Sorry we’re a little late with our April round-up. Things have been incredibly busy for us, and we’ve been working flat out to help as many Whippets as possible.
During April, 6 Whippets went to their new homes, which may sound like a quieter month compared to the last year or so, but we can assure you we are far from quiet! We were contacted about 11 dogs needing our help in April alone and have already been contacted about 5 more this month. Most of these have moved into, or will move into, our foster care to be assessed, settle in, and begin any training or behavioural work they need.
We may sound like a broken record, but we honestly feel that people don’t always believe us when we say that the majority of Whippets coming into our care now have behavioural challenges, often significant ones, that need to be properly assessed and understood before they can be matched to the right home.
Severe reactivity and separation anxiety are increasingly common in the dogs coming through rescue, as well as dogs needing homes as only pets or without children. While these issues can usually improve with time, patience, understanding, and positive training, adopters need to be realistic about what they can take on and whether they are genuinely able to offer the environment and commitment these dogs need.
Most of the dogs landing in rescue aren’t ready for social days out, holidays, accompanying you to cafés, or living with other dogs or young children. They may become that dog in time, but right now they need routine, consistency, to avoid being pushed outside of their comfort zone, to feel safe, and to build bonds.
We know we have many people waiting patiently to be matched with the right dog and excited about the possibility of welcoming a Whippet into their home. It can understandably feel disheartening to hear that we have dogs in rescue when you haven’t yet been contacted about a match, but please understand that our duty of care is always to the individual Whippet. Our role is not simply to place dogs quickly, but to ensure they are going to homes that can meet their specific needs and set them up for long-term success.
This may sound harsh, but our obligation is not to find a Whippet for every applicant. It is to find the right home for each individual Whippet.
We receive a very high number of adoption applications, far more than the number of Whippets surrendered into our care. We also see a strong preference from applicants for female dogs. While we understand there are some situations where this preference is important, often there isn’t a clear reason for it. At the moment, very few females are coming into rescue, and around 80% of the dogs currently needing help are males.
Our boys are just as loving, affectionate, funny, and deserving of wonderful forever homes.
When applying to adopt, please be honest, with us and with yourself. Think carefully about your home environment, lifestyle, expectations of owning a rescue Whippet, and what challenges you can realistically manage. It isn’t fair to anyone, least of all the Whippet, to be unrealistic about what you need from a dog.
When we place a Whippet into a home, our goal is always for it to be their forever placement, a home where they are understood, supported, and given every opportunity to thrive.
Behind the scenes, we work tirelessly every day for Whippets in need.
If you think you can offer a home to a Whippet with more severe behavioural needs, please fill in an adoption application form and we will be in touch. Please note that if your application is received by us, you will always receive a response, either by phone call or email, so please keep an eye on your spam folder. If you don’t receive a reply, then your application may not have reached us for some reason and you may need to submit it again. If you are ever struggling with the form, there is a number to call for assistance.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Lisa and Katie 
