How do I find a good rescue centre?

The UK differs from many other countries in that it offers several professionally run, well known organisations that specialise in rescuing unwanted dogs. These include Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, Dogs Trust, Wood Green Animal Centre, RSPCA and the Scottish SPCA, the PDSA and National animal Welfare Trust among others. These are national in coverage but there are also smaller, regional or local centres and a full list can be found on the Kennel Club website under ‘Find a Rescue Dog’.

A more recent change is the widespread sale of dogs on private advertisements, often on social media sites. These advertisements carry no guarantees that the dog will be as described, or even that it belongs to the seller, and potential buyers are strongly advised to use only registered organisations or Kennel Club registered breeders.  While there are many honest, unregistered breeders there are also a large number of puppy farms who do not act responsibly or even within the law. It is not always easy to know the difference and you may find this article on how to spot a puppy farm helpful.

How does it work?

When you visit a rehoming or rescue centre, you may already have in mind the type or even the breed of dog that you are hoping to adopt. Please be aware that you may not find the exact match on your first or even subsequent visits. Some rescue centres will encourage you to build up a relationship with them through frequent contact but they are unlikely to retain your details on a shortlist so it pays to keep in regular contact if the centre allows this.  It may take a year or even more for you to find exactly what you are looking for.

Information

You are likely to be asked to fill in a questionnaire outlining your situation, where you live and your suitability to adopt one of their dogs. This is to find out more about you, what kind of dog you are looking for, how secure your garden may be, details of other animals that you have and a number of other questions. This is not personal but is designed to prevent people from adopting a dog and then having to return it as they had forgotten to mention that they also had small children or cats or didn’t have any means of exercising the dog.

Some people make the mistake of thinking that rescue centres are a type of shop but nothing is further from the truth. Quite rightly, their first responsibility is to the dog and to ensuring that they find a good, responsible owner and a happy, comfortable home for that dog.

Expert advice

The next step may be to talk to the kennel staff and to view the dogs in their kennels. This can sometimes be a shock for potential owners who may not be prepared for the excitement that these viewings can cause in some dogs. Some dogs find this process stressful and the staff will have a good idea about the background and characteristics of each dog that you see.  They may also know of dogs that are not yet ready for rehoming but may become available at a later date.

Make a shortlist

The third stage may be to make a shortlist of the possible matches and to sit down with the rehoming centre staff to go through each dog’s history to make sure that you have as good a match as possible before you actually meet the dog.  You will want to know about any health issues, behaviour with adults, children and other dogs as these characteristics will be important if you proceed to adopt the dog. You may need to know about interaction with cats and their ability to cope with being handled or left alone for short periods.  Being in a rehoming centre is a stressful experience for any dog and the staff will have a good idea whether or not any behavioural issues are transient.

Meeting the dog

The next stage is to meet the dog face to face, outside the confines of the kennel in which he or she lives. It is advised that you get to know the dog that you hope to adopt and to facilitate this you will need to reserve the dog so that other families are not engaged in the same process at the same time.  You may want to return to the centre several times to build up your relationship with the dog before you proceed further.

At this time, however excited you may be about the relationship, try to remain calm and controlled, showing compassion in a friendly but quiet manner, avoiding loud voices and excitable movements. You will want to see the dog on and off the lead and in an internal room setting and if at all possible, arrange to be able to take the dog for a walk on the lead.

Home visit

By this stage, most rehoming centres will have already arranged for a home visit to take place so that they can assess the suitability of where the dog will be living and any security measures necessary to ensure the dog’s safety.  They will feed back any concerns but you will not have long in which to rectify any problems such as secure fencing etc.

Veterinary concerns

Most rehoming centres will want to be sure that the dog is healthy and has been given every preventative health check necessary. This includes parasite treatment and prevention – for fleas, worms and ticks – vaccination against diseases, microchipping for identification – now a legal requirement in the UK – and neutering. Rehoming centres will not release a dog for rehoming that has not been neutered, unless the puppy is too young for that procedure. In that case other arrangements will be made to ensure that it is done when appropriate.

Going home

There is likely to be an adoption fee so that the charity can address the costs of providing care during the dog’s stay with them but once the paperwork is all finalised, you will be able to take your new family member home with you.  Many centres will provide information ahead of time to ensure that you are properly prepared, both for the car journey and for when you get home with your new dog.