Give a rescue dog somewhere to belong.
Many of our dogs settle into a UK foster home first. Some are ready for their forever home straight away. You meet them there, at their own pace. Then you take them home.
A home for life.
Every dog on our site is either at the Sanctuary in Romania, settling into a UK foster home, or on their way here on the Lucky Bus. Adoption means giving one of them somewhere safe, for good.
Many of our dogs spend a little time in foster before they meet you. The journey from Romania is long and tiring. A few weeks in a quiet home lets them decompress and learn that food arrives reliably, that kindness is normal. By the time you meet your dog, the sharp edges have softened. The handover happens at the fosterer’s house, not at a rescue centre. And it happens when both you and the dog are ready. It's never rushed.
We adopt to UK homes only.
Four steps. Plain words.
Apply
Fill out the application form below. Tell us about your home, your routine, and what kind of dog you're hoping for.
Home check
A Zoom call with two of our team. We walk through your home together, phone camera in hand, and talk about the dog you have in mind.
Meet the dog
If we think it's a fit, you go and meet them. The fosterer shows you everything: their routine, their quirks, what they're like with other dogs.
Travel home
If everyone's happy, a gradual handover is agreed if necessary and eventually your dog comes home with you. The fosterer hands over food, bedding, the works.
We do all our own home checks. Online. In teams of two or three. We never outsource it. In three years we've had under five dogs we needed to move. That's a really good ratio. It's all to do with the fact that we do our own home checks.
We're UK-wide.
The fosterers are anchored in two regions, but we adopt anywhere in the UK as long as we can get the dog to you safely. Per-dog locations are listed on each dog's profile.
The North West
Around our Southport base. Strong foster network across Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Liverpool. Many adopters within a 90-min drive.
Hampshire & the South
Anchored by Debbie's network in Basingstoke. Fosters across Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey. Common adopter region for southern dogs.
Apply & we'll match
Adopters in Yorkshire, the Midlands, Bristol, East Anglia, Scotland, Wales: apply and we will work out the logistics. Some dogs travel; some need a fosterer nearer to you.
There is an adoption donation.
The donation covers what it costs to bring your dog to you: vaccinations, neutering, passport, microchip, and transport. The adoption donation only covers the costs to get your dog to you.
- Vaccinations & passport
- Spay or neuter
- Microchip & flea/tick treatment
- Transport from Romania to the UK on the Lucky Bus
- Health checks & the foster's setup costs
The exact amount depends on the dog, on whether they needed spaying or neutering, and on whether they are already in a UK foster home. It is confirmed during the home-check call. The adoption donation can be up to £490, which only covers the costs. Anything donated above that amount goes to caring for other dogs at the Sanctuary.
Tell us about yourself. We will be in touch.
Two pages, ten minutes, a dog at the other end of it. Real humans read every application.
Submissions go straight to our team via Animal Shelter Manager. We don't share your details with anyone else.
Rather fill it in by hand? Download a printable form (PDF)
Form not loading? Use the standard application
Things people ask before they apply.
How long does adoption take, start to finish?+
From applying to dog-in-your-home, typically 2 to 6 weeks. Faster if the dog is already in UK foster and matches you on the first home check; longer if the dog is still in Romania and waiting for the next Lucky Bus.
If you've applied for a specific dog who isn't ready yet (waiting for transport, recovering from a procedure), we'll be honest about the timeline.
What if it doesn't work out?+
We move the dog. No drama, no judgement. Adoption is a contract: if the match is wrong, we'd rather know early than have you and the dog suffer through it. Under five failed adoptions in three years, and the system holds.
Practically: contact us, we arrange to collect the dog or move them to another adopter or back into foster. The adoption donation isn't refunded (it's already gone on vet bills), but there's no extra cost to you.
Can I adopt if I have kids? Cats? Other dogs?+
Often yes, but it depends on the dog. Each dog has their temperament noted on their profile: kid-tested, cat-tested, dog-tested. The foster will know.
What helps: an honest description of your household when you apply. Any reactive dogs? A cat that runs from strangers? A toddler? Tell us, and we can match you with a dog whose temperament fits.
Can I adopt more than one dog?+
Yes. We do this regularly, especially for bonded pairs from the sanctuary. Two dogs at once is a bigger ask, but if you have the space and the time, we will talk it through on the home check.
Do you adopt to people outside the UK?+
Not currently. Per Lindsey's wording, "we will very rarely now adopt to outside of the UK, if ever." Every dog needs to be traceable; UK addresses make that practical. Historical exceptions in France don't reopen the policy.
Not sure yet? Foster first.
Open your home for a little while. Two weeks, two months, for as long as you have space. We cover every vet bill. No permanent commitment required.
Apply to foster