07816 825490 ~ 07805 052714
KELPIE WELFARE UK
Supporting Kelpies in Need
ABOUT US
What We Do
Kelpie Welfare UK was established as a non-profit organisation in 2006. We are a small group of volunteers who are passionate about rescuing and rehoming Australian Kelpies. As Kelpies are still relatively rare in the UK we don’t have a rehoming centre and prefer our dogs to be placed into foster homes nationwide so they can be fully assessed, learn to live within a family and in some cases, be rehabilitated. We rehome Kelpies to pet and working homes dependant on the dogs needs and new owners will be fully vetted and asked to sign a legally binding adoption form that will offer life time back up to our rescue dogs should they ever be in a position to need it. We are always on hand to give help and advice to owners about the breed and work closely with other rescue organisations to find suitable homes for dogs they have in their care.
Kelpie Welfare UK is a breed specific rescue and we do occasionally have pedigree Kelpies but most of our dogs we help tend to be crossed with collies. We also help to rehome New Zealand Huntaways as their needs are somewhat similar to a Kelpie .
ABOUT THE BREED
The Australian Kelpie is an athletic, medium sized, usually prick eared, herding dog. They are highly intelligent, independent and have an inexhaustible supply of energy and stamina. They can come in a variety of colours and builds and are generally used for herding sheep and cattle. They are most famous for their signature move of ‘backing sheep’ and can work with very little instruction over vast areas.
Kelpies are also a versatile up and coming sports dog and perform well at agility, cani cross, bikejor, working trials, flyball, obedience and more. The UK even have Kelpies that have become assistance dogs, search dogs and conservation dogs.
History
http://www.wkc.org.au/About-Kelpies/Origin-of-the-Kelpie.php
Useful Links
IS A KELPIE FOR ME?
Kelpies are a very intelligent working breed that require a great deal of exercise and mental stimulation. One of the main reasons that Kelpies are surrendered to Kelpie Welfare UK is because their owner cannot cope with the basic needs of their dog and because they didn’t realise what they were taking on. Before applying to adopt a Kelpie ask yourself
Can I exercise my Kelpie for at least an hour per day as well as providing adequate mental stimulation and training? 20 minutes around the block on lead won’t cut it for a Kelpie I’m afraid.
Am I equipped with the knowledge to train my Kelpie? Kelpies are a very intelligent breed and can out smart an owner if they become bored. Kelpies are not for the first time dog owner.
Can I afford to own a Kelpie? This is a question you should ask yourself no matter what breed of dog you’re thinking of getting. Kelpies thankfully have a low maintenance short coat that requires very little attention so it’s not likely they’ll need expensive trips to the groomers, however they will at some point undoubtedly need vetinerary attention so affording insurance or having the means to pay a vet’s bill is a must.
Kelpie’s are NOISY!!! Kelpie’s are a vocal breed and most like the sound of their own voice. Barking generally tends to occur if there is something to bark at, when they get excited or when they become bored. If you like a quiet life or have neighbours that don’t like noise then a Kelpie may not be for you.
Can I cope with a rescue Kelpie? Whilst not every rescue dog is broken or abused it can have an effect on a dog when it has to leave the home it knows and go into a foster home or kennels. Very often this will result in a regression in housetraining, chewing and vocalisiation. Do you have the time and patience to deal with this in an appropriate way and in the dogs time?
DOGS FOR REHOMING
Dogs for Rehoming
To view our dogs needing homes please follow the link to our rehoming page on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/KelpieRescueUK
I WANT TO RE-HOME MY KELPIE
We know that circumstances can change suddenly and owners may find that they can no longer look after their dog for a variety of reasons. At Kelpie Welfare UK we never judge anyone for making the responsible decision to give up their dog and we’ll do what we can to help.
No matter how desperate you might be feeling, please do not dump or abandon your dog. Handing them in to the local pound does not ensure their safety or the chance of a new home.
Rehoming your dog can be an incredibly traumatic time for them and may also prove very dangerous if you should choose to give them away for free they could well finish up as bait dogs for illegal dog fighting rings.
Also dumping a dog means rescues like ours won’t know their history, which makes it a lot harder to find them the right home.
How Much Does it Cost to Rehome My Dog?
We don’t have a charge for helping to rehome your Kelpie but if it is an emergency and your dog has to go into kennels we would appreciate a contribution. On average dogs that come into our care can cost us a minimum of £400 to rescue and rehome. We rely solely on donations to be able to do this.
SURRENDER BOND
Kelpie Welfare are currently getting a lot of people surrendering their dogs. We are taking the trouble to thoroughly assess, advertise, home check potential homes and frantically try to find foster homes for these dogs, sometimes working into the early hours of the morning only for owners to pull out, which is great if staying in a good home, but some are rehoming elsewhere because it can happen quicker, or to friends or family, leaving our volunteers and adopters quite rightly upset and out of pocket.
Sadly we have no choice but to put in place a £50 surrender bond that will be refunded to you on the surrender or rehome of your dog and non refundable if you pull out (unless this reason is out of your control). All we ask is that you are 100% sure when you approach us to help .
please do not let this put you off approaching us, we are always here for you & your dogs and we are happy to discuss the circumstances and give advice.
Please also approach your breeder as some do state in their contracts that they will take them back if you are happy to do so.
Please contact us for details on how to pay the surrender bond.
Volunteering
Can you spare any time to help Kelpie Welfare UK?
Rescue isn’t always distressing images and sad stories and it can be very rewarding knowing you have been instrumental, even in a small way, when helping to rehome a dog. We are always in need of volunteers for a variety of different reasons. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our wonderful foster carers, transporters, assessors, home checkers or fundraisers so please consider helping us and contact us if you can.
Volunteer
DONATE
Bank transfer is an easy way to donate to help our rescue
dogs, your donation will appear directly in our rescue account ready to
be used and is 100% commission free meaning
every penny of your money will help our dogs. Please contact us for our back details or alternatively you can donate by PayPal, just make sure you send as family and friends to avoid their 4% charge.
PayPal
