Adopting a dog from Oakwood Dog Rescue

Thinking about taking on a rescue dog? Please think carefully, these dogs have had their lives tipped upside down through no fault of their own...

Below you will find all the information about adopting a dog from Oakwood Dog Rescue

There is a 3 step process to our application form and you will be required to agree to the adoption requirements prior to completeing a form.

If you want to read the requirements beforehand - please click the link at the bottom of the page.

IMPORTANT NOTICE 08/09/2020: Due to high demand in child friendly dogs, we are now no longer accepting applications with children under 10 or cats. Any applications sent with cats and/or children under 10 will not be processed this also includes people who are expecting a child in the very near future.

As a rescue we do not discriminate where a dog comes from, we aim to help a dog find an understanding and loving home. We take in dogs from Romania and dogs from the UK.

Any rescue dog will take time to settle into a new home. Imagine your first day at a new job, it's scary - you take time to get used to the flow of things, to know where the toilets are, to understand what you're supposed to do on a day-to-day basis and you certainly don't have everything pinned down over night... This is a similar situation for a rescue dog.

Taking on a rescue dog, and an ex-street dog is not easy. These dogs have never had people be nice to them, they have never been taught how to sit, lie down - most have never seen a tv or flight of stairs before. Oakwood supports its local adopters with 4 weeks of free training with Oakwood Canine Services. For adopters outside of Hull, you will be asked to book training with a professional in your area to help with the physical side of training - we are here to support you via phone and email.

Ever heard of the phrase, "adopted dogs take 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to start to know your routine and 3 months to start to feel at home"?

Any rescue dog may toilet in the house, bark when they are left alone, become destructive or chew a prized possession - we need all of our applicants to be comitted and understand that a dog is hard work - whether you take in a puppy or a rescue, you will have challenges. We expect our adopters to work with us... returning a dog after 2 weeks in the home because it is hard work is not a valid reason to return a dog to rescue. 

Give them a chance.

In viewings our experienced staff will disclose everything there is to know about each individual dog - what they may struggle with, are fearful of or have faced in the past. We expect our adopters to listen and take on board what they are told in viewings - you may have had dogs all of your life, but just like people are all unique, each dog is too. The staff work with these dogs on a day to day basis and know them well.

Before you go any further, please ensure that you are 100% ready and committed to taking on a rescue dog, regardless of their origin and work with the rescue to provide the dog with a patient home. Returning a dog to a rescue centre can have very detrimental effects on a dog and its behaviour.

Our adoption policies, terms and conditions are in place for the benefit of our dogs and their adopters. We differ from most other rescues in the extensive support we offer our adoptive families during the adoption process and also the aftercare support and training we offer.

We re-home to adopters over the age of 21. We look for your committment and ability to provide everything the dog needs. Then it's just a case of finding a dog that is suitable.

Our policies are put in place to benefit our dogs and their welfare, they do not reflect to you as a person.

The process from reservation to adoption is approx 48hrs so you will need to be prepare to take on a dog very quickly. 

Please do not apply if you require garden work to meet requirements, are moving house or have a holiday booked in the next 6-8 weeks: you must be ready to start the process immediately and you need to be able to commit your full attention to the dog.

  • Perfect matching service: We pride ourselves in matching dogs to clients needs, wants and lifestyles. We endeavour to find the dog that will slot right in to your family.
  • The dogs are fully vaccinated, microchipped, neutered, regularly fleaed and wormed - our Romanian dogs come with their own dog passport too.
  • Our dogs receive a behaviour assessment undertaken by experienced staff in order to find them the best homes.
  • 50% off any groom voucher for Noah's Ark Grooming
  • 20% off your first 3 grooms at our very own Happy Paws Spa
  • Royal Canin food voucher
  • 6 weeks of basic training videos and a rehoming advice pack
  • Ongoing support for the life of the dog, support, advice and training just a phone call, email or Facebook message away.

Unfortunately we are unable to rehome dogs to families with children under 10 and cats at this current time.

We cannot forsee this changing in the short term and therefore we are unable to rehome to families with younger children and cats until further notice.

Please do not submit an application if you have children under 10 and/or cats. We will update our website when this changes and make an announcement on our Facebook Page.

Our 2021 adoption donation guidelines are as follows:

Dogs under 1 year old - £350                                                                                

Dogs 1-6 years old - £250

Dogs 7-9 years old - £180

Dogs 10+ years - £50

Pure/Rare breeds - up to £350

The differences in fees are due to dogs having differing requirements. For example older dogs require a higher commitment to vet care and so to help towards this we reduce the cost of our older dogs to make them more rehomable. Puppies cost more to the rescue to ensure they are neutered, vaccinated etc. ready to go to their new family.

We require a reservation fee of £100 to be paid on reserving your chosen dog. This is non-refundable/transferable if you decide to un-reserve the dog and do not complete the adoption. If we decide the dog is not suitable for you, we will fully refund the reservation fee. When you complete the adoption, the reservation fee counts towards the total adoption fee.

  • Behaviour assessment whilst in the rescue
  • Neutering/spay worth up to £365 (depending on size/sex of dog)
  • Full course of vaccinations worth up to £60
  • Up to date with worming and flea treatment
  • Microchip worth £20 (you will need to change details if you move house and this does come at a cost)
  • Free 6 week training online with Oakwod Canine Services
  • Aftercare support with free telephone/email advice when you need it.
  • Rescue back up support for the dog should they need to be returned to rescue.

We take in a lot of mixed breed dogs who come in all shapes and sizes. It can be difficult therefore to categorise them based on weight alone as a dog could be really tall and light, or really short and heavy. We categorise dogs based on approximate size. Here is an example of how we would categorise our dogs:

Miniature: Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier

Small: Jack Russell, Shih tzu, Westie

Medium: Spaniels, Border Collie

Large: Labrador, German Shepherd, Weimaraner

Giant: Great Dane, Newfoundland, St. Bernard

The Adoption Process

Before completeing an application form it is important that you read each section to ensure you meet our requirements.

1 - You will be directed to read and complete the Adoption Requirements Agreement and the Local Adopter Agreement before you submit your adoption application form. You MUST have your own email address and you MUST be able to make bank transfers, as well as having access a device to make video called using either Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.

2 - After submitting a completed adoption application the Adoption Team will review the form and contact you via email when we have a suitable match at the centre.

3 - Following our email you will be asked to email to us your ID’s. Proof of photo identification and address identification will need to be provided for all members of the household living at the address who are over the age of 16 years, and for anyone else that you bring to a viewing. You will also send us your garden boundary photos and we will advise on any changes which need to be made to the garden before we look to book a viewing in at the centre. If there are any changes to be made you will need to provide new photos once the work is completed.

4 - Once we have assessed the garden photos you will receive a screening call so we can learn a little more about you and what you're looking for.

5- We will arrange a viewing at the centre to meet your matches. You will need to wait outside in the car park and wait for a member of staff to assist you. ALL of the household MUST attend the viewing. The viewing will take place outside in the fields - we cannot guarantee the weather condition and so you must come wearing suitable footwear and bring a coat. There are no public toilets at the centre and therefore, we cannot offer that facility.

You will be required to socially distance from our staff members and follow their instructions at all times regarding moving around the rescue centre site. You must bring your own treats with you for the dog (cut up pieces of cheese or meat). You will be able to see the matched dog(s) and discuss their personality and temperament with a member of staff before deciding if you would like to adopt the dog. Everyone must wear face masks at the centre (if you are exempt you must tell us in advance of viewing appointment).

You will need to make a decision about adopting the dog on the day you meet them – our adoption process is quite fast and until you make a decision the dog will remain available to other families who visit the centre. We understand that some families prefer more time to make a decision and so our process won't work for everyone. If you think you will be unable to decide on the same day as the viewing then we may not be the right rescue centre for you to adopt from.

6 - When you have discussed your matches with your family and have made a decision on who you'd like to adopt you will be sent the reservation paperwork electronically. This must be signed and returned to us by the end of the viewing day along with a reservation donation of £100 (non-refundable and non-transferable) to reserve the dog.

7 - You will have 48 hours from signing the reservation paperwork to arrange everything you need for the dog such as food, crate, collar, ID tag, insurance etc. We will provide you with a helpful list so you don't forget anything. You understand that if you decide not to adopt the dog at any time during the adoption process all monies paid to Oakwood Dog Rescue are lost as donations are non-refundable and non-transferable as per the charities commission rules on donations to charity.

8 - A virtual home check will take place using a video call. This is performed through Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp and will mean you can show us around your home so we can check the boundary of the garden is secure with a lockable gate, provide you with help and support to ensure you're ready to take on your reserved dog. If problems are identified with your garden at this stage you will have less than 24 hours to fix the issue, or you will not be able to adopt the dog and will lose all adoption donations and the dog will be offered to other families.

9 - The adoption paperwork will be sent to you electronically to sign and you must return the completed adoption paperwork to us, along with proof of insurance and the remaining balance of the adoption donation via bank transfer prior to your adoption appointment. If you do not complete the adoption within 48hrs of reserving the dog then the dog will no longer be reserved you and you will forfeit your reservation donation.

10 - We will arrange your adoption appointment in our outdoor space at the centre at an agreed time so you can collect your adoptive dog. We will also provide you with your rehoming pack and any other documents belonging to your adopted dog.

Due to the current pandemic we are unable to offer our usual period of free training at the centre therefore all training will be the adopters sole responsibility. We will however provide you with some materials to help you get started in training your dog at home, and we will still provide you with our usual aftercare help and advice so you can contact us with any problems you may be experiencing.

Some dogs advertised on our website are too nervous to travel further afield, and therefore, we must assess our dogs suitability to travel 30+ miles home. Due to this your matching process may take a little longer than expected as not all dogs are suitable. Please be aware we act in the dogs best interests.

1 - You will need to read and complete the adoption requirements agreement and a long distance adopter agreement before you continue to sumbit your application form. You MUST have your own email address and you MUST be able to make bank transfers, as well as having access to either Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.

2 - After submitting a completed adoption application the Adoption Team will review the form and contact you via email only when you have a suitable match at the centre.

3 - Following our email you will need to send us your garden photos and ID. Proof of photo identification and address identification will need to be provided for all members of the household living at the address who are over the age of 16 years, and for any visitors that you intend on coming to a viewing.

4 - Once we have received the above we will contact you again by email with a potential dog match - we will include lots of information about the dog along with photos. You are also welcome to look on our Facebook page to see more of the dog. We will send you a text to see your emails - please be expected to move quickly as the dog could go into other appointments whilst you are deciding whether you are interested in meeting the dog or not.

5 - Once you have identified that you are happy to meet the matched dog you must be prepared to travel to the centre and adopt a dog within 48hrs of our contact (i.e if we contact you on a Monday we will book the homecheck Tuesday and your viewing and adoption will be held on the Wednesday). We cannot bring the dog to you. It may well be that you have to attend the viewing appointment on a weekday - our out of area applicants fill up weekend spaces very quickly so you may be waiting weeks for an appointment and will miss our on your matched dog. It is highly likely you will need to book time off of work as the dog cannot be left for 5hrs instantly after adoption.

6 - There is a £50 (non-refundable and non-transferrable) donation to book a homecheck with a viewing. The virtual homecheck will either take place via Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp and your viewing appointment will be held the day after this. This donation will form part of your final adoption amount if you choose to adopt a dog. If you leave without a dog the donation cannot be refunded to you under any circumstances as per the charities commission rules on donations to charity.

7 - When you pay the donation we will hold 1 matched dog for you, for 48 hours only. If there are multiple dog matches for your family at the centre we will only hold 1 matched dog for you. However, if other suitable dog matches are at the centre during your viewing appointment you will be offered the opportunity to meet them and adopt one of them instead. If you adopt a dog from us the day of your viewing then the £50 donation you previously made will form part of your final adoption donation (even if it is not the dog you placed on hold).

You will be expected to make a decision and adopt the same day. If you do not choose to adopt your donation cannot be refunded to you.

If you need more time to make a decision, we are not the rescue for you.

 8 - You will have a viewing at the centre with all of the adoptive family present. The viewing will take place outside in the fields - we cannot guarantee the weather condition and so you must come wearing suitable footwear and bring a coat. There are no public toilets at the centre and therefore, we cannot offer that facility.

8a - You will be required to socially distance from our staff member and follow their instructions at all times regarding moving around the rescue center site. You must bring your own treats with you for the dog (cut up pieces of cheese or meat). You will be able to see your held dog, plus any other suitable matches and discuss their personality and temperament with a member of staff before deciding which dog you would like to adopt. 

9 - Once you decide which dog you'd like to adopt then we will arrange a collection appointment for you later that same day and you will leave the centre for several hours to arrange everything you need for the dog such as food, crate, collar, ID tag, insurance etc. We will provide you with a helpful list so you don't forget anything. The dog will remain at the rescue centre with our staff member while you make preparations for them to live with you permanently. (There are supermarkets and a Pets At Home a short distance away - we will notify you of these).

9a -Whilst you are away from the centre you will be sent your adoption contract electronically. This must be signed and returned to us before you return to collect your dog along with a bank transfer of the remaining adoption donation (less any fees already paid). You understand that the adoption must be finalised the day of the  viewing and the dog is to be collected by you or the adoption is terminated, you lose all fees paid and the dog will be offered to other families.

10 - We will arrange a further socially distanced meeting in our outdoor space at the centre at an agreed time so you can collect your adoptive dog. We will also provide you with your rehoming pack and any other documents belonging to your adopted dog.

Due to the current pandemic we are unable to offer our usual period of free training at the centre therefore all training will be the adopters sole responsibility. We will however provide you with some materials to help you get started in training your dog at home, and we will still provide you with our usual aftercare help and advice so you can contact us with any problems you may be experiencing.

We ask all of our applicants and any guests 16 years+ that accompany them to the viewing to bring photo and address ID. If you do not bring this to your viewing we will not be able to proceed.

For examples of ID, click here

Adoption requirements

These must be read before applying.

Click here

Adoption application form

Before completing this form, please make sure you have read and agreed to our Adoption Requirements.

Click here

Testimonials

Want to hear about others experiences of adopting from Oakwood?

Click here

Happily ever after

Want to see all the lucky dogs that have found their happy endings this year?

Click here