Adopting a rescue dog in London

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Hello everyone, I wonder if you can help. There is a lady I know who I am trying to find a rescue dog for. She is all alone in the world as her dog companion recently died. She desperately needs a new dog but we can't find one! Battersea, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross don't have any and I am not sure where else to look.

The lady in question cannot travel to meet the dog, it would have to be done over Zoom and then the dog would need to be delivered to her, although she would pay transport.

Can anybody advise how we can help this poor lady? Thank you.

Rescues expect you to meet the dog and
do not ‘deliver’ dogs. The rescues you’ve mentioned do have dogs! If she wants a dog she has to make the effort not a chat on zoom and a dog dropped off, I work in rescue and I’m sorry but this sounds ridiculous.

@SBTLove A bit of compassion wouldn't go amiss. There does seem to be a shortage of available dogs (which is obviously a good thing). For example, I just had a look on the Battersea page and they have 5 dogs: 2 are reserved and 3 are rehomed.

The rescues might have dogs that aren’t on the website for one reason or another. My cat is a rescue and wasn’t on the website because he was at a foster home. I also think that there’s more fostering going on at present due to COVID. However, sorry to say but I agree with the PP that adopting a pet via Zoom is just not a good idea. I’d be shocked if any reputable rescue was willing to go along with it because it just won’t be in the best interests of the animal. How would anyone be able to tell of a dog is a good fit for their household if they’ve never met?

Well, the Dogs Trust are offering this:

"We’ve set up new processes to keep staff, visitors and adopters safe, including matching dogs with their new homes virtually and delivering dogs contact-free."

Unfortunately they don't have any suitable dogs.

Why can't she travel to meet the dog?

@AnnaFiveTowns I would rather not say as it is very personal to her.

Unfortunately lots of rescues aren't rehoming at the moment and many won't even consider it without a home check and without the rescuer meeting the dog first.

There is no way on earth I would take on a dog that I'd never met and I'm very very surprised that Dog's Trust are being so irresponsible.

If she won’t travel to meet a dog how is she planning to exercise it? There are 1000s of small independent rescues not just the big names.
Compassion? really? if you want a dog some effort is required not sitting awaiting a delivery 🙄

If u you ph are unable to travel to meet the dog I’m afraid you are not able to cater for a dogs needs. There are some old dogs in rescue centres that might suit someone who doesn’t get out much but I really can’t see a reputable rescue centre rehoming like this.

Would she be okay taking it to the vet (including emergencies at the drop of a hat), for walks, to training classes etc? If not then obviously she shouldn't be getting one.

Kent Greyhound Rescue re-home to London and have dogs, but they homecheck and I'm not convinced they'd drop a dog off for you. But you could ask, if she's a good home in every other way then they obviously want their dogs rehomed!

Cinammon trust sometimes do lifelong foster arrangements with dogs who have lost their owners / owners have gone into care homes but like all the pp I doubt they would rehome in the circumstances you describe .

I agree with others, she needs to meet the dog to see if they are compatible. I'm sorry your friend has lost her companion but to be harsh rehoming is more for the wellbeing of the dog

She is physically fit, has a large garden and used to take her old dog to the park several times a day. The vet is very close by.

If anybody has any ideas, rather than ill-informed judgement, I would like to hear them.

Thank you.

several people have given you possible avenues, myself included. They have also made you aware of the general limitations of such a request. If lots of people with experience of dog rescues (me again) are saying that most dog rescues won't re-home in this manner, it's not rude and ill-informed - it's useful information.

Can you do a search for a small local rescue that she would be able to travel to? Agree it's not the best idea to adopt a dog you havent met

@DotTheCaddy None of the ones in her part of the UK have any available.