Adoption FAQ's

We have successfully rehomed dogs to flats, apartments, even houseboats and caravans! We do ask that you choose a dog who can happily walk on a lead so that you can take them out to the toilet without them being frightened or anxious of the lead. 

Please also consider if you live in an upstairs flat that as your dog gets older you may need to help them up and down those stairs so a dog you can carry would be the best choice.

Some of our cats need to be inside cats so as long as you have the time and toys to entertain them a cat may be a good choice for someone living in a flat.

We have successfully rehomed our dogs and cats with children of all ages, but the animal has to be suitable for a home with children.

For your children's safety and the animals we may decide a the dog/cat you are interested in is not a good fit, this doesn't mean there won't be another one that will fit into your home.

Due to the fact that many of our dogs are scared ex-breeding dogs who have never seen children, we do not home them where any children are under 5 and suggest if you have young children you look at dogs that have come from a home environment or young puppies.

Some things to consider if you have children and want to add a dog/cat to your home -

Are your children relaxed and calm around dogs/cats? 
If not, then they are not ready to have a pet just yet.

Do you have time to walk, train and entertain a dog as well as care for your children? 
Not all small children will want to go for walks, but dogs need to go out regularly, a bored and frustrated dog may begin to show unwanted or negative behaviour.

Thinking about adopting a puppy or a kitten? 
Whilst puppies or kittens can be a great match if you have children, you do need to remember that puppy/kitten teeth and claws are very sharp and excited puppies/kittens WILL accidentally scratch, bite and chew for a while.

If you live in a home without access to a garden, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can't adopt a dog or cat, but your options for suitable dogs will be more limited. We like most of our dogs to live in a home with a garden to give them the best possible quality of life. 

Things to consider if you want to adopt but have no garden -

Are you prepared to get up early and get dressed to walk your dog outside to use the toilet before you've had your morning coffee? Are you prepared to get your wellies on several times a day in all weathers to allow your dog to toilet? Are you prepared for inevitable accidents indoors? Do you have somewhere that a dog can go and relax outside and enjoy being outdoors with you?

Some of our cats on the other hand will not need a garden and may be a good choice for someone who does not have an outside space.

We do not have an upper age limit to adopt a dog or cat but we do like to make sure that the animal is the right match for you. We believe everyone has the right to have a companion and usually find being retired and adopting a pet can be a perfect match for a lucky dog or cat. We do have a minimum age requirement of 25 years old for adopters of very scared ex breeding dogs.

Some things to consider when choosing a dog/cat -

Are you able to handle and meet the dogs exercise needs? 
All dogs have different levels of energy, just like we humans do. Finding your perfect exercise partner is paramount to any successful adoption. Choosing a dog that will run rings around you or is too strong for you could make walking a dog a stressful chore, rather than the pleasure it should be. Whilst none of us can predict the future, do try to consider your abilities both now and in perhaps 5-10 years time.

Do you have the energy for a kitten/young cat? 
It can be difficult to resist adopting a cute kitten but you need to consider that they are full of energy and can cause havoc, which is huge fun for them but not always for their owners who's curtains or soft furnishing can get damaged. Kittens demand a lot of time and patience from their owners and need feeding 4 times a day at the beginning.
If you are looking for a calmer, less demanding and more sedate feline addition it may be better to look at a cat who is at least a year old and is happy to spend time on its own and less likely to get up to mischief.  Please don’t forget the more senior cats as they really do make wonderful additions to a home, they sleep a lot more so are quieter and less hard work and they are also less likely to wander too far from home.

Do you have a support network? 
Our most successful adoptions are where the adopter has a good network of family or friends to step in and offer some practical support if needed.

We fully understand most people have to work to be able to provide for their dogs or cats. 

Please bear in mind that most of our dogs have not lived inside before and so will need someone at home most of the time to be able to settle them into a home environment. Our dogs often need to learn about house training and other home skills and encouragement to bond with people.

Do you work more than 5hrs a day? 
A dog that has never lived indoors won't know about manners, how to behave etc and they need you to be there to show them. Leaving a dog several hours a day doesn't help them settle into home life and you may find that they could start to chew, howl, mess and you may end up feeling frustrated and discouraged.
If you will be away from your dog for more than 5 hours total in a day we recommend you look at confident dogs who could use a daycare service or could stay with friends/family during the day.

A pair of cats may be a good option for someone who works full time as they will have each other for company whilst you are away.

Many Tears do get dogs from homes who can be only dogs and puppies who can adapt to being only dogs in the home but we nearly always home ex-breeding dogs where there is already another resident dog living in the house. This is because ex-breeding dogs have usually only ever known the company of other dogs. People mistakenly think that these dogs will be grateful to people for taking them into their homes whereas the reality is they are actually very frightened and have no idea how to behave.
They will have never lived in a house before and are only used to canine company and get their confidence and learn faster with another dog to copy from. This also helps with house training and learning how to walk on a lead.

Occasionally we get ex-breeding dogs that can be an only dog or would prefer to be an only dog and it will say so in its write up. Ex-breeders that go as only dogs will need more work and commitment to help them settle into their new lives than a dog who has already lived in a home.  

Things to consider if you adopt an ex-breeder as an only dog -

Ex-breeders can take time to settle as they have never been on their own, they are likely to bond to you and will find being left on their own very stressful to start with, even just being left downstairs while you sleep upstairs. 

As an only dog, house training and lead walking may take longer to learn, but if you have the time, patience and commitment the rewards are tenfold.

As a rescue we are very passionate about spaying and neutering for both medical and ethical reasons. We see too many dogs with pyometra, mammary cancer, testicular cancer and behavioural problems all associated with not having been neutered. It is heartbreaking to lose a dog on the vets table to preventable conditions. We also see far too many unplanned litters of puppies and kittens here at the rescue. By neutering you are able to prevent this from happening.

If you will not neuter your dog due to personal preference or medical conditions we will consider adoptions where the dog is the right match. For example if one of our spayed females is rehomed where there is an entire male we would expect that the male dog is polite with her and not inclined to mount her. Our dogs need to go to loving homes where they are free from such harassment. If your dog is a gentleman however, then it could be a wonderful match.

Please note: Unfortunately we wouldn't be able to place a puppy where there are dogs that have not been neutered.

The adoption fee for our animals varies. 

For dogs our fees are as follows (the adoption fee will be clearly shown on each dogs page)

Puppies under 6 months £425
Puppies and adult dogs over 6 months £350
Dogs over 9 years old or those with serious on going medical issues or who really struggle to find homes £160

Included in the adoption fee is:

• Microchipping, this includes registering the microchip to you after adoption
  
• Initial vaccinations, flea and worming treatment
  
• Neutering and dental (if old enough)
• 2kg of Arden Grange dog food with an Arden Grange adoption pack
• Four weeks free PetPlan insurance.

For cats our fees are as follows (the adoption fee will be clearly shown on each cats page)

Kittens and adult cats £50
For elderly cats or those who struggle to find homes, we may negotiate or waiver the adoption fee

Included in the adoption fee is:

• Microchipping, this includes registering the microchip to you after adoption
  
• Initial vaccinations, flea and worming treatment
• Neutering (if old enough)
• Four weeks free PetPlan insurance

Please bear in mind that our rehoming fee is just the beginning of the costs involved with owning a pet. We would recommend if you do not already own a pet that before making the decision to adopt, you investigate the costs of food, insurance, grooming and fees at your local vet so that you are fully prepared for the financial implications of bringing a new pet into your home.

Once you have completed an application form you will be contacted either via email or interviewed over the telephone. We will discuss some of your answers in order to ascertain if we think the dog you are applying for is a suitable match for your lifestyle. We may suggest a different dog to you. If the dog is in a foster home, your application will be passed to the fosterer who will call you as soon as possible. They will be able to tell you a lot more about the dog and answer any questions you may have. Once it is agreed to go ahead with the application, a home check will be arranged. This will take place as soon as possible (within 3 days) so please be prepared to make yourself available to meet the home checker.