We always carry out a home visit to a potential adopter or foster home so we know that they are the right home for the dog. That means that the home and garden are escape proof, and that there is a place for the dog to retreat to if it feels overwhelmed. It also gives us a chance to chat to the adopters and fosters to tell them a little more about what it can be like to take on a rescue dog and about how we work, so that there are as few surprises down the track as possible. Lizzie arranges for these to take place and finds one of our team to carry out the home check.

My role is to look after our volunteers and make sure that the kennel is adequately staffed at all times. Plus I get to spend a lot of quality time with the dogs. What's not to love?! I’ve been volunteering since 2020 as I’m not working and I have the time. I believe in giving the dogs the time and patience they need to adjust after their difficult start to their lives. It is incredibly rewarding to see them get their forever homes and be happy.

I’ve been involved in dog rescue since 2016, and at Helping Hounds in particular I have learnt a great deal about the care and rehabilitation of street dogs. My husband and I have also recently fostered a few dogs. We’ve found it very rewarding to see the dogs relax and grow in confidence in our care, and help them get ready for their forever homes. In addition I assist our kennels manager, on-board new volunteers, and liaise with our vets.

I've been working in Dog Rescue for over 20 years. I started out volunteering with the RSPCA and have spent the last 12 years primarily with Romanian dogs/shelters whilst also concentrating on Spay & Neuter programmes in the east of the country.
My partner and I have also fostered many, many dogs and the difference we make to these dogs' lives is incredible - it is reward in itself to see their transformation when they leave to go to their forever homes.
I believe the ones we rescue, rescue us.

My career change towards the end of 2020 gave me the opportunity to become involved with the rescue, utilising some of my past work skills and I absolutely love it – I also get to spend time caring for, and playing with the dogs! It’s feels so good to be able to help make a difference to the lives of the dogs we rescue and to work alongside the other amazing volunteers. Cosmo my furry best friend is not a rescue, but I always say that he rescued me.

Horses and dogs have always been my number one animals. After working with horses for more than 10 years, I moved into Charity/Retail where I met Kate in 2010. Our darling dog Vita was a rescue dog and could not have been more perfect. A stray off of the streets of Basingstoke, she was highly strung and not used to being in a home, she spent the first three months on a lead indoors, patience was certainly a virtue and she repaid us with shed loads of love and devotion. Rescue all the way!

Mine is the voice you hear when the rescue calls you to chat about your adoption application! I've been in dog rescue for about as long as I can remember and am a "failed fosterer". I can't help myself, I fall in love with all of them!

I’ve been volunteering for dog rescues for almost 2 years now, I wanted to do something meaningful with my spare time and absolutely love being part of the Helping Hounds team. I adopted my own Romanian rescue, Luna, last year, and also provided a foster home for another of our dogs. I love the challenge of fundraising for the rescue and knowing that every penny makes a difference to the lives of our dogs.

I joined Helping Hounds in the spring of 2021 soon after moving to the area. Aside from spending quality time with the dogs in kennels, I quickly became involved in transporting the Romanian dogs from our UK collection point. I also oversee the adoption contracts, and more recently, with the help of my wife, I have fostered several dogs in need. This process has been especially rewarding as I have been able to learn more about what makes these dogs tick and how best to help them adapt to living in a new home. Sandy, one of our rescue dogs was a case in point; very nervous to begin with but after some time in foster, more confident and better equipped to lead a new life in her forever home!

Social media is important to a rescue like ours, to raise our profile, keep our followers engaged and shout about the amazing work we do. When we're looking for adopters, volunteers or fosters, this is the best way to spread the net. It's also a great way to spread the word about fundraising events, spay and neuter campaigns and to raise awareness of dog-related issues. Katie creates regular posts for Facebook and Instagram to keep us popping up in your feed.

Paz is the one who recruits our wonderful fosters and finds short-term homes for all those dogs that come to us, that we know will thrive better in a home environment than in kennels. She also ensure our fosters have contracts with us, all the right equipment for their dogs and ongoing support.

Since adopting my rescue dog Lucky 3 years ago I have been passionate about rehoming dogs and making others aware of the joy having a rescue dog can bring. I moved to the area in 2020 and absolutely love volunteering with Helping Hounds. There is nothing better than seeing a rescue dog come out of their shell and find their forever home.

Here's where our commitment to rescue back up begins. We don't adopt out a dog and then forget about them! Dawn is the voice our adopters will hear on the other end of the phone after they have adopted from us. Within the first week, she'll ring them to find out how the dog is settling in, and advise on how to handle any issues or behaviours they may have encountered as their new family member starts to feel more at home. Thereafter, calls are made at at various interval check points. This is how we ensure that little niggles don't become big problems.

I have helped to rescue dogs for several years and have with my partner, fostered many during this time. I enjoy meeting each of the new arrivals and getting to know their individual characters!. I am generally in the background making sure that everything is maintained to keep the dogs in our care, safe and well.

Since I fostered and adopted Roux, my Romanian rescue from Kate in 2015 and she inspired me, I've been volunteering with her in rescue in one way or another. I find it so rewarding and use my IT and project management skills to help develop the rescue's technology and process. With the added bonus of working with incredible people, AND of course dogs!

A microchip is the best way to ensure that a dog, if it ever goes missing, is returned to the rightful owner, but that only works if the microchip data is accurate. Robyn is our liaison with PETtrac and sees to it that as soon as an adoption is finalised and a dog has been collected by its new family, that the microchip is registered to the new owner.