Firstly, a dog needs to be fit and healthy and cleared by our vet to be ready for rehoming. Our trained Animal Care Assistants write a behaviour assessment to create a rehoming profile.
 

Based on what we know about the dog’s behaviour, their likes and dislikes, you can read about the kind of home they are looking for, and in a lot of cases, the kind of home they need to be able to thrive outside of kennel life. Some dogs are good with children, other dogs, cats, new people, new environments etc, but sadly many of the dogs that come into our care have been subjected to cruelty, neglect, abandonment and abuse. Some of the dogs in our care haven’t been exposed to much of the world. It is these kinds of considerations that affect the perfect match home for each dog.
 

Once you find a dog you think you could offer your home to, and you match their needs, the next step is to submit an application form to us. The “perfect match” forms will ask you all about your home, and your experience and what you’re looking for too. Once you have completed the form, please return it to: info@rspca-preston.org.uk
 

Our Reception Team will consider all applications on a first-come-first-serve basis. They will be looking for whether your home meets the dog's needs. For example if the dog needs a secure garden, or if it is reactive to children and you have children in the home. You should receive a reply as to whether you’re progressing to the next home visit stage, or if not, the reasons why.
 

If your application is a perfect match, we will then schedule you for a home visit. This can be done via a video call or in person. The main reason for this is so our team can tell you more about the dog's history, time with us, any medical issues you need to be aware of, and for you to ask all your questions about the dog’s personality. You will be asked to provide a guided tour of your home, and again the staff are just checking that the home meets the animals needs.
 

If the home visit does not meet the animals needs this will be explained to you. If the home visit passes you will then be booked into our diary for your first viewing with the dog!
 

You will usually be asked to come to the animal centre for a minimum of three viewings, so you must factor in this travel when completing your application. Some of the dogs with additional behavioural needs may require multiple visits. Everyone in the household, including children and dogs will be required to meet the dog before the adoption, so we can ensure everyone is happy before the adoption. 
 

When the adoption day is set our staff will prepare an adoption pack for you with all the paperwork you need. Our staff will register the microchip into your details. We’re happy to provide any post-adoption support you may need. And of course, we love to see your updates once they have settled into the home.