What to expect, when you adopt a dog from Glendee

I am interested in a dog, do you think I might be suitable?

If you see a dog on our Facebook page or our website without a write up, it’s likely that he or she is still being assessed and is not ready for visits.  You are more than welcome to complete an application form but we will not be able to invite you to see a particular dog until they are ready, and it’s likely that we won’t reply to your application until they are.    

We ask everyone to complete an application form in the first instance, so we can make an initial assessment of whether an individual dog is likely to be suitable for your home.  

We aim to reply to all emails within a week, but will try to get back to you as soon as possible.  Please remember that we rely mainly on volunteers to look after our administration and some dogs can receive dozens of applications.

Why won’t you re-home some dogs to certain types of home? Surely it is better for them than being in kennels?

We are not being awkward if we say no, but sadly there are dogs whose history is unknown and therefore cannot be safely re-homed with small children.  Some dogs need to be an only dog, while others will benefit from having another dog in the household.  We do not have a blanket policy for adoptees and will assess each applicant and dog based on the suitability of the individual match.  We have re-homed dogs to people who live in flats, have young children and people who work full time in the past. 

What happens if my initial application is successful?

If we think you are a good match, we will arrange for you to come and meet the dog at Glendee.  If everyone is happy to proceed, we can then arrange dog-to-dog meetings and a home visit.  During the adoption process we do encourage you to come and visit as much as possible.  However, we are a small rescue and the dogs are often out and about during the day, either being walked or taking part in training, so these appointments need to be arranged in advance.

What happens during the home visit? 

Someone will come along and visit your home.  This is nothing to be concerned about - we want to see the environment that our dogs will be re-homed to and discuss getting ready for your rescue dog, managing the early days and making your home and garden safe and secure. 

We ask that all members of the family are present at the home visit.   

If you do need to make changes to fencing and/or security of your garden we allow two weeks for this to be done.  After that time, we will either ask you to pay boarding fees or look for another potential home. 

What does a safe and secure garden mean and why is it important?

During our home visit we will check your garden but as a guideline we recommend 6ft fence for all dogs, gaps to be boarded up or fenced properly.

Gates need to be secured.  Some dogs have a tendency to jump, some will dig and some just like to explore.  This is one of the things we can discuss with you in more detail when you meet your dog and his or her specific needs.

Why do I have to book sessions with a behaviourist? I have owned dogs before.

All of our dogs have found themselves in rescue through no fault of their own.  

Our trainers and volunteers work with them on a daily basis to get them ready for their new homes.  We therefore feel it is important for this support to continue to help them and you make the transition as smooth as possible to their new home.  Glendee provide life time support and will always be here for you.

We usually recommend a minimum of two sessions but again this varies from dog to dog.  These sessions need to be paid for and the first one arranged before you collect your dog.

We appreciate that with the adoption donation, behaviourist fee and any improvements we ask you to make this process can seem expensive, but we truly believe that this sets every adoption up with the best possible start.

Glendee Rescue is there to support you and your dog for life, so you’re welcome to ask any questions or for advice at any time.

We hope you understand that we want the best for our rescues.   Our policies all go to making sure as much as possible that our dogs are safe, in the right homes, where they will lead long and happy lives.  

The current return rate for most rescues is around 20-30% of dogs. During 2015 we managed to keep almost all of our dogs in their adoption home - a much lower rate than the average. So much better for the dogs we’re sure you will agree