If your dog flies into Seattle, adopters are responsible for driving down to Seattle to pick up their dog and bringing them back across the border.

Please tell us about any travel plans as early as possible. Because transportation depends on flight volunteers, arrival dates can sometimes be unpredictable.

If you know that you will be unavailable during certain dates, let us know so we can take that into consideration when arranging transportation.

A local foster is someone in Canada who opens their home to a WCP dog while we search for their forever family.

Many of our dogs are living in Mexico or South Korea until we have an appropriate Canadian home available for them. A local foster allows us to bring a dog to Canada before they have been adopted and gives us the opportunity to learn more about the dog in a Canadian home environment.

Fosters make rescue possible. A foster home gives a dog a safe and stable environment while we search for their forever family.

It also allows us to learn much more about the dog's personality, behaviour, routine, preferences, training needs, and ideal home environment.

The information a foster provides can be incredibly valuable when selecting the right adopter.

There is no guaranteed timeline for how long a foster dog will remain in your care. Some dogs find their forever families quickly, while others may need more time to find the right match. Certain dogs can take longer to be adopted, including larger dogs (particularly those over 35 lbs), Bully breeds, black dogs, and dogs with behavioural or medical needs. Dogs with specific home requirements or those who need a little extra time, training, or support may also have a smaller pool of potential adopters.

We ask fosters to be prepared to keep their foster dog until an appropriate forever home has been found and the adoption has been completed. This could mean a few weeks, several months, or occasionally longer.

We know that fostering is a commitment, and we truly appreciate our foster families being prepared to give their foster dog the time they need to find the right forever home.

As a WCP foster, your main responsibility is to provide a safe and loving temporary home. Your responsibilities may include:

Airport pickup

If your foster dog is arriving from another country, you will pick them up from YVR when they arrive and safely bring them home.

Providing a safe and loving home

Your foster dog needs a safe, comfortable, and loving environment while we search for their forever family.

The adjustment period can look different for every dog.

Your foster may be shy, nervous, overwhelmed, reactive, excitable, or unsure of their new surroundings when they first arrive.

Your job is not to fix everything immediately.

Your job is to give them time to decompress, help them feel safe, establish a routine, and learn who they are.

Basic training

Where appropriate, basic training is hugely appreciated.

This may include:

• House training
• Leash skills
• Crate training
• Basic manners
• Learning to settle
• Learning household routines

Helping a dog develop these skills can make their transition into their forever home much easier.

It also helps us better understand what type of adopter will be the best fit.

Helping with meet and greets

Once WCP has completed the necessary phone interview and home check with a potential adopter, you may be asked to help facilitate a meet and greet between your foster dog and the applicant.

Your observations are extremely valuable because you are the person who spends the most time with the dog.

Keeping WCP up to date

While the dog is in your care, we ask that you keep us updated regularly via our WhatsApp chat on any behaviors that may arise, any training updates, and just any photo and video updates as you take them! Having fresh photos and videos to post always helps while searching for their forever home .

WCP covers approved expenses for your foster dog. This includes necessary medical care, food, and certain approved travel and supply expenses.

We also reimburse fosters for required items such as Martingale collars and tracking devices, which are required for airport pickup and ongoing safety precautions.

WCP covers necessary veterinary care that has been approved by the rescue. We ask that fosters please contact WCP before booking veterinary appointments, tests, procedures, or other non-emergent medical care.

We need to approve veterinary care in advance so we can coordinate with the appropriate clinic and understand the costs involved. For emergencies, contact WCP immediately so we can determine the appropriate next steps.

WCP covers approved food expenses. Please keep your receipts and submit them to us so we can arrange reimbursement.

If you are unsure whether a particular food or purchase is covered, please ask before purchasing it.

WCP covers or reimburses certain approved supplies and travel expenses. Required items for international airport pickup, including a Martingale collar and tracking device, will be reimbursed.

If you are unsure whether something is covered, please ask us before purchasing it.

Please contact us before making purchases whenever possible. Not every purchase is automatically reimbursable, so written approval should be obtained before purchasing anything you expect WCP to cover.

Keep all receipts for approved expenses.

We strongly encourage all fosters to do some preparation before their dog arrives.

Our Training and Resource Guide contains information to help you prepare, particularly around:

• Decompression
• Crate training
• House training
• Separation
• Leash skills
• General manners

We recommend reviewing these resources before your foster arrives.

Our Airport Pickup Guide provides information about the items required for safe airport pickup and transportation.

This includes a Martingale collar and tracking device. These required items must be available before picking up your foster dog and WCP will reimburse you for them.

Not necessarily. Even if a dog is described as housetrained, moving into a completely new environment can result in accidents.

Your dog is learning a new home, new people, new routines, new smells, and a new schedule.

We recommend treating a newly adopted or fostered dog as though they are not fully housetrained at first. Establish a consistent routine, limit your dog's access to certain areas of your house when you aren't there to supervise them and provide frequent opportunities to go outside, gradually lengthening time between outside visits (i.e. every hour, then every 2 hours, etc.). Accidents should be handled calmly and without punishment.

Probably not, and that is completely normal! A rescue dog is going through a huge transition when they arrive in a new home. They may be nervous, overwhelmed, clingy, fearful, excitable, reactive, or confused.

A dog who behaved one way in their previous environment may behave differently once they arrive in a new home.

Give them time to decompress and learn their new surroundings.

Dogs can behave differently in different environments. A dog may appear confident in one home/environment but become nervous in another. A shy dog may become much more playful once they feel safe. A calm dog may become excitable during a major transition.

Foster/rescuer observations are extremely valuable, but they cannot guarantee exactly how a dog will behave in every future home.

Every dog is different. Some dogs settle quickly while others need weeks or longer. You may hear people refer to the 3-3-3 rule:

• The first 3 days can involve feeling overwhelmed and unsure.
• The first 3 weeks are often when a dog begins learning your routine and showing more of their personality.
• The first 3 months may be when a dog becomes increasingly comfortable and begins to truly feel at home.

This is only a general guideline. There is no specific timeline that applies to every dog.

Dogs rescued from Korea can sometimes take a little longer to adjust to their new lives, particularly Jindo mixes. Their first days or even weeks in Canada may look very different from what adopters expect!

Some Korean rescue dogs may:

• Prefer to stay in their crate or safe space for days or even weeks
• Be extremely shy, skittish, or unsure of their surroundings
• Be more prone to flight risk while they are settling in
• Seem reluctant to go outside or hold their bathroom needs for surprisingly long periods
• Have little appetite or be very picky about food
• Need extra time before they feel comfortable interacting with their new family

The good news? We’ve seen time and time again how much they can blossom with time, patience, and gentle, gradual exposure to their new world.

The key is to go at their pace. Rather than expecting your new dog to immediately settle into your routine, be prepared to slow things down, give them a safe space, and gradually introduce new people, places, sounds, routines, and experiences as they become more comfortable.

For these dogs especially, patience is everything. What may seem concerning or unusual during the first few days can be a completely normal part of decompression and adjustment. With the right support and a little time, many of these initially timid dogs become happy, confident, affectionate companions.

Yes! Being away from home for several hours does not automatically prevent you from adopting. However, we need to consider the individual dog's needs and your ability to support them.

Some dogs are comfortable spending time alone. Others may need a gradual transition and additional support as they learn to be comfortable on their own.

If a dog has known separation anxiety or difficulty being left alone, adopters should be prepared to work on this gradually.

It’s important to understand that we can never guarantee whether or not a dog will develop separation anxiety. Many of our dogs come from shelter or busy foster environments where they are rarely, if ever, truly alone. Being suddenly left alone in a new home can be a big adjustment, and separation-related behaviours may not become apparent until after a dog has had time to settle in.

If separation anxiety or difficulty being left alone does arise, we expect adopters to be willing to work through it with patience and, when needed, professional training support. This may include gradually increasing alone time and adjusting your routine while your dog learns that being alone is safe and temporary.

Separation anxiety can be common in rescue dogs, particularly dogs who have experienced abandonment, instability, or significant changes. If a dog struggles with being alone, the goal is to gradually teach them that separation is safe.

This may include:

• Starting with very short periods alone
• Gradually increasing the amount of time separated
• Providing a safe and comfortable space
• Establishing a predictable routine
• Building confidence and independence
• Using appropriate enrichment
• Avoiding suddenly leaving the dog alone for long periods
• Working with a qualified trainer or behaviour professional when needed

Separation training takes time and consistency.

We generally do not recommend immediately leaving a newly adopted rescue dog alone for a full workday. Even a dog who previously handled alone time well may struggle during the transition into a new home. Start gradually and build their confidence!

We do recommend introducing short, controlled periods of separation from your dog from day one!

While it can be tempting to take two weeks off work and spend every moment together, avoiding separation entirely can make the transition to being alone more difficult later. Your dog may quickly learn to expect that you will always be home with them.

Instead, start practicing brief, positive periods of alone time right from the beginning. Try leaving your dog alone for just 5–15 minutes at a time, gradually increasing the duration as they become comfortable. You can also encourage them to spend time independently on their dog bed, in their crate, or behind a baby gate/closed door while you are still home.

The goal is to help your dog learn that being alone is safe, independence is okay, and their humans always come back!

Absolutely! Living in a condo or apartment does not automatically prevent you from adopting. However, we assess each dog individually.

We consider factors such as:

• Energy level
• Exercise requirements
• Barking
• Size
• Confidence
• Ability to settle
• Behaviour around other people and dogs
• Ability to manage shared spaces
• Known history

A dog who is comfortable in a house may not necessarily be comfortable in a condo, and vice versa.

Because our dogs come from different backgrounds, we cannot guarantee how a dog will behave in a condo simply based on how they behaved in a foster home or previous environment.

We can never guarantee that a dog will be quiet or non-vocal. Barking and other vocal behaviours can emerge or change as a dog settles into their new environment.

For this reason, we ask all adopters to be prepared and willing to work through barking or other vocal behaviours should they arise, using patience, consistency, and appropriate training support when needed.

Not at all! A yard can be convenient, but it does not replace walks, enrichment, training, and interaction. Many dogs can thrive without a yard when their exercise, mental stimulation, and social needs are properly met.

We consider the individual dog's needs when assessing whether a home is appropriate.

We provide the information we have about each dog's history and behaviour. However, we cannot guarantee that a dog will behave exactly the same way in every household.

We always emphasize that there really isn't a dog that is 100% "baby-proof" or "kid-proof." Even the gentlest, most tolerant dog deserves management, supervision, and an advocate who recognizes when they're feeling overwhelmed.

Parents should always supervise interactions between children and dogs. Children should also be taught how to appropriately interact with animals and respect a dog's space.

We will share what we know about a dog's behaviour with other dogs. However, being described as dog-friendly does not mean that a dog will automatically get along with every dog.

Introductions should be gradual and managed appropriately.

If a dog has been assessed around cats, we will share that information when available. If there is no known history with cats, we cannot guarantee how the dog will respond to them.

Cat introductions should always be gradual and carefully managed.

Absolutely not! We want our fosters & adopters to feel supported. Rescue dogs can come with unexpected challenges, particularly during their first few days and weeks. If you are unsure about something, have a question, or simply need reassurance, please reach out to us.

We will create a WhatsApp group with the appropriate WCP contacts and the dog's current rescuer or foster when applicable. This allows everyone to stay in communication and share updates.

Once your dog arrives, we love receiving photos and videos. For dogs in strictly foster homes (not foster-to-adopt), these updates help us get to know the dog better and allow us to promote them on our social media while they wait for their forever home.

We kindly ask that all communication be kept to email or WhatsApp and that adopters and fosters avoid calling or texting WCP volunteers on their personal phone numbers. This helps us maintain healthy boundaries and ensures communication stays organized and accessible to the appropriate WCP team members.

Yes! A $100 CAD deposit is required as part of the adoption process once an application has been approved.

We will provide the adoption fee and payment information during the adoption process.

Adoption fees help offset the significant costs involved in rescuing, caring for, medically preparing, and transporting our dogs.

Depending on the dog and their circumstances, rescue expenses can include veterinary care, vaccinations, sterilization, testing, medications, travel documentation, transportation, and other necessary care.

Yes! We do not simply hand you a dog and disappear. Rescue dogs often come with an adjustment period, and questions often come up once everyone is home together. We encourage adopters to communicate with us and ask for help when they need it.

Keep things calm and predictable. Your dog has just experienced a huge amount of change! Avoid overwhelming them with visitors, busy outings, or too much freedom too quickly.

Focus on:

• A consistent routine
• Regular potty breaks
• Calm decompression time
• Positive reinforcement
• A safe space
• Short and manageable training sessions
• Building trust and confidence

You do not have to teach your new dog everything on the first day.

Absolutely! As a rescue dog becomes more comfortable, confident, and settled in their new environment, you may begin to see parts of their personality and behaviour that weren't apparent when they first arrived.

• A nervous dog may become playful.
• A quiet dog may become more energetic or vocal.
• A dog who seemed very easy going may begin testing boundaries once they feel secure.
• A dog who was previously comfortable on leash may develop leash reactivity as they settle in.
• A dog who initially seemed comfortable meeting new people may begin showing “stranger danger” or become more selective about who they interact with.

This does not necessarily mean something is wrong. It can simply mean that your dog is becoming comfortable enough to show you more of who they are or are struggling with all the recent change in their life.

We ask all of our fosters and adopters to be patient, flexible, and resilient during this adjustment period. Behaviour and confidence can change significantly as a dog settles into their new life, and working through these changes can take time, consistency, dedication, and sometimes professional training support.

Give them time, meet them where they're at, and remember that progress isn't always linear. It gets better—it just takes time!

It can be. Many of our dogs have experienced significant changes, uncertainty, abandonment, shelter environments, or life on the streets. We often do not know everything about their history.

And, even when we have extensive information about a dog, no rescue can predict exactly how a dog will behave in every future environment. Adopters need to be prepared to provide patience, structure, training, and time.

No. We share all relevant information available to us and make our best assessment based on the dog's history and observations.

However, behaviour can change depending on environment, circumstances, people, animals, routine, and stress levels.

We cannot guarantee that a dog will behave exactly as described in every situation.

Give them time! Your dog may not understand that they have finally found their forever home. They may only know that everything around them has changed.

Just remember:

• Be patient.
• Be consistent.
• Keep things predictable.
• Use positive reinforcement.
• Give them a safe space.
• Build trust.

And remember that adjustment takes time.

Unfortunately, we are not currently able to accept owner surrenders. WCP has limited foster capacity and does not have a local physical shelter.

Because our available foster homes are primarily used to help dogs coming through our international rescue program, we cannot accept privately owned dogs into our program at this time.

We understand that needing to rehome a dog can be an incredibly difficult and emotional situation. If you need to surrender your dog, we recommend contacting your local humane society, SPCA, or animal shelter, as they may be able to provide guidance, resources, or rehoming assistance.