The Real Cost of Surrenders

Here at OUR Dog Foundation, we try to find the best possible homes for our dogs. We have a detailed application process where we try to find out as much as we can about the family wanting to adopt, and to prepare them for any behavioural issues that may come up when their dog arrives. We put rules in place - let your dog decompress from their journey for at least 72 hours, and make sure they have a safe space they can retreat to where they won't be bothered by other pets, adults or children. Don't introduce them to other pets immediately, no matter how well they seem to be settled, and more.

Mostly, our adopters listen to us and ask for advice, but it's always frustrating when we see pictures of new dogs playing with resident pets after a few hours. We give our advice for a reason, and the main reason is to avoid problems down the line and people surrendering their dog.

Recently, we've been getting more and more surrenders and it does a lot of damage, not just to the individual dog that has to find a new home and adjust all over again, but to our organisation. Often, surrenders come with blame and finger-pointing, meaning that adopters don't want to help us with the cost of transporting the dog to their new home. This, as well as any vet care they may need in foster, has to come from our own pocket. If a dog is surrendered, needs a journey costing £350 to their new home, then needs to be spayed, vaccinated, etc. this could mean a £500 loss to our rescue. It's even worse if the adopter was using our payment plan and hadn't covered all 3 months of the payment yet - as we can guarantee the plan will be cancelled as soon as their dog leaves their house. This money, that could have gone towards another rescue mission in Romania, or to bring a deserving dog to the UK for foster, is lost.

Despite these problems, we want to assure you that we remain steadfast in our commitment to finding loving homes for every dog in our care. We are continually evaluating and refining our processes, seeking ways to better support our adopters and ensure successful placements. We remain committed to our mission of rescuing and rehoming dogs, but the rising number of surrenders poses a significant challenge. We encourage all potential adopters to carefully consider the commitment involved in adopting a dog, and to seek our guidance throughout the process to ensure a successful and fulfilling experience for both the dog and the new family.

Thank you for your continued support.