Rescuing a dog from another country can be incredibly rewarding. Every year, thousands of dogs from countries like Romania, Cyprus and Spain are rehomed with British families, many of them fleeing overcrowded shelters, neglect and abuse, or a life on the street.
It’s also a bigger undertaking than adopting locally, and while there are many benefits, it isn’t the right choice for everyone. There’s legal paperwork to get right, health risks worth understanding, and potentially a longer adjustment period depending on the history of the dog, which isn’t always well known. This guide covers everything you should consider before making the decision: the legal requirements, the health checks you should be aware of, how to spot a genuinely reputable rescue organisation, what the first few months tend to look like, and the costs involved.
Why People Rehome Dogs From Abroad
Generally, there are two main reasons people decide to adopt from another country: the practical reasons and the emotional ones. Many countries in Eastern and Southern Europe have far larger stray and shelter dog populations than the UK, with limited capacity and, in some regions, high euthanasia rates.
There’s also availability. Some adopters simply find the type of dog they’re looking for more readily available through overseas rescues than in UK shelters, or have had difficulties in being approved for a dog they want to adopt from a UK-based charity.
Popular Countries for Overseas Dog Adoption
Most dogs adopted from abroad into the UK come from a handful of countries, and it’s worth knowing a little about each before you start browsing.
Romanian Rescue Dogs
These account for the largest share of UK-rehomed dogs, driven by a significant stray population with limited resources for local rehoming. Pets are often viewed as disposable or serve as guard dogs, with animal welfare laws that are rarely enforced.
Romania is also subject to additional UK import controls, covered in the legal section below, so the paperwork requirements for a Romanian dog are stricter than for most other countries.
Spanish Rescue Dogs
Hunting breeds such as Podencos and Galgos are often abandoned once they are no longer considered useful for hunting. These dogs have fewer protections under Spanish animal welfare law than other pets, and are often neglected and abused.
Cyprus and Greece Rescue Dogs
Both countries have a significant stray population, with overbreeding and a high cost of living having a real impact. Local shelters are often overwhelmed, relying on help from international charities for adoption.
Wherever a dog is coming from, you’ll be helping not only the dog you adopt, but freeing up space for another dog to have a new chance at life.
Is International Adoption Right for You?
Before you jump in and adopt the first dog you see, you need to be honest with yourself about what you’re taking on.
Unlike adopting from a UK shelter, where staff have usually observed a dog for weeks and can tell you how it behaves around children, other dogs and everyday household chaos, dogs adopted from abroad often come with limited behavioural history. Many have spent time as strays or in over-crowded shelters with little human contact, which means their true personality often doesn’t show until they’ve settled in, which can be weeks or even months later.
It’s worth being aware that several established UK charities are openly cautious about overseas adoption for this reason. Woodgreen, for example, points out that many imported dogs have never lived in a family home, may be frightened of appliances, visitors and unfamiliar noise, and can become defensive about handling they’ve simply never experienced before. That isn’t an argument against adopting from abroad, but it is something worth considering before you apply.
Adopting a rescue dog from abroad is often a better fit for owners with some previous dog experience, a flexible routine, and realistic expectations about a longer settling-in period, rather than first-time owners hoping for a dog that’s ready to go from day one.
It’s also worth thinking honestly about your household. Homes with very young children, existing pets with their own sensitivities, or a lot of unavoidable daily disruption tend to find the adjustment period harder going. None of these rule out adopting from abroad, but they’re worth factoring into which dog you apply for, and how much support you’ll realistically have in the first few months.
UK Legal Requirements for Importing a Rescue Dog
Most of the paperwork will be handled by the rescue organisation, but it’s worth understanding what should be in place so you can ask the right questions.
Rescue Adoption Is a Commercial Import, Not Pet Travel
This is very important to understand, and isn’t something many people realise.
When you bring your own pet back from holiday, that’s a non-commercial movement, and it runs on an EU Pet Passport or an Animal Health Certificate. A rescue dog coming to you is different, because ownership is being transferred. That makes it a commercial import, and commercial imports run under what are known as the Balai rules.
Under Balai rules, the dog must come from premises registered or approved in the country of origin, be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies, be given a health check by an official vet shortly before despatch, and travel on a health certificate rather than a pet passport. The importer also has to pre-notify the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) through the IPAFFS system before the dog arrives.
You can read the full requirements in the government’s guidance on importing live animals under Balai rules.
Microchip, Rabies Vaccination and Tapeworm Treatment
Every dog entering Great Britain needs an ISO-compliant microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the microchip was fitted, and a tapeworm treatment administered by a vet no more than 120 hours (five days) and no less than 24 hours before arrival.
Approved Importer Status (Romania, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Only)
To commercially import dogs from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, the organisation must hold Approved Importer status from APHA. This includes rescue animals. There are also restrictions on how and when those animals can enter the country.
This requirement does not apply to imports from Spain, Cyprus, Greece or most other countries, so don’t treat its absence as a red flag for a Spanish or Cypriot rescue. If you’re adopting a Romanian dog, though, it’s a fair question to ask, and a legitimate charity will answer it without hesitation. The conditions are set out in the government’s Approved Importer status guidance.
Welfare Rules: What’s Changing
The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 2 December 2025. It’s worth understanding what it does and doesn’t do, because it’s widely misreported.
The Act is an enabling piece of legislation. It doesn’t ban anything by itself. Instead, it gives ministers the power to make regulations, and it requires that those powers are first used to:
- raise the minimum import age for dogs from 15 weeks to six months
- ban the import of dogs more than 42 days pregnant
- ban the import of dogs with non-exempt mutilations, such as cropped ears or docked tails, which have long been illegal to carry out in the UK
- tighten the number of animals that can be brought in under non-commercial travel rules
Those changes take effect through secondary legislation rather than automatically. None of the Act’s operative sections came into force at Royal Assent: they commence on a day the Secretary of State appoints by regulations, and legislation.gov.uk still lists them as prospective. Because that timing can shift, check the current position on GOV.UK before relying on any specific date.
Regardless of exactly where the law sits on the day you apply, the underlying advice doesn’t change: if you’re offered a puppy under six months old, or a dog that’s had cosmetic ear or tail alterations, treat it as a red flag.
Restricted and Banned Types
UK restrictions on banned breeds and types, such as XL Bullies, Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos and Fila Brasileiros, apply to imported dogs too. Type is assessed on physical characteristics rather than paperwork, so a dog labelled as a different breed abroad isn’t automatically exempt. A responsible rescue should flag this rather than leaving you to find out at the border.
What Happens If the Paperwork Isn’t Right
If a dog arrives without valid documentation, with incomplete vaccination timing, or outside the permitted rules, it can be held, quarantined, or in some cases refused entry at the border. This is why it’s important to work with an established charity rather than an informal seller or unregistered “middleman” arranging transport.
Health Risks and Vet Checks
This is very important, and something many people wouldn’t automatically consider.
Brucella Canis
Brucella canis is a bacterial infection that has become an increasing concern in UK veterinary practice, almost entirely linked to imported dogs. Cases have risen sharply, with almost all UK cases in dogs imported from Eastern Europe or linked to one. UKHSA’s advice is that all imported dogs should be tested before they come to the UK.
For dogs commercially imported from Romania, a negative Brucella canis test before import has been a legal requirement since 7 October 2025. The blood sample must be taken by an authorised vet in Romania and sent to APHA in Great Britain for testing, and the dog must arrive within 30 days of the sample being taken or be retested.
For dogs from anywhere else it isn’t mandatory, so ask the charity directly whether the dog has been tested and ask to see the result. One caveat worth knowing: a negative result isn’t an absolute all-clear, because a recently infected dog may not yet have produced detectable antibodies. If your dog came from a higher-risk country, discuss retesting with your own vet after arrival.
Other Diseases to Ask About
Depending on the country of origin, it’s worth asking whether the dog has been screened for leishmaniasis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis and heartworm. All are more common in Mediterranean and Balkan countries than in the UK, and none are reliably symptomatic early on. Several are spread by sandflies, mosquitoes or the brown dog tick, which aren’t established here, so UK vets don’t always look for them by default. Mention your dog’s country of origin at your vet visit.
What Good Paperwork Looks Like
A responsible charity should be able to give you a vet-issued health record covering vaccinations, worming and flea treatment, and ideally blood test results, before the dog travels, not just verbal confirmation that they’ve been checked.
What Charities Will Ask of You
Adoption criteria vary a lot between organisations, and there’s no single standard. Some will place dogs with first-time owners; others won’t. Some accept applications from full-time workers; many don’t. Rather than assuming, read a charity’s criteria before you fall in love with a specific dog.
That said, these are the areas most overseas rescues will ask about:
- Garden security. Almost every charity will ask about fence height, gaps and gates. Street dogs will often look for a way to escape, having never lived in a home before, and requirements are sometimes stricter than for a UK-bred dog.
- Children in the household. Many charities set a minimum age for children, and some set a higher one for dogs coming from public shelters where the history is unknown.
- Working hours. Because these dogs often need intensive early support and may not be lead-trained, some charities won’t accept applications from people out of the house all day.
- Other pets. Expect questions about whether your current dogs are neutered, and whether there are other animals in the home such as cats.
- Living arrangements. Flats, house shares and rented properties may limit which dogs you can be matched with, or may be excluded entirely by some organisations.
If a charity’s criteria seem strict, that’s usually a good sign rather than a bad one.
How to Choose a Reputable Rescue Organisation
Not every organisation rehoming dogs from abroad operates to the same standard, so it’s important to find the right one.
Red flags:
- No home check before approval
- Reluctance to answer questions about health testing or import status
- Pressure to commit quickly
- No support once the dog is in your home
Green flags:
- The charity is transparent about health and behavioural history, including anything they don’t know
- There’s a home check and some form of matching process
- There’s a named point of contact for support after adoption
- Published, specific adoption criteria
One green flag worth singling out: a commitment to take the dog back if the match doesn’t work out. This is standard practice among reputable rescues and a genuine indicator of how seriously an organisation takes matching. Some charities also offer a trial fostering period before the adoption becomes final.
Always read a charity’s own adoption process before applying, and speak to them about any concerns you may have. Most publish this in detail, for example Paws2Rescue’s adoption page.
What to Expect During the Adjustment Period
Dogs that have spent time as strays or in overcrowded shelters abroad often need considerably longer to settle than a dog rehomed from a UK foster home. They’ve usually had less human contact and may have had a traumatic past. The journey itself is also exhausting: days on the road, handled by strangers, surrounded by other stressed dogs.
Common early behaviours include nervousness around new people or objects, flinching at sudden noise, and reluctance to go outside.
The 3-3-3 rule is a good general guide. The first three days are often overwhelming and the dog may barely eat or engage. Over the following three weeks, routine starts to build trust. By around three months, most dogs’ genuine personality has emerged. Some dogs take considerably longer, and a few settle almost immediately.
Here’s how the first few months tend to look:
- First three days: a quiet space with a covered crate or bed they can retreat into. Minimal handling, no stroking or cuddling, no visitors. Let them come to you. Don’t worry about toilet training yet.
- First few weeks: limited, short walks. This time is for learning your house, your garden and your routine, not the outside world. It’s still advisable to keep visitors away, especially visitors with dogs.
- First few months: introduce the world gradually and close to home. Baby gates are great for managing visitors and other pets.
The trainers at Welly and Tails have a detailed first-three-months guide that’s worth reading before your dog arrives.
If you’re seeing persistent resource guarding, ongoing severe anxiety, or reactivity that isn’t easing with time and routine, it’s worth bringing in a qualified behaviourist.
What the Adoption Process Looks Like
- Research the charity. Check their process, not just their available dogs, and ask any questions you have before you apply. A reputable charity should be happy to answer them.
- Find the right dog. Read everything the charity has on the dog to make sure they’re the right fit for you and your lifestyle. You can always ask for more detail, although for international rescue dogs there may not be much available.
- Complete a home check. Once you’ve found a dog, most charities will arrange a home check, often via video call. Expect questions about garden security, working hours and experience with dogs.
- Confirm the paperwork. Microchip, rabies vaccination, health certificate and blood test results should all be sorted before the dog travels.
- Prepare your home. Secure fencing, a quiet space for the dog to relax, and food, lead, harness and bedding ready before arrival.
- Arrival day. Your new dog has just had a very stressful experience. Give them plenty of time to settle in a quiet space where they won’t be disturbed. Let them work out that this is a safe place and that they can trust you.
What It Costs
There are a few costs involved in rescuing a dog from abroad, though the total is still usually less than buying a puppy locally and more affordable than people think. The figures below are guidelines only; prices vary significantly between charities and countries, and some organisations bundle everything into a single inclusive fee while others split the costs up. Always ask the charity for a full breakdown of what is and isn’t covered.
| Cost item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption/rehoming fee | £150–£400 | Usually covers vaccinations, neutering and microchipping abroad |
| Transport to the UK | £150–£350+ | Sometimes bundled into the adoption fee, sometimes invoiced separately |
| Animal Health Certificate | Sometimes included; £50–£150 if not | Issued by a vet in the dog’s country of origin |
| Brucella canis test | £40–£90 | Not always included as standard. Worth asking for explicitly and budgeting for if the charity doesn’t provide it |
| Post-arrival vet check | £40–£80 | Worth doing even if the paperwork says the dog is healthy |
| Neutering (if not already done) | £150–£300 | Most dogs arrive already neutered, but check to be sure |
| Pet insurance | Varies, often higher than for a UK-bred dog | Get quotes before adopting, as prices vary significantly from dog to dog. Optional, but strongly recommended in most cases |
All in, you can expect to pay somewhere around £500–£800 to adopt a dog and bring them over, plus any extras depending on the dog and the charity. That’s more than adopting within the UK, where fees are typically £150–£450 with no transport costs, but less than most people expect.
Some charities also offer reduced or waived transport fees for dogs that have been waiting a long time for a home, so it’s always worth asking directly rather than assuming the advertised fee is fixed.
Make sure to consider the life-time cost of owning a dog (things like vet bills, food etc…) as well, which applies to any dog regardless of where they are from, and we have a detailed guide on this you can read here.
Should I Rehome an International or UK-Based Dog?
There are a number of pros and cons, and the answer depends a lot on your situation and what you’re looking for.
The benefits of adopting from abroad include directly helping an animal in a system that is overwhelmed and short of space and resources. By freeing up a space and supporting the charity with your adoption fee, you’re helping another dog find a home while you adopt your own.
With that said, there are still thousands of dogs in the UK looking for homes. The process is simpler and cheaper, and you’ll usually get a far better understanding of the dog’s behaviour and traits before you commit, which can make a UK dog more suitable for first-time owners. Several major UK charities actively encourage people to consider this route first.
Only you can decide which option is right for you. Adopting a dog from abroad is a wonderful thing to do, and the process is more manageable and affordable than many people expect, but it’s not right for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to adopt a dog from abroad?
Yes, provided you work with a reputable charity that health-tests and is transparent about the dog’s background. The main risks, disease exposure and limited behavioural history, are manageable with the right precautions.
Do I need to quarantine a dog imported into the UK?
No, provided the dog has been imported correctly under commercial import rules and meets microchip, rabies vaccination and tapeworm treatment requirements. Quarantine applies where paperwork or timing requirements haven’t been met.
Can a rescue dog travel on an EU Pet Passport?
No. Because ownership is transferring to you, a rescue dog is a commercial import and must travel under Balai rules on a health certificate, not a pet passport.
How long does the process take?
Typically a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on the charity’s matching process, the dog’s vaccination schedule, paperwork and transport scheduling.
How much does it cost to adopt a rescue dog from abroad?
Usually somewhere around £500–£800 all in, though this varies by charity and country. Some charge one inclusive fee, others itemise adoption and transport separately. Don’t forget the ongoing day-to-day costs of dog ownership too.
What is Brucella canis and should I worry about it?
It’s a bacterial infection linked almost entirely to imported dogs in the UK, and it can pass to humans, though the risk to the general public is considered very low. Testing before import is legally required for dogs from Romania and strongly advisable everywhere else. Ask the charity about it before you commit.
Is it better to adopt a rescue dog from within the UK instead?
Not necessarily. Costs are usually lower, the process is faster, and you’ll typically know more about the dog beforehand. But adopting from abroad can be extremely rewarding. Both are valid choices depending on what you’re prepared to take on.
Final Thoughts
Adopting a dog from abroad can be one of the most rewarding decisions you’ll make, but it’s important to understand everything involved. Get to grips with the legal requirements, ask direct questions about health testing, and choose a charity that’s transparent about what it does and doesn’t know.
Sources and Further Reading
- Import live animals to Great Britain under Balai rules
- Approved Importer status: approval conditions
- Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain
- Brucella canis: testing dogs before import
- Brucella canis: information for the public and dog owners
- Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025
- Brucella canis policy position
- Pet imports
- Rehoming dogs from abroad
- Your foreign rescue dog: the first 3 months
- The adoption process