1. When you rehome a dog, you are saving a life
Dogs need rehoming for all sorts of reasons – circumstances may have changed meaning the original owner can no longer care for their four-legged friend or the dog breed may not have been best suited. No matter a rescue dog’s age, breed, size, or personality, offering them a forever home can save their life. By adopting a dog from a dog pound or dog shelter, you’re opening up a space for another pooch who is looking for a pet parent. The same can be said for black cats, who are less likely to be adopted than their feline friends.
2. There are fewer upfront costs in dog shelters
From rescue puppies to older dogs, there aren’t as many upfront costs to pay when you rehome a dog. Dog shelters often make sure your new buddy is up to date with their vaccinations and have a microchip – and they may already be neutered, depending on their age. Some dog shelters even put together a ‘bringing your rescue dog home’ welcome pack for you, including dog food, poo bags, and the odd dog toy or two. The cost of the actual pooch tends to be a lot less than if you were buying a puppy from a breeder. A lot of dog shelters are charities, meaning they simply ask for a donation in return for a loving dog looking for their forever home.
3. You can get to know different dogs before choosing one
One huge advantage of dog rehoming is the opportunity to spend some time with a variety of dogs to help make your decision. Before committing to a particular pooch, you can:
- Find out what size or breed dog is for you, your family and your lifestyle.
- Understand any potential challenges or extra TLC they may need.
- Discover if they’re house trained, good with children and/or other dogs or cats.
Alternatively, you could foster a dog while the rescue looks for a permanent home for them. Not only can this be rewarding for you, but it will help the rescue dog become more sociable in a home environment and relieve the pressure on many rescue shelters who have reached their capacity.
4. There are breed specific dog rehoming centres
If you already have your heart set on a particular breed, there are specific rescue charities that you can contact – whether you’re looking for Labrador dogs for adoption or dachshund rescue puppies. You can still spend time with each individual pooch to find out if they’re the one for you and your family.
5. Rehoming a dog can change your life
You may be saving a rescue dog’s life when you offer them a forever home – but they could be saving or changing your life, too. In fact, Rockster’s dog food brand was inspired by their very own rescue pooch. Upon finding and rehoming a street dog in Capri, Italy, Zoe and Sven Ley discovered that he was quite the fussy eater. Together, they embarked on a journey to discover his favourite taste, leading to the launch of Rockster – a human grade, natural dog food brand based around the importance of gut health. Rockster the rescue dog truly inspired every recipe within the Rockster dog food range, with each recipe named after a place Rockster lived and has history. Life-changing – for both pooch and pet parent!
