We currently have 10 Whippets in foster care. Every one of them is male, and every one has behavioural challenges requiring patience, understanding and support to help them become the amazing pets we know they can be.
We help between 150 and 200 Whippets each year, but Whippets are only the tip of the iceberg. Rescues everywhere are drowning in dogs and many are facing exactly the same challenges as us.
We receive far more adoption applications than Whippets surrendered each year. You might think that would make rehoming easy, but receiving thousands of applications does not mean those homes are suitable for the dogs we have available or that they are equipped to manage their needs.
We pride ourselves on responsible rehoming. We will not place a dog into a home when we know the dog and adopter are not compatible. That would not be fair on the adopter and, most importantly, it would not be fair on the dog, who would inevitably find themselves back in our care.
Every day, we see people complaining about how strict rescues are and how difficult they make it to adopt. That may be true of some organisations, but many rescues are like us and consider every application individually. However, that still does not mean there will be a suitable dog for every person who applies.
It is incredibly disheartening, and sometimes completely soul destroying, to be criticised for saying no when every decision we make is based on the needs and welfare of the dogs in front of us.
We are not trying to prevent people from adopting. We desperately want every Whippet to find a loving home, but wanting a dog and being able to provide the right home for that particular dog are not always the same thing.
As the saying in rescue goes, “No home is better than the wrong home.”
We successfully rehome Whippets to all kinds of homes, environments and lifestyles, IF we have a Whippet genuinely suited to that particular situation.
Sadly, most dogs enter rescue for a reason and, with Whippets, that reason is often behavioural. Common challenges include lead reactivity, separation anxiety, nervousness, an inability to live safely with children or other animals, and needing a quieter environment away from built-up areas.
Many have missed vital early socialisation because they were raised during lockdown, or they have experienced frightening incidents, such as being attacked by out-of-control dogs when out on walks. Others have grown up without the training, guidance and boundaries they needed. These things can have a lasting negative effect.
These dogs are not broken or bad. They simply need someone willing to understand them, start again and help them become the dogs they are capable of being.
Very few rescue dogs will walk into a new home and be perfect. Most will not immediately be ready to visit cafés, go on holiday or accompany their adopters everywhere. They need time to adjust, settle and bond, as well as support to learn how to cope with new situations.
We completely understand why many homes cannot support dogs with more challenging needs. We simply ask applicants to be honest about what they can realistically manage and what they genuinely want in terms of age, temperament and needs. Saying what you think we want to hear does not help anyone, least of all the dog.
Every applicant receives a response by email, text and/or telephone. Those who appear suitable are spoken to in detail, homechecked and placed on our potential adopters’ waiting list.
After completing that process, it is incredibly disheartening when people suddenly move the goalposts about the type of dog they will consider or simply disappear when we contact them about a potential match.
We do not expect anyone to accept a dog who is not right for them. However, we will only ever suggest a dog we believe you can manage, based on the information you have provided. If your circumstances have changed, you have changed your mind or you have adopted elsewhere, please have the courtesy to let us know.
Adopting a rescue dog is unlikely to be all unicorns and fairy dust from day one. There may be tears, setbacks and moments when you question everything. It takes patience, commitment and hard work.
But watching a frightened, anxious or misunderstood dog begin to trust, learn and thrive makes every bit of that effort worthwhile.
