At Hope4Paws UK & Spain, our policies and procedures are here to protect the dogs in our care, support our adopters, foster carers and volunteers, and ensure every decision is made with honesty, compassion and transparency.
We know that rescue can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when adopting a dog from overseas or welcoming a dog with an unknown history. These policies explain how we work, what you can expect from us, and what we ask from the people who adopt, foster, volunteer or support our rescue.
From adoption and transport to welfare support, Rescue Back Up, safeguarding, complaints and data protection, each policy has been created to help keep our dogs safe and make the process as clear and supportive as possible.
The following summaries explain the main principles and responsibilities contained within our adoption policies.
They are intended to provide a clear overview only. Before proceeding with an adoption, applicants and adopters must read the full policies and the Adoption Agreement carefully.
Click on the title of each policy to view or download the complete document.
This policy explains each stage of adopting a dog through Hope4Paws UK & Spain, from the initial enquiry and home assessment through to matching, approval, paperwork and transport or collection. It also explains what applicants must tell us, how decisions are made and the support available after adoption.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain is committed to finding safe, suitable and permanent homes for rescue dogs.
Every application is considered individually, and all adoption decisions are made in the best interests of the dog.
Our adoption process normally includes:
1. Initial contact with the Hope4Paws UK & Spain adoption team.
2. An initial discussion about your home, lifestyle, experience and the type of dog you are hoping to adopt.
3. Photographs or video of your home and garden, where applicable.
4. Completion of an adoption application form.
5. A home check and suitability assessment.
6. Review of the relevant adoption information and policies.
7. Payment of the required deposit or adoption fee.
8. Completion and signing of the Adoption Agreement.
9. Transport and handover arrangements.
10. Ongoing post-adoption support.
We may also arrange a video introduction or request further information before making a decision.
Submitting an application does not guarantee that an adoption will be approved or that a particular dog will be reserved.
Applicants must:
• Be aged 18 or over.
• Provide complete and accurate information.
• Ensure everyone living in the household agrees to the adoption.
• Have permission from their landlord or housing provider where required.
• Be willing to allow a home check.
• Consider the dog’s exercise, training, health and behavioural needs.
• Provide appropriate veterinary care, insurance or financial provision for treatment.
• Allow sufficient time for the dog to settle and adjust.
• Follow the advice and safety guidance provided by the rescue.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain may decline an application where the proposed home, circumstances or arrangements are not considered suitable for the individual dog.
The amount payable depends on whether the dog is travelling from overseas or is already based in the UK.
Dogs travelling from the EU normally require a transport contribution. This may include an initial non-refundable payment to reserve the dog and secure transport, followed by the remaining balance before travel.
Dogs already based in the UK are subject to the current UK adoption fee.
Applicants will be told the exact amount, payment stages and refund conditions before making a commitment.
Adoption fees and transport contributions help towards costs including:
• Transport
• Veterinary preparation
• Boarding or foster care
• Documentation
• Welfare support
• Rescue operations
Payments are generally non-refundable once costs have been committed or arrangements have been made, as explained in the full policy and Adoption Agreement.
A dog adopted through Hope4Paws UK & Spain must not be sold, given away, privately rehomed or transferred to another person without the rescue’s written agreement.
Anyone experiencing difficulties must contact us as early as possible so that appropriate support and next steps can be discussed.
This policy explains how we assess whether a dog and prospective home are likely to be a suitable match. It considers the dog’s known health, behaviour and individual needs alongside the applicant’s household, lifestyle, experience and circumstances, while recognising that no assessment can guarantee future behaviour or compatibility.
Our aim is to place each dog in a home that is appropriate for their known needs, temperament and circumstances.
When assessing an application, we may consider:
• The applicant’s home and garden.
• Household members and visiting children.
• Resident animals.
• Working hours and time the dog may be left alone.
• Previous experience with dogs.
• Exercise and training expectations.
• The local environment.
• Access to veterinary care.
• The dog’s known health and behavioural needs.
• The applicant’s ability to manage an overseas rescue dog or a dog with an uncertain history.
Our decisions are based on the information available at the time and may involve input from foster carers, kennels, rescuers, veterinarians or other relevant people.
A rescue assessment provides only a snapshot of how a dog behaved in a particular environment.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain cannot guarantee:
• Temperament
• Behaviour in a new home
• Compatibility with every person or animal
• House training
• Lead walking
• Recall
• Separation tolerance
• Behaviour around food or possessions
• Future health, size or development
A dog may behave differently after transport, during decompression or as they become more confident in their new home.
Before adopting, applicants should carefully consider whether they have the time, finances, patience and practical ability to meet the dog’s needs throughout its life.
Adopters are expected to:
• Allow the dog time and space to settle.
• Follow the 3-3-3 guidance provided by the rescue.
• Introduce new people, places and animals gradually.
• Use secure equipment and safe handling methods.
• Provide appropriate training and enrichment.
• Seek professional support where necessary.
• Keep the rescue informed of serious concerns.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain may decline or pause an adoption where we believe the match may not be suitable.
Where concerns arise after adoption, the rescue will discuss the circumstances, consider support options and assess the needs and safety of everyone involved.
The dog must not be privately rehomed or transferred without written permission from Hope4Paws UK & Spain.
This policy explains how to prepare for and safely manage introductions between an adopted dog and resident dogs, cats, small animals, birds or livestock. It covers gradual introductions, supervision, separation, signs of stress or conflict and when veterinary or professional behavioural support may be needed.
We take reasonable steps to assess a rescue dog using the information available to us. However, many rescue dogs have incomplete histories, and their behaviour may change when they move into a new home.
We cannot guarantee that a dog will be compatible with another dog, cat, small animal or livestock.
Adopters are responsible for managing all introductions carefully and safely.
Initial meetings between dogs should take place calmly and, where possible, on neutral ground.
Introductions should be:
• Gradual
• Controlled
• Closely supervised
• Kept as calm and positive as possible
Dogs should initially have separate:
• Feeding areas
• Beds and resting places
• Toys and high-value items
• Safe spaces
Food, treats, toys and attention can become sources of tension, particularly during the settling period. Adopters should monitor body language and avoid forcing interaction.
Dogs must not be left together unsupervised until the adopter is confident that they are comfortable and safe.
Introductions to cats must be slow and carefully managed.
The dog should initially remain under secure control, and the cat must have:
• Safe escape routes
• Elevated resting areas
• Dog-free spaces
• Separate food, water and litter areas
Scent swapping and controlled visual introductions may be helpful before direct contact is attempted.
Not every dog will be suitable to live with cats, even where they appeared calm around cats during an earlier assessment.
Rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, poultry, livestock and other small animals may trigger a dog’s prey or chase instinct.
They must be housed securely and must not be allowed uncontrolled contact with the adopted dog.
The adopter remains responsible for protecting all animals within the household.
A rescue dog will normally need a settling period of at least three months before compatibility can be properly assessed.
This does not mean that unsafe situations should be allowed to continue. Immediate action must be taken where there is a serious welfare or safety concern.
During the settling period, adopters should:
• Keep routines predictable.
• Supervise interactions.
• Avoid crowding or forced contact.
• Provide separate resting and feeding spaces.
• Watch carefully for signs of fear, stress, guarding or aggression.
• Contact the rescue promptly if concerns arise.
Where difficulties occur, the adopter may be required to work with a qualified, force-free trainer or clinical animal behaviourist at their own expense.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain may request photographs, videos, incident information or professional assessments before decisions are made about compatibility or rehoming.
This policy sets out the responsibilities of adults when a dog lives with, regularly meets or has contact with children. It covers active supervision, safe boundaries, the dog’s need for an undisturbed resting space, recognising signs of discomfort and the action required if concerning behaviour or an incident occurs.
Children and dogs must never be left alone together, regardless of the dog’s breed, size, age or previous behaviour.
Supervision means that a responsible adult is:
• Present
• Paying full attention
• Close enough to intervene immediately
• Not distracted by a phone, television, household task or another activity
Simply being in the same home or room does not always amount to appropriate supervision.
Children must not:
• Climb on, sit on or lie on a dog.
• Hug, grab or restrain a dog.
• Pull the dog’s ears, tail, fur or collar.
• Tease, chase or frighten the dog.
• Disturb the dog while eating, drinking or sleeping.
• Take food, treats, toys or chews from the dog.
• Enter the dog’s crate, bed or designated safe space.
• Approach the dog when it is injured, frightened or trying to move away.
Parents and guardians are responsible for teaching children how to behave safely and respectfully around dogs.
Every dog should have a quiet, secure space where they can rest without being approached or disturbed.
Children must understand that when the dog enters this space, it must be left alone.
Dogs often communicate discomfort before an incident occurs.
Warning or stress signals may include:
• Turning the head away
• Lip licking
• Yawning
• Freezing
• Stiffening
• Trying to move away
• Hiding
• Showing the whites of the eyes
• Growling
• Snapping
Growling should not be punished. It is an important warning that the dog is uncomfortable and needs space.
The situation should be made safe immediately, and advice should be sought where necessary.
Extra care is required during the first weeks and months after adoption.
A newly adopted dog may be tired, overwhelmed, frightened or unsure of its surroundings. Contact with children, visitors and busy environments should be introduced gradually.
Visiting children must be supervised to the same standard as children living in the household.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain cannot guarantee that any dog will always be safe around children.
Parents, guardians and adopters remain responsible for supervision, management and preventing unsafe interactions.
Any concerning behaviour should be reported to the rescue promptly, and professional behavioural support may be required.
This policy explains the lifetime Rescue Back-Up provided for every dog adopted through Hope4Paws UK & Spain. It outlines the support available when circumstances change, the process to follow if rehoming becomes necessary and the adopter’s continuing responsibilities until a safe and formally agreed transfer has taken place.
Every dog adopted through Hope4Paws UK & Spain receives lifetime Rescue Back Up.
This means that adopters can contact us for guidance and that dogs adopted through the rescue must be returned through Hope4Paws UK & Spain if the placement cannot continue.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain is a foster-based rescue. We do not operate our own kennels and cannot guarantee that an immediate foster home, boarding placement or emergency accommodation will be available.
Adopters should contact us as soon as a difficulty arises.
Depending on the circumstances, we may:
• Discuss the concerns with the adopter.
• Provide practical advice.
• Recommend changes to management or routine.
• Suggest support from a qualified trainer or behaviourist.
• Request veterinary or behavioural information.
• Review the dog’s welfare and safety.
• Explore foster, boarding or rehoming options.
Seeking support early often gives the best opportunity to resolve difficulties safely.
A Hope4Paws UK & Spain dog must not be:
• Sold
• Given away
• Advertised privately
• Passed to another rescue
• Transferred to another person
• Surrendered elsewhere
without prior written agreement from Hope4Paws UK & Spain.
Where rehoming is necessary, the adopter may be asked to provide:
• An up-to-date veterinary history.
• Details of medication or health conditions.
• Full behavioural information.
• Details of any bites, aggression or concerning incidents.
• Recent photographs and videos.
• Information about the dog’s routine and needs.
• Relevant training or behavioural reports.
Information must be complete and accurate so that the dog can be assessed and safely matched.
The adopter remains responsible for the dog’s care, welfare, supervision and legal obligations until a formal handover has been agreed and completed.
This may include responsibility for:
• Food and everyday care
• Veterinary treatment
• Medication
• Insurance
• Transport
• Boarding
• Behavioural support
• Safe management
Where boarding, transport or other services are required, the costs will normally remain the adopter’s responsibility unless agreed otherwise in writing.
A rehoming administration fee may also apply.
Any bite, attack or serious behavioural incident must be reported to Hope4Paws UK & Spain without delay.
The adopter must:
• Make the situation safe.
• Separate the dog from anyone at risk.
• Seek medical or veterinary attention where necessary.
• Follow legal reporting requirements.
• Provide an honest and complete account of the incident.
• Follow any safety advice given.
Serious incidents may require involvement from the police, local authority, veterinary professionals or a qualified behaviourist.
The rescue will consider the available evidence, the seriousness of the incident, the dog’s welfare and the safety of the public when deciding what action is appropriate.
An adopter must not arrange for a dog to be euthanised for behavioural or convenience reasons without first contacting Hope4Paws UK & Spain, except where immediate emergency veterinary action is required to prevent suffering.
Where euthanasia is being considered, the decision should normally involve the adopter, the rescue, a veterinary surgeon and, where appropriate, a qualified behaviour professional.
This policy explains what adopters must do following a bite, attack, serious behavioural incident or other significant safety concern. It covers immediate safety measures, reporting requirements, veterinary and behavioural assessment, involvement from relevant authorities, possible rehoming and the circumstances in which euthanasia may need to be considered.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain shares all known information about a dog honestly and in good faith.
However, rescue dogs may arrive with incomplete or uncertain information about their:
• Age
• Breed
• Parentage
• Health
• Behaviour
• Background
• Previous living conditions
• Experiences with people or animals
Information provided by overseas rescuers, foster carers, kennels, veterinarians or previous keepers may not always be complete or independently verified.
No verbal discussion, social media post, photograph, video or written description should be treated as a guarantee of future health or behaviour.
Once the dog is formally handed over, the adopter becomes responsible for its care, control, supervision and welfare.
Dog ownership involves inherent risks, including:
• Bites and scratches
• Injury to people or animals
• Damage to property
• Escape or loss
• Illness or unexpected veterinary costs
• Behavioural difficulties
• Compatibility problems
• Legal action arising from the dog’s behaviour
By adopting, the adopter accepts these risks and agrees to take reasonable steps to prevent harm.
Adopters are responsible for complying with all relevant legislation and local requirements relating to:
• Animal welfare
• Dog control
• Dangerous or out-of-control dogs
• Microchipping
• Identification
• Public safety
• Housing and tenancy conditions
• Travel and transport
• Veterinary care
The adopter must ensure that the dog is kept securely and is not allowed to endanger people, animals or property.
The dog must not be sold, transferred, given away, privately rehomed or surrendered to another organisation without prior written permission from Hope4Paws UK & Spain.
The rescue may take reasonable steps to recover a dog where:
• The Adoption Agreement has been seriously breached.
• The dog’s welfare is at risk.
• The dog has been transferred without permission.
• Material information was withheld during the application process.
• A lawful authority requires action.
• Recovery is otherwise permitted under the Adoption Agreement.
The adopter may be responsible for reasonable costs arising from recovery, transport, boarding, veterinary treatment or legal action.
After adoption, the adopter is responsible for all normal and unexpected costs associated with the dog, including:
• Food
• Equipment
• Veterinary treatment
• Medication
• Insurance
• Training
• Behavioural support
• Transport
• Boarding
• Damage caused by the dog
Hope4Paws UK & Spain does not routinely reimburse costs incurred after adoption unless this has been agreed in writing in advance.
Adoption fees, deposits and transport contributions are generally non-refundable as set out in the relevant policy and Adoption Agreement.
Lifetime Rescue Back Up does not mean that Hope4Paws UK & Spain can provide immediate kennelling, foster care, boarding or financial assistance.
Our ability to help depends on:
• Available foster homes
• Suitable placements
• Volunteer capacity
• Available funds
• Transport arrangements
• The dog’s needs and behaviour
• Public and animal safety
The adopter remains responsible for the dog until a formal alternative arrangement has been agreed.
Personal information is handled in accordance with our Privacy and Data Protection policies.
Photographs, videos and updates may only be used in accordance with the permissions given by the adopter and the terms of the Adoption Agreement.
This policy forms part of the adoption process and should be read alongside:
• The Adoption Agreement
• The Adoption Process, Fees & Rehoming Policy
• The Canine Compatibility Policy
• The Resident Pets Introduction Policy
• The Safety Around Children & Dogs Policy
• The Dog Rehoming and Lifetime Support Policy
Applicants should ask for clarification before signing the Adoption Agreement if there is anything they do not understand.
Hope4Paws UK & Spain shares all known information about a dog honestly and in good faith.
However, rescue dogs may arrive with incomplete or uncertain information about their:
• Age
• Breed
• Parentage
• Health
• Behaviour
• Background
• Previous living conditions
• Experiences with people or animals
Information provided by overseas rescuers, foster carers, kennels, veterinarians or previous keepers may not always be complete or independently verified.
No verbal discussion, social media post, photograph, video or written description should be treated as a guarantee of future health or behaviour.
Once the dog is formally handed over, the adopter becomes responsible for its care, control, supervision and welfare.
Dog ownership involves inherent risks, including:
• Bites and scratches
• Injury to people or animals
• Damage to property
• Escape or loss
• Illness or unexpected veterinary costs
• Behavioural difficulties
• Compatibility problems
• Legal action arising from the dog’s behaviour
By adopting, the adopter accepts these risks and agrees to take reasonable steps to prevent harm.
Adopters are responsible for complying with all relevant legislation and local requirements relating to:
• Animal welfare
• Dog control
• Dangerous or out-of-control dogs
• Microchipping
• Identification
• Public safety
• Housing and tenancy conditions
• Travel and transport
• Veterinary care
The adopter must ensure that the dog is kept securely and is not allowed to endanger people, animals or property.
The dog must not be sold, transferred, given away, privately rehomed or surrendered to another organisation without prior written permission from Hope4Paws UK & Spain.
The rescue may take reasonable steps to recover a dog where:
• The Adoption Agreement has been seriously breached.
• The dog’s welfare is at risk.
• The dog has been transferred without permission.
• Material information was withheld during the application process.
• A lawful authority requires action.
• Recovery is otherwise permitted under the Adoption Agreement.
The adopter may be responsible for reasonable costs arising from recovery, transport, boarding, veterinary treatment or legal action.
After adoption, the adopter is responsible for all normal and unexpected costs associated with the dog, including:
• Food
• Equipment
• Veterinary treatment
• Medication
• Insurance
• Training
• Behavioural support
• Transport
• Boarding
• Damage caused by the dog
Hope4Paws UK & Spain does not routinely reimburse costs incurred after adoption unless this has been agreed in writing in advance.
Adoption fees, deposits and transport contributions are generally non-refundable as set out in the relevant policy and Adoption Agreement.
Lifetime Rescue Back Up does not mean that Hope4Paws UK & Spain can provide immediate kennelling, foster care, boarding or financial assistance.
Our ability to help depends on:
• Available foster homes
• Suitable placements
• Volunteer capacity
• Available funds
• Transport arrangements
• The dog’s needs and behaviour
• Public and animal safety
The adopter remains responsible for the dog until a formal alternative arrangement has been agreed.
Personal information is handled in accordance with our Privacy and Data Protection policies.
Photographs, videos and updates may only be used in accordance with the permissions given by the adopter and the terms of the Adoption Agreement.
This policy forms part of the adoption process and should be read alongside:
• The Adoption Agreement
• The Adoption Process, Fees & Rehoming Policy
• The Canine Compatibility Policy
• The Resident Pets Introduction Policy
• The Safety Around Children & Dogs Policy
• The Dog Rehoming and Lifetime Support Policy
Applicants should ask for clarification before signing the Adoption Agreement if there is anything they do not understand.
Questions about our policies?
We understand that adoption policies can contain a lot of information.
If you have questions about any part of the adoption process, your responsibilities or the support available through Hope4Paws UK & Spain, please contact us before proceeding.
We would always rather explain something clearly at the beginning than allow uncertainty later.
Please remember that the summaries above do not replace the full policy documents or the signed Adoption Agreement.