Adoption Fee Questions

What is your adoption fee, and what does it cover?

Our standard adoption fee is £545.

Our adoption fee covers the cost of transporting the dog from Romania to the UK and their medical check ups, vaccinations and blood tests prior to travelling. Our adoption fee is the absolute minimum we can justify asking for without the charity losing money and ceasing to operate.

Do you reduce your adoption fee for older dogs?

Our adoption fee for elderly dogs may be reduced dependent on the age and health status of the dog, and whether we can fundraise to make up the shortfall.

Can I pay the adoption fee in instalments?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept payments in instalments. We do not have the staff or capacity to manage and keep track of instalment payments.

Is there a discount for adopting two dogs?

We do not offer a discount for adopting two dogs. Our adoption fee covers the standard expenses we need to pay to get a dog ready for adoption, and we couldn’t afford as a charity to pay the difference if we offered a discount.

Our policy does not allow us to place two dogs in a home at the same time. It is beneficial to allow one dog to decompress and adjust to life in a new home before adding a new member some months later. This is with the exception of if two dogs have lived together their whole lives, then we can home two dogs with one family at the same time.

Adoption Eligibility Questions

Can I foster before adopting?

If you are interested in a dog that is still over in Romania waiting to come to the UK, fostering with a view to adopt is a possibility. Please complete an adoption application and specify your desire to foster with a view to adopt.

If a dog is already in foster in the UK, we cannot offer a foster with a view to adopt. The dog will have already experienced a lot of trauma and upheaval in their move from Romania to their foster home, and we only want to move them again when it’s to a secured forever home.

Can I adopt if I live in a flat?

We can only consider applications from applicants who live in a flat if the flat is on the ground floor with direct access to a private and secured garden.

Can I adopt if I don’t have a garden?

Unfortunately we cannot consider applications from applicants who do not have direct access to a secured garden.

Can I adopt if I have small children?

Unfortunately we cannot consider applications from applicants with children aged 5 and under. We have this policy in place for the safety of both the dog and the children.

Can I adopt if I am retired?

We welcome applications from retired applicants. We recognise that many older people are still very active in their later years and so are fully capable of meeting the needs of one of our dogs. We will discuss a specific dog’s needs with you at the application stage and ensure that you’re matched with the right dog for you and your circumstances.

Overseas Dog Questions

Do overseas dogs have more diseases than UK dogs?

Overseas dogs are exposed to a greater number of parasites than dogs in the UK. Certain ticks and mosquitos can act as vectors for diseases such as Ehrlichia, Lyme Disease and Heartworm. All of our dogs are tested for these conditions prior to travelling to the UK. If they test positive, they are treated and retested before they travel.

Leishmania is prevalent in the Mediterranean but very rare in Romania. We do however test for Leishmania as a precaution.

Brucellosis is a nasty bacterial disease which, like Leishmania, can only be managed and not cured. We test all of our dogs for this condition. To date, we have not had one single dog test positive for Brucellosis.

What breeds are your dogs?

Our dogs are of no single breed. If you’re looking for a specific breed or temperament, a Romanian dog is not for you.

Our dogs are found in many places. Some are born on the streets or in fields as a result of uncontrolled breeding. Some are taken from the kill shelters, some are thrown away by their owners and the few lucky ones are surrendered to our rescuers. We rarely know the dogs’ parents. Many of our adopters do DNA tests on their dogs, which can reveal upwards of 25 breeds in a single dog! We think this makes each and every one of our dogs unique and special.

Adopting a Dog Questions

Will my dog be microchipped with my details?

Yes. Your dog will be dual-microchipped. This means that we will update their chip with your details as the primary contact, and the charity will sit on there as a secondary contact as a fail-safe, should the dog ever go missing and the vet can’t get in touch with you first. We have a contract with PetTrac.

Are your dogs fully vaccinated?

Our dogs are vaccinated against Parvovirus, Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis and Canine Flu. This is a combined vaccine as given to dogs in the UK. Both puppies and adult dogs are given the initial 2 vaccines, 2 weeks apart, to be followed by the annual booster. It is a legal requirement for all dogs entering the UK to be vaccinated against Rabies. We also administer a vaccine for kennel cough. However, like the human flu, this vaccine does not cover all strains of the condition.

Evidence of these vaccines will be in the documents that you will be provided with when you collect your dog.

Will my dog come spayed/neutered?

If a dog is under 12 months old, they will normally not be neutered or spayed and it will be your responsibility as the adopter to get them neutered or spayed at the appropriate time. If they are over 12 months old, they will be neutered or spayed prior to adoption.

Will my dog come housetrained?

We cannot guarantee that any dog will come ready-made and housetrained. Our Baby Angels (puppies under 12 months old) are likely to need some support with housetraining. Even our older dogs may take a step back with their housetraining when moving to a new home, due to the stress and upheaval they will inevitably experience. Dogs that have been in foster are less likely to need as much housetraining as their foster parent will have done this foundational work while they were in their care. Housetraining is a standard part of the dog ownership experience that you will get whether you rescue a dog or buy a dog from a breeder.

Rescue Backup Questions

Do you offer rescue backup, and what does it mean?

We offer rescue backup. This means that we are here to support and advise you during the lifetime of your dog. It also means that we have a vested interest in the welfare of all of our dogs.

Can I return my dog if it doesn’t work out?

When adopting a dog, we hope and expect that immense consideration and commitment has been given to the adoption. Our dogs are not ‘Disney Dogs’. They need time, patience, training, love and commitment. We are here on hand to help and guide you through this process.

However if your circumstances change and it is impossible for you to keep your dog, you are legally obligated to inform us and we will work to find an alternative home. This does not happen overnight, and we would require you to keep your dog until a new forever home is found.