FAQ

Yes, to all of the above - if it’s the right match for our dog. We carefully assess each application to find the best match for our dog. For example, an older person may not be considered a suitable match for a young, energetic puppy. Adopters with a young family may be a better match for a dog with a history of successfully living with children, rather than one that has never been around children or is fearful. Where a dog that has lived in a kennel all its life, we would want it to go to a home where someone was around most of the day and not where all members of the household are out at work.

Yes, some dogs do well as only dogs and so in some cases we do. Dogs with potential to be only dogs can be searched for by ticking the ‘only dog’ box in the search criteria.
Many of our dogs are ex-breeding dogs, who nearly always need an existing dog to help them cope with living in a home. They are insecure and out of their depth in the ‘real world’, which makes it very hard for them to adapt to a new lifestyle without a canine buddy to show them the ropes.
Dogs are pack animals and if separated as pups to live in a family, they adapt to a pack of people. However, if they grow up surrounded by other dogs and without any real human interaction as many of the ex-breeding dogs do, it is much harder for them to adjust to a family life without a canine role model.

Many Tears are very pro spay/neutering, as it is our belief that both dogs and bitches living in our world, have a happier life and of course, they cannot breed. We believe there are also definite health advantages for dogs that have been spayed/neutered, that we feel outweigh the reported risks. If people don’t agree with our stance on this, we would advise them to adopt elsewhere. All but the very young, very obese or those with health conditions that prevent neutering, will be neutered before they leave for their adoption.

Unfortunately, due to the number of applications we receive, we don't have enough staff to facilitate a waiting list. If there is a particular breed you are interested in adopting, you can search by breed on our ‘Dogs Looking for Homes’ page. Dogs come in on a daily basis and so it's worth checking every day, especially for popular breeds which can get reserved almost immediately they appear on the website.

Adopting a dog from MTAR is a quick but thorough process. Once you have applied for a dog, we try to get back to you as soon as possible however, depending on the number of dogs we have in and the number of applications received, this can sometimes be a few days. Please check your junk/spam email, because often when an applicant reports not receiving a response, this is where it is found.

If the dog you have applied for is at the rescue centre, a member of the rehoming staff will discuss your application with you. If the match is considered suitable, the dog will be reserved and you will be referred for a home check, usually in the following 2-3 days. If the dog is in a foster home, the fosterer will speak to you to discuss your application and again, if deemed a suitable match, the dog will be reserved for you and a home check will be arranged. Once the home check is completed, and providing it is passed, you will be able to collect your new dog, subject to a successful ‘meet and greet’.
All applicants and any existing dogs in the home, must be able to travel to wherever the dog is located. It is expected that if you are successful in your application, you will be able to collect your dog within three days.
These steps can happen very quickly and the whole process can be completed in a week. It rarely takes longer although there are always exceptions to the rule.

Many Tears adoption fee is less than some rescues charge but more than others, so is a fairly average fee. Each dog that is rehomed by MT is spayed or neutered (if able to be), vaccinated, de-flead, wormed and microchipped. Just these routine procedures alone would exceed the adoption fee at any standard vets, without any additional feeding/boarding or veterinary costs. Any remaining adoption fee from a dog who doesn’t have additional requirements, goes towards the considerable number who do. We also have dogs more difficult to rehome, who are by donation only, due to behavioural or medical issues, or those of older age, and these are often the ones that stay the longest in rescue and cost the most.

We take in dogs from breeders, from hunters, from pounds, the general public and even the police or other authorities with a dog in desperate need.

No, this is one of the most commonly repeated myths, we never pay for any dog that comes into MT for rehoming, not even a small nominal amount. We are governed by the Charity Commission and our accounts are audited which proves this to be the case. Unwanted dogs are offered and simply collected to find their forever home and no money is ever exchanged. Equally, we do not charge to pick up dogs, however, we do pay out for health certificates/travel documents and rabies vaccinations in order for dogs to come to us from breeders in the Republic of Ireland. Occasionally, we are asked to help with desperate situations at overseas rescues and we may help with the costs involved to bring the dogs to us.

MT was set up in Wales to provide a chance for discarded ex-breeding dogs and unsold puppies from licensed breeders, where previously some had a very bleak outlook. The work has expanded, and dogs are now collected from outside of Wales, but the process is the same.
All the dogs taken in are vaccinated, microchipped, de-flead, wormed and spayed or neutered, unless a vet advises against it, in which case they are rehomed on a declaration. They are also checked and treated for any necessary medical conditions, with some requiring specialist assessment and procedures costing thousands of pounds.
All homes are then thoroughly vetted to find the most suitable, forever home for each dog. No part of the processes at MT fit with this accusation.
No breeding has ever occurred at MT, although occasionally dogs taken in are found to be pregnant, so in those circumstances puppies may be born at the rescue.

The number of breeding dogs at commercial kennels are governed by the authorities, although the regulation and enforcement of this varies. Ultimately at all levels (both commercial and non-commercial) the number of dogs being bred is driven by supply and demand. If the demand drops and breeders are left with more dogs than they can sell or are licensed for, they must reduce their numbers.
Following the huge rise in demand during Covid, when many people thought it was a suitable time to get a puppy, there was an equal fall in demand at the end of the pandemic.
Where dogs and puppies are unwanted or unsold, the breeders can get rid them by other ways which may not be kind (including shooting them - which is legal) or choose to call rescues like us.
They may be given up for varied reasons, such as a bitch that has had to have a C-section, or a breed that’s no longer in demand.
Similarly with unsold litters of puppies, that quickly become past their desirable selling age. Puppies are often sold as whole litters at a young age and if not sold, it is not worth the investment of trying to find individual homes, so hence they are handed over to rescue. We are not here to police licensed breeders or try to regulate casual breeders, but to help dogs in need.
We are known for how much we care for our dogs, for spaying and neutering, and for our very thorough rehoming process, to try and ensure the most suitable home for every dog.

Whether it is the public, a breeder, a hunter or perhaps a greyhound trainer, when someone no longer wants a dog for any of the reasons stated above, they will get rid of it one way or another. If they want to replace it, they will replace it, whether we are here or not. Do the breed rescues encourage and enable dogs to be bred from? No, they are there to give rejected dogs a chance of a loving, forever home, just as we are.

We pick up dogs from all over the UK including Northern Ireland and The Irish Republic. The times of arrivals are governed by ferry schedules or the logistics of the pickups and to minimise the times the dogs are kept in the transport van. For this reason, the trips usually start very early in the morning and return in the early hours of the following morning.

Our vans are fully licenced to do those pickups and drivers have taken courses to qualify them to do these drives. The administrative process to bring dogs into the UK is thorough and robust and the border checks are no more or less stringent at different times of the day.

All dogs from the Republic of Ireland must have passports and all Northern Irish dogs must be fully documented with full details of where they have been picked up from, or a release form with owners’ names and addresses if they are pet dogs.
All dogs passing through the ferry ports are reported to and inspected by the authorities.

Finally, if the time the dogs arrive at MT was a choice to hide their arrival, it wouldn’t make sense to write a public post about the trip, on the MT social media platforms. These posts give the full details, clearly stating where the dogs came from, how many were brought back and even the time that the van arrived back at the rescue. Nothing from the trips is hidden, so the suggestion that the travel times are to conceal the dog’s arrival, doesn’t make sense.

The more distant places we collect from have a desperate shortage of outlets to take and rehome the dogs. This means that from the minute we return from a trip, there are more dogs waiting and rescuers desperate for us to return. With the cost of wages for drivers, the wear and tear on vans, the cost of ferries and where necessary, hotels and of course fuel costs, the trips are very expensive and so we try to keep the number of trips we do, as low as possible. This means that when we do a collection, there are often large amounts of dogs and puppies waiting and it makes sense to pick up as many dogs as possible on each trip.

As previously stated, MT was set up to provide a lifeline to dogs no longer wanted by breeding establishments, that previously had no hope. As a result, these dogs form the largest part of the rescue intake and are often popular breeds or ‘designer’ crossbreeds. However, these are not the easy money-makers people describe (see below) and the costs these dogs incur, outweigh any adoption fees.
Greyhound rescue only take greyhounds, largely ones given up by racing kennels, because that’s what they set up to do. Similarly, the breed rescues only take their breed, so neither is any different.

More importantly, it is incorrect that MT don’t take the less desirable ones, we take a lot of surrendered dogs from homes, ‘death row’ pound dogs and dogs seized by the local authorities, without discrimination. Many examples of these can always be found available for rehoming on our website.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Many ex-breeding dogs arrive needing considerable veterinary attention. In some cases, where specialist investigations or surgical procedures are required, this may run into thousands of pounds and consume the adoption fees of 10, or even 20 other dogs.
In addition, the dogs and puppies from some breeding establishments arrive shut down and fearful, so can’t be rehomed into a normal family environment. Some come around quickly however, some may never be ‘normal’ family pets and as a result they need very specific homes and have an extended stay.
Ex-breeding dogs are a huge financial challenge for Many Tears and the adoption fees alone would not cover the costs of rescuing them.

Many small and large rescues and other Charities also rescue dogs from breeding establishments, it is just that this is not always publicised. MT have always been totally open about all that we do which of course, leaves us open to criticism and opinion, especially online from anti breeding campaigners.

We go to great lengths to collect, treat and care for the dogs we take in and become very invested in their wellbeing, hence we want to see their journey through to adoption.
In addition, all rescues have different adoption policies and criteria, and we want to ensure that we have approved every home, to meet our expectations.
We have also found that some breed rescues are run by breeders, with different policies and practices to our own.
Some breed rescues are happy to refer prospective homes to us, just as we are happy referring people to them, but we don’t usually move the dogs, except to our approved foster homes or to their new adopted home.

You only have to look at the website to see really honest reviews about both medical and behavioural problems in some of the dogs up for adoption.
The dogs are assessed as accurately as possible for health and behaviour while in kennels and the write ups on the website are as honest as possible, with the knowledge held.
We take every measure possible to find suitable homes for all out dogs, however, with over 3000 dogs rehomed every year, there will be occasions where issues arise that are not predictable or preventable.
On occasions a dog may only exhibit negative behaviour or health problems, once they are settled in a home and this can happen with dogs from any rescue, or equally from those purchased directly from breeders. Where behavioural problems do arise, we ask people to contact the centre and we have an excellent behaviourist that adopters can speak to for advice.

Followers of MT will recognise that vast amounts are spent on vet fees for investigation and treatment, that often goes way beyond what could be expected in rescue.
Eye surgery, cardiac surgery and orthopaedic surgery are all frequently conducted where quality of life can be improved, which can amount to several thousand pounds for a single operation.

A recent online criticism was regarding the lack of histological analysis on a mammary lump removed from an ex-breeding dog. Many dogs and particularly ex-breeding dogs, develop mammary lumps and these are usually thickenings from infection, fatty lumps or cysts, however they can be mammary tumours.
Where any lumps (anywhere in the body) show signs of ulceration or present as cancerous, they would be removed and sent off for histological analysis. Where lumps don’t show these signs and are considered to be successfully removed, there is no indication that further costly investigation is required for every lump removed. You could investigate everything, but this wouldn’t be normal practice even in pet dogs and is just not financially realistic in rescue.
Unfortunately, this does mean that very occasionally cancer may develop were undetectable cells remained, but sadly this happens with pet dogs and unfortunately even with humans as well and is unavoidable.

People look at the number of dogs being rehomed and multiply it by the adoption fee, concluding that there is huge profit from the dogs being rehomed, without any understanding of the costs involved in running a large rescue like MT.
This is a long answer, but we will attempt to outline some of the costs, where actually, if the income consisted of the adoption fees alone, we would not even cover costs and the rescue would be completely unsustainable.

MT has a high staff cost because it employs a huge number of staff and not because any individual staff members have inflated wages. When fully staffed, there is a high staff to kennel ratio, in recognition of the importance we place on dogs thriving, and not just surviving, in kennels.
The dogs are walked (if able to be) and/or have time in the play yards at least twice a day, plus the one-to-one contact time for socialising, which is especially important for many of the ex-breeding dogs at MT.

There are 69 staff at the time of writing, including staff who care for the rescue horses as well as the dogs.
There are veterinary staff, a large team of admin staff and maintenance staff. The monthly PAYE payroll varies but can be as high as £120,000. This amount includes wages, NI taxes, and of course the required pensions.
We also have a number of self-employed contractors, mostly vets, which are a significant additional cost.

In addition to the staff costs, there are huge costs associated with running a rescue of this size. There has been recent investment to purchase adjacent land and property that were not previously owned by the rescue, to allow further expansion and improvement.
The property the rescue operates on now comprises of around 25 acres and consists of multiple buildings, barns, fields, gardens, stables, kennels, and dog play yards. Unless someone has actually been and viewed the rescue, it is hard to appreciate the true size and scale.
 This means that the upkeep and maintenance cost is significant, and the equipment needed to do this includes tractors, trailers and grass cutters, as well as the smaller maintenance tools.
We also have four vehicles used for collecting and transporting dogs, both a small and medium van for local pickups, and 2 larger vans that are fully kitted out and DEFRA approved, for longer trips.

There are fuel costs, as well as servicing, maintenance and insurance. We are fortunate enough to have our own licensed veterinary practice, however even at cost prices, the inoculations, medicines, operations and veterinary supplies, average well over £20,000 a month.
In addition to our own on-site vets, we have to use a number of outside veterinary services for x-rays and other investigations, plus eye, cardiac and orthopaedic specialists. In addition, many of our foster dogs may need to see a local vet where they are situated and these outside vet bills can range from just over a thousand pounds a month, to tens of thousands.

Additional expenses include everything from phone and internet services to database and website management fees. There are also accountancy fees, auditors’ fees, legal fees, and numerous licencing and regulatory fees. There are various types of insurance, from employer and public liability to veterinary and special equine cover, automotive and breakdown cover, plus even an agricultural equipment policy. 
There are extensive utility bills with 4 different electric meters, 2 water supplies, multiple septic tanks and even an oil tank.
All our dogs have clean bedding as often as needed, which means we are constantly washing and drying bedding, using 3 sets of machines all day, every day. When bedding is not washable it has to be discarded and the general waste collections, plus separate waste collections for dog waste and clinical waste from the vet surgery, costs the rescue over £2500 per month.

As with any other charity, much of the income of MT comes from collections, donations and legacies, and last year we were kindly gifted large donations through the sad loss of supporters. It does mean that the rescue accounts indicate a stable financial position, however the improvements and development underway on the site, to improve the lives of our dogs and horses, are taking significant amounts of these funds.
We are also finding that the demand for dogs has dropped significantly since Covid, as well as the dogs obtained during the pandemic being given up in large numbers. The reduction in adoptions means that dogs are now remaining in rescue for considerably longer and this is a challenging time for all rescue centres, with a significant drop in income.
Every responsible organisation should try and maintain reserve funds for unexpected events, especially in the times since the pandemic. We are trying to manage the finances carefully to ensure we can continue the work we do, and fundraising will remain an essential part of this.

Just like most other rescues and charities, Many Tears is funded by donations, legacies, grants and various fundraising events put on by both the rescue and by supporters. Our accounts are done by a professional firm and audited each year as per Charity Commission rules.

The team at Many Tears work tirelessly to ensure all rescues in our care find forever homes that suit their needs the most. A part of this journey is supporting and working with potential adopters during the adoption process and we welcome feedback on our service as we are always looking for opportunities to learn.

We acknowledge however that despite our best efforts, we may not always get things right. We will endeavour to respond to complaints within 10 days. This may, however, take longer if the issue is more complex and / or requires more in-depth investigation.

Please note there may be occasions where we don’t respond to complaints and these may include but are not limited to:

•  If the complaint relates to events which occurred more than 3 months ago,
•  where a complainant is being abusive or harassing staff members or volunteers (whether verbal or written),
•  if you were not successful in an application,
•  if we have already fully responded or
•  if the complaint is anonymous.

Should you wish to provide feedback or submit a complaint, you can do so by calling our support team on 01269 843084, emailing info@manytearsrescue.org or writing to us at:
Feedback and Complaints Team
Many Tears Animal Rescue
Cwmlogin House
Cefneithin,
Llanelli
SA14 7HB

In your complaint, please include as much information as possible, including:

•  If it involves one of our rescues, please let us know the name,
•  The date of the incident,
•  Your name and contact details,
•  What happened, when it happened and how it affected you
•  What you would like to happen to put things right

While investigating your complaint, if at any stage you are not satisfied with our response, please ask the member of staff for our referral process.

Sincere thanks for taking the time to provide us with feedback.