Sava's Safe Haven

Sometimes rescuers will know a dog's history and sometimes they won’t. However, we are very experienced in assessing a dog's personality and this will be described as accurately as possible but there are NO guarantees. Dogs do tend to blossom in a home situation.

Yes as far as possible.

Our Romanian rescuer uses a very trustworthy vet and they have monitored the dog sometimes for months, sometimes for years.. But as with any dog there are NO guarantees. Street life is a hard life.

For an extra cost the dogs can be tested for several diseases through blood tests.

There's not any one answer to this. The first days the dog needs to have some quiet time in a quiet space. For most of them this will be their first time in a house. Some feel quite at home within a matter of hours but for some the first two days can be quite traumatic. Within a week though, it should seem like a different dog! Many younger dogs seem to experience a real puppy phase. This is where equal mixtures of patience, stimulation and consistency come in. A dog is an addition to the family. Give them time and give them your heart and you'll be rewarded hundreds of times over!

Rescue dogs may take up to 6 months to fully bond with their new adopters and fully settle.

A dog or cat must be neutered prior to adoption; In most cases, it has been done already. Required vaccinations, worming, flea treatments and an international pet passport are also included in the adoption fee. Transport to the UK costs £240.00. We use a private pet transport company for our animals that are very efficient, caring, and run the DEFRA approved Traces scheme. This means the animal omits a 48 hour quarantine in kennels and that the quarantine can be conducted within your home and garden (this must be the address you provided to us and on the Traces documents). DEFRA may arrange to visit you to check that all details of animal at your residence are correct. 

Your dog has to stay in the house for two days when it first arrives. If you dog is very timid and scared please invest in dog a harness as this is the most secure way of exercising as a harness cannot be slipped. If you don’t wish to use a harness, a slip lead should be used. Some dogs are fine and when in a safe place, can be let off the lead without a problem. But please make sure they have bonded with you and come when called before letting them off, and don’t take any risks. If you are with another dog who is off the lead, they will tend to copy them.

Asides from checking suitability as a rescue home, a home check will also check that you have a secure garden, this is essential. Rescue dogs can take time to understand boundaries. Fences need to be intact and high enough that they can’t jump over them. Walking with a harness is the most secure way of exercising as a harness cannot be slipped. If you don’t wish to use a harness a slip lead should be used.

Some people use a child gate in the house to confine a dog to the kitchen, or stop it going upstairs. This can help some dogs initially but it's good for a rescue dog to have a quiet place to retreat to. It is unlikely to like a crate, but if you wish to try it in one, you must make sure it is plenty big enough for it to move around in.

Yes - if you train it! Some seem to know from the outset, others need to be shown. It is no different from having a new puppy.

Don't worry, our volunteers always register all dogs.

All our dogs have their microchip dual registered under adopters details & UK Sava’s representative for back up.