Everything you need to know about Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming dogs in need. Established in 1891, the organization operates 21 rehoming centres across the UK and Ireland, providing care for thousands of dogs every year. Dogs Trust takes in dogs of all breeds, ages, and backgrounds, including those who are abandoned, mistreated, or whose owners can no longer care for them.
The charity is committed to ensuring that each dog finds a loving, permanent home. They focus on providing the necessary medical treatment, behavioural support, and training to help dogs adapt to new environments. Dogs Trust also places a strong emphasis on responsible pet ownership, offering advice and resources to help new owners care for their pets.
Dogs Trust, due to its size and prestige, is another very competitive organisation to adopt from, despite the large number of dogs that come through their care each year, and therefore do not be disappointed if you do not hear back. Like Battersea, Dogs Trust has introduced a new rehoming system where applicants only need to apply once to be matched with a suitable dog. By providing details about your home and lifestyle, you allow Dogs Trust to search for the right dog on your behalf, rather than you applying for a specific dog. The application remains open for three months, during which Dogs Trust actively seeks a match. If no suitable dog is found within that period, you are invited to reapply. As not all dogs are listed on the website (but you can see those that are here), submitting an application increases the chances of them finding you a match.
Dogs Trust At a Glance
Cost: Dogs Trust’s fee for adopting an adult dog is £250 in England, Wales and Scotland, and £237.50 in Northern Ireland (standard fee minus the £12.50 dog licence fee that adopters need to pay to council). Every dog we rehome is vaccinated, microchipped and neutered (or they’ll give you a neutering voucher if they haven't yet been neutered). Your dog will also come with a new Dogs Trust lead and collar, starter pack of food, and 4 weeks’ free insurance from our partner Petplan. Their fee for adopting a puppy is £310, this includes the £250 rehoming fee and a £60 Dog School fee, £297.50 in Northern Ireland.
Size: Dogs Trust is the largest rescue organisation in the UK, which means they constantly have a large selection of dogs available for you to choose from, though often Dogs Trust won’t rehome a dog with you if they are from a centre far away and can be found a suitable home closer by.
Location: As this charity is spread out across the UK, dogs in their care are located in many different places, and often Dogs Trust will not want a dog to travel too far to find their new home, especially as the Dogs Trust team who looked after the dog in care will want to be able to assist in any training or assistance needed to help the dog settle into its new home (you can find your nearest centre here). This is great for people who may be more rural and don’t want to have to travel far away to get their new dog, but is also a challenge if you live too far away from a dog you see as an ideal fit. Regardless, it is absolutely worth registering to adopt and seeing what matches the organisation may find you!
Rescue Back Up: Dogs Trust provides continuous support, including behavior advice, through their nationwide Dog School and other resources.
Acceptance and no-kill policies: Dogs Trust operates on the principle of never putting a healthy dog to sleep, making it their mission to provide each dog with the care and attention they need until a suitable home is found. The charity relies on donations and public support to fund its operations, ensuring that every dog receives the best possible chance at a happy, healthy life.
The Adoption Process
Dogs Trust follows a structured adoption process to ensure the best match between dogs and adopters:
1. Create an Account and Fill Out the Application Form: You provide details about your home, lifestyle, and dog preferences. You can apply to adopt here.
2. Choose a Rehoming Centre: Select a rehoming center that will manage the application and assess it against suitable dogs in their care.
3. Contact Within Seven Days: Dogs Trust will reach out by phone or email within seven days to discuss the dog search.
4. Application Open for Three Months: Your application remains open for three months, during which time Dogs Trust will continue searching for a match.
5. Meet the Matched Dog: If a suitable dog is found, you are invited to meet the dog at the rehoming center.
6. Continue the Search if Needed: If no match is found within three months, the application closes, and you may reapply with updated information.
Conclusion: Dogs Trust is an institution in dog rescuing, and for that reason, is an incredibly safe bet when it comes to finding your next dog, however also for this reason, their application process can be incredibly competitive. I would recommend applying to see if they get back to you, and if they do, what matches they suggest, and then to go from there!
Dogs Trust has 4.7 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot. You can read their reviews here.
If you would like to know more or adopt a dog from Dogs Trust, you can do so here.