Section One

Important things to remember when contacting us about re homing a dog.

*We are a team of volunteers, we having busy working and family lives, but we aim to respond to phone calls and emails within 48 hours, if at all possible. If there is no response after that time please consider that we could be on holiday, unwell or committed elsewhere. Please leave a clear message briefly explaining the reason for your call. If urgent then please contact the National Coordinator.

* Dogs are carefully matched as best as possible to new owners, if we feel you are not going to be suitable, please don't take it to heart that you have been turned down for a dog you feel would be suitable for. The coordinator responsible for the dog and its foster carer are the best judge of what would be a suitable home. The aim is to ensure we get it right for all concerned the first time around, having to return a dog for whatever reason often sets the dog back a step and means further work and trust is required to enable a second re homing to be more successful. There will eventually be a good match for both dog and new owner, so please be patient with us.

*If you are asked to visit a dog outside of your coordinator area please understand that should for any reason the dog not be suitable you will be asked to return the dog from where it came from. The foster carer we used for that particular dog will be familiar with it and vice versa.

*If you are interested in re homing a dog from us you will be asked to complete our re homing application form, once the completed form has been returned to your nearest coordinator, they will then arrange at a mutually convenient time your home assessment. After the home assessment, if approved, your details will be added to our secure data base where only our team can access and discuss your requirements between themselves before offering you the chance to view a dog. Donations will be expected at the time of re homing. No dog will be allowed to leave for its new home without a donation being given. ESSW's total expenditure for dogs re homed in 2023  was £450 per dog, please consider a minimum donation of at least £350 at the time of re homing.

*Home assessments cost us time and money, please only apply to re home a dog if you are fully committed and please always tell us if you have re homed a dog from another source.

Section Two

We will arrange a home visit to satisfy us that your circumstances would be ideal for one of the English Springers on our books who can no longer stay with their original owners. We then try to match up your requirements - dog or bitch, liver and white or black and white, young or older - with the dogs currently seeking rehoming, and invite you to see any that we feel would be suitable. In some cases the right dog may not be available immediately so this may take some time. Once you have seen a dog that seems right for you we invite you to go away and have a long think about it. Most English Springers live to a ripe old age so it is not a decision to take lightly. They will require training and they may have a behavioural problem you need to discuss further. They may just be perfect. Once you have made up your mind then you can contact your co-ordinator to arrange for the rehoming to take place. At the handover you will receive the dog, its vaccination papers if applicable and the rehoming papers and literature. After a few days we will check to see that both you and dog are settling in well and ask that you keep us informed of your progress together. We might even be able to feature you both in our twice-yearly newsletter!

Section Three

We are here to help and give advice and guidance with any problems that may crop up at any time. Our 'Helping Hand' leaflet deals with some of the more obvious but there may be other problems that you might need to discuss with us. If all fails the dog must be returned to our care. You will be pleased to know most Welfare dogs settle happily first time around!