FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I apply to adopt?

Please download an application form from our website and email to rockyroadrescue.applications@gmail.com

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Will I need to have a home check?

Yes. We home check every potential adopter to make sure that we are placing our dogs in the right homes. There are no exceptions to this rule.

 

Do you rehome to people in flats?

Every application is assessed for an individual outcome. Cats, yes we do rehome in to flats.

 

Do you rehome to families with children?

Yes but due to not knowing the background of the dogs, we only adopt to families with children aged 12 or over, unless the dog has been child tested. We currently rehome our cats to families with children aged 3+.

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Do you rehome to first time owners?

Unfortunately we are unable to rehome dogs to first time owners. This is due to not knowing the dogs backgrounds. We do rehome cats to first time owners.

 

What is your adoption fee?

Puppies and dogs up to age 8 are £475 and senior 8+ are £250. All cats are £295.

 

I cant’ afford to pay the donation in one go, can I set up a payment plan?

We do not offer payment plans on our adoption fees.

 

Will my dog/puppy be housetrained?

Unless stated otherwise in the dog’s album, please assume that the dog will not be house trained. In Romania, most dogs are kept outside, so you will need to be committed to their house training.

 

Will my dog be lead trained?

Unless stated otherwise in the album please assume that your dog is not lead trained and will need to be taught to walk on a lead. Dog in Romania are rarely walked. Please also always use a harness and lead, some dogs will have been caught by dog catchers on a pole and noose. Being pulled by the neck can bring up traumatic memories.

 

Is my animal in the uk?

Unless stated on the album, all animals are in our foster in Romania. They will travel directly to adopters in the UK.

 

Can you take them into foster first so I can see what they are like in a home?

No, foster is reserved for the neediest animals. These are animals either being overlooked or ones that aren't coping in kennels. We closely assess our animals and decide whether they are suitable for direct adoption or not.

 

Do they live in a house in Romania?

No , all cats and dogs are kept in foster in Romania. This ranges from foster kennels to vet foster, which is more of a home environment.

 

Are they spayed/castrated?

If your dog is over 9 months and below 8 years, then he or she will be spayed/castrated. If your dog is below 9 months, it will be the adopter’s responsibility to neuter the dog when of age. If over 8 years he/she will not be neutered.

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Cats will be neutered from 6 months.

 

What if I don’t bond with them, can I give them back?

We expect our adopter to make a life long commitment to they are adopting. If this is something that concerns you we do not suggest adopting a dog from abroad.

 

Do you have rescue back up ?

Yes we provide rescue back up for all of our animals, that being said we do expect the adopter to exhaust all avenues before handing a dog back to the organisation.

 

What if my resident animal does not like them?

We would expect our adopters to have thought long and hard about whether their pet would accept another animal. We can provide guidance around sensible introductions, but the adopter must be confident that their own pet is ready for a companion.

 

Can you cat test?

Some of our dogs may have been cat tested (this is stated on the album). Unfortunately the large majority of our dogs are in kennels, which is not a suitable place to take a cat.

 

Can you child test?

As per above if a dog has been child tested it will say so on their album. If this has not been stated unfortunately, we cannot take a child to a dog shelter as it’s not safe.

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The majority of cats are child friendly and it will be stated on their albums if they need a quiet adult only home.

 

Will my animal be vaccinated?

Please see vaccination sheet.

 

What diseases do you test for ?

We test dogs for Leishmania, Babesiosis, Heartworm and Brucellosis. For cats we test for Leukaemia and FIV.

 

Can I meet my animal before I make a decision to adopt?

We usually have some dogs and cats in foster in the uk that are available for adoption, but we cannot take them into adoption on request.

 

Do you know my dogs breed?

Most of our dogs are mix breeds and we have no idea what they are. We have as much fun as you having a guess, but we have no hard evidence. If you want a pure breed dog, we aren’t the organisation for you! The same goes for cats.

 

How big will my puppy grow?

This is a difficult one to answer unless we have seen both parents with the puppy, which is very very rare. In most cases we make an estimate on the possible size, but please bear in mind, a puppy can have a spout of growth around 8 months old that can surprise even the most educated dog specialist.

 

How will my animal get to me?

Your dog / cat will travel on a fully equipped bus across Europe into the UK, he/she will then be dropped at your door.

 

Are you available to give me advice and guidance?

Yes of course! We will always try our best to support you. We do suggest you do some reading and fact finding of your own.

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Victoria Stilwell’s book- ‘How to Positively Train your dog’ is a great guide for all your training needed.

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For an insight to life in Romania for you dogs please watch – Youtube- The Pack Project-Speranta (hope) The Street Dogs Feat. Rosie Marcel.

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This documentary was created by another organisation, but it shows life in Romania very well.

 

Can you give me some more history on the animal?

The majority of our dogs have been caught by dog catchers and have been brought up on the streets or surrendered by their owners. If we do know any background information on the dog, then we will state that on their album.

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Cats are either found on the street or have found our rescuers, so we do not know their background unless we have had them from a young kitten.

 

Is the age of my dog/cat  accurate?

Our experienced vets in Romania estimate both cats and dogs age by their teeth. The date on their passport is guessed due to the unknown accuracy of their date of birth.

 

What food is my dog eating in Romania?

In all honesty, whatever we can have sent over to them. They almost always get stress colitis from the transport so we advise plain boiled chicken and rice or tinned Chappie to start with, gradually moving them on to your food of choice.

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We also advise plain food for cats such as white fish and chicken to begin with.