Adopt a Spaniel
Give a Spaniel a second chance at a happy forever home.
Every Spaniel has their own story, personality and needs. We take the time to understand both our dogs and their potential adopters, helping to find the right match for everyone.
Rocco
Adopted February 2026
Finding the Right Match
Our Adoption Process
At UK Spaniel Rescue, our priority is finding the right home for each dog.
We only accept adoption applications for Spaniels currently advertised on our website. If you see a dog you are interested in, please read their profile carefully before completing our Adoption Application Form, making sure you tell us which dog you are applying for.
Every application is considered against the individual needs and circumstances of that dog. Applying does not guarantee that you will be offered the dog, as our priority is always to find the most suitable match.
We do not operate a general adoption waiting list and are unable to accept applications that do not relate to a dog currently advertised for adoption.
Understanding our terms
- Adopt – Give a Spaniel a permanent home.
- Foster – Provide a temporary home while we work towards the Spaniel's next placement.
- FWVTA (Foster With a View to Adopt) – A home trial where you have priority to adopt the Spaniel if the placement works out.
- Rehoming – Finding a new home for a Spaniel who can no longer remain with their current owner.
- RBU (Rescue Back-Up) – Our ongoing support for you and your Spaniel throughout their life.
Rescue dogs need understanding
A message from one of our founders and trustee, Caroline
Our Adoption Process
01
Complete the Adoption Form
Tell us about your home, lifestyle, experience and what you’re looking for in a Spaniel.
02
We Review Your Application
We only consider applications for dogs currently advertised on our website.
03
Talk With Our Team
Our Team will discuss your application and circumstances with you.
04
Home Visit
A home visit forms part of the adoption process. A volunteer will visit you for a quick informal chat.
05
Meet & Greets
These meetings give you, your current dog if you have one, and the Spaniel, time to get to know each other.
06
Adoption Agreement
We will sort out the next stage – finalising the adoption process together
07
Your Spaniel Comes Home
If everything is right for everyone, we will discuss the steps for getting your new dog home.
08
Microchip & Insurance
The microchip is transferred and your Spaniel receives five weeks’ free insurance.
09
Rescue Backup
If you need advice, support or guidance after adoption, our team remains here to help.
10
Six-Week Follow-Up
After 6 weeks, we will contact you to see how things are getting on.
A note about the adoption process
The steps above are an indication of how our adoption process works, rather than a set of hard and fast stages or a promise of how quickly things will happen.
Every application is assessed on its own merits, and finding the right match takes time. Sometimes, the dog you initially have in mind may be better suited to a different home, and our team may suggest another Spaniel who is a better match for your circumstances.
Our priority is always to find the right outcome for the dog and their potential adopter. That means taking the time to consider each application carefully and making decisions based on the individual needs of the dog and the home.
Adoption – Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question? Look here first. If your answer isn’t here, please contact us. We aim to reply within 3 days.
What is Foster With a View to Adopt?
Sometimes we are short of foster carers for our dogs and the owner may need to rehome sooner rather than later. We aren’t here to judge, we just want the best outcome for the dog.
For some of our dogs, we offer a Foster With a View to Adopt arrangement. This gives you and the Spaniel time to settle in together and see whether your home is the right match.
The dog will initially join you as a foster, and our usual application, home-check and suitability process still applies. If you decide that you would like to adopt, please let us know as soon as you feel ready. Most foster carers tell us before the four-week point.
We ask you to make your decision within four weeks of the dog coming to live with you. If you decide that adoption isn’t right for you or the dog, please contact us as soon as possible so we can discuss the next steps. If you wish to adopt, we’ll talk you through completing the adoption process.
Why do you need proof of my ID?
It is to verify the address where the dog will be living and for the safety of both you and the volunteer
Who can adopt from/foster with you?
We consider each application on its own merits and would never turn you down without speaking with you first.
I’ve never had a dog before, can I still adopt/foster?
You can, however, as Spaniels were originally bred to be working dogs, we would recommend that you research the breed first to see if it’s really the breed you want . You can find more info on the Kennel Club website
Is there an age limit for adoption/foster?
You must be at least 18 but there is no upper age limit. Again, we judge each application on it own merits
Can we adopt/foster a dog if we have children?
It would depend on the age of the children and whether the dog is good with children or not. If a dog hasn’t lived with children before we will always err on the side of caution.
Will the dog we adopt be neutered?
Sometimes we do take dogs that aren’t neutered. This is due to differing thoughts by vets on when is the best time to neuter a dog. If the dog isn’t already neutered, we ask that you consult your vet for their advice. If they advise neutering, we will reimburse part of the cost to you on production of a receipt from your vet
We have cats. Can we still adopt/foster a dog from you?
Again, it would depend on whether the dog has lived with cats before or not. We do not have the ability to cat test dogs when they come to us.
We already have a dog. Will our application be declined?
No, not at all. We do get some dogs that have either lived with or been around a family members dog but we would ask that you have two ‘meet and greets’ with your own dog.
Do we meet the dog before adoption/foster and if we like him/her can we take them home straight away?
Yes, we always ask that you meet the dog before adopting. You will only be able to take them home after we have received your signed Adoption Agreement and adoption donation.
With foster dogs, we just ask that you do one meet and greet, then we will arrange a date and a time for your foster dog to come to you
We’ve got holidays booked, can we still adopt/foster?
You can but we would consider it wiser to only take your dog home when you get back to allow it to decompress properly
What are the adoption costs?
£350
What is the re-homing process?
Once we receive your adoption form, we will look to match a dog with you. Once this has been done and discussed with you, we will arrange for a volunteer to pop round and do a quick home visit to chat with you and take some pictures of your garden. If all goes well, we will then arrange for 2 meet and greets (all the family should attend at least once, and any dogs you already have). Once the meet and greet is done, all being well, we will send you the adoption agreement and when we have that back we will arrange a date and time for either collection or drop off. We will then transfer the microchip to you and sort out your 5 weeks free insurance
Is there any post-adoption support?
Yes, you get full rescue back up for the life of your UK Spaniel Rescue dog which includes any behaviours they dog was showing at the time of adoption. If problems arise later on and they are not linked to the original behaviours, we can still help but there may be a charge for this or we can signpost you to a behaviourist in your area. We will also arrange a post adoption home visit by a volunteer to make sure everything is good and so that we can be made aware of any issues you may need help with.
Do I need to live in a house to adopt/foster?
Not necessarily. We are more concerned with the setup of your home and that it meets the dog’s needs
Do I have to own my home to adopt/foster?
No. We will accept applications from tenants but you must provide proof that your landlord is happy for you to have a dog at your property before we consider your application
Do I need to have a garden?
Obviously it is preferably but as long as you have somewhere the dog can go to relieve itself. If that is a communal garden, you must keep your dog on a lead whilst out
What height fence is required?
We recommend 6′
Is there a trial period in place before adoption (how long/when are the checks)?
We will contact you after 6 weeks to check that all is going well. If, during this time, you feel that things are not working out or there is a problem with your adopted dog, we will ask one of our behaviourists to contact you to see if there is anything we can do to help (of course, you are encouraged to reach out sooner if you feel you need help).
Can we still be considered if we work full time but have a dog walker/day care solution in place?
You can but we will not rehome to families where the dog is left for more than 4 hours
I’m moving soon, can I still adopt/foster from you?
We would need you to move before we can progress your application as we would need to carry out a home visit
I’ve seen a specific dog on the website, can I adopt/foster that one?
We can’t promise that you will get the dog that you want but you are always encouraged to apply
“Every dog must have his day.”
Jonathan Swift