by PDWRA | 16 Jun, 2026 | Blog, Rescue Stories
Many pugs we welcome into PDWRA suffer from a variety of physical conditions, especially those associated with the breed, such as breathing problems and so on. For the most part, these can be fixed by treatment or surgery. We are now seeing quite a few who suffer from some form of behavioural issue which has come about during the lives they previously lead before coming to PDWRA.
Who knows what these pugs might have endured, we can only guess for the most part. Our fosterers are not trained behaviourists; they can only offer kindness and endless patience. This often works, as the pug gradually learns to trust humans again and go on to lead a happy life once confidence in the humans around them is regained. Henry is a case in point who reacted adversely to some humans and had recourse to the only defensive mechanism he had – to bite. In this case, a member of the Foster Carers family. Options to place in situations such as this are limited as we of course have to pay due regard to the safety of our Volunteers.
So, step up Valerie, who knowing his background agreed to foster Henry with a view to adopt should she and her family, with support from PDWRA, be able to guide him back to leading a happy and fulfilling life. One of our Trustees gave some basic behavioural advice, together with a local Volunteer who has connections with a local Veterinary Practice. Week by week, they gave advice which has gradually steered Henry towards letting down his guard and allowing him to trust those around him. The whole family have worked together to bring about this change. Work still needs to be done, but he is a much happier dog now than 6 months ago.
It has taken time and a lot of patience, with some wobbly moments, but Valerie finally felt confident enough to go forward with Henry’s adoption. He was particularly mistrustful of Valerie’s husband, especially around late afternoon, early evening oddly enough. We can never know, but wonder if this was triggered by the behaviour of a male of his former household coming in from work. Whatever happened in his past life, Henry is now a much loved part of the family – how thankful we are that there are those prepared to give a second chance to pugs like Henry, whose lives have been shaped by the behaviour of others. A challenging task, but a rewarding one.
Jackie Maynard
West Midlands VAC
by PDWRA | 16 Jun, 2026 | Blog, News
It’s been brought to our attention by Jackie, one of our most experienced Volunteer Area Coordinators, that somebody recently surrendering their pug was targeted by a Microchip scam, claiming that the pet would become ‘unregistered’ if their details weren’t renewed.
In this age of scams bombarding us from every direction, it’s probably not altogether surprising that the pet industry is now on the radar of unscrupulous people looking to make some easy money. It’s estimated that around 15.5 million dogs live in the UK, which is around 41% of UK households. Now that the laws around dog ownership have changed, they will all need to have a current microchip.
So, that’s a pretty large group of people to target and being successful as little as 1% of the time could still be very lucrative. Pet microchip scams typically involve fraudulent emails or deceptive websites that claim your pet’s microchip is ‘expiring’ or ‘lacking national registration’ to steal your money.
It’s always good to bear in mind that microchips never expire, so you shouldn’t ever pay a 3rd party website to ‘renew’ your chip. So, what are the best ways to avoid these scams and what should you watch out for?
The most common method of attack is through email, and this is the case for most of the current UK scams. If you receive an email that you weren’t expecting or that looks suspicious, you should never click on any links that are contained within it, regardless of how plausible it might look. If you receive a ‘renewal notice’, ignore the email and report the sender to your service provider.
Another source which is becoming more commonly used is WhatsApp or your phone’s text message service. In some ways, this is even more concerning as we’re all so used to just tapping on things while using our phones. Just one absent minded tap of your finger could land you with an unnecessary and unwanted charge, so please be vigilant.
There are a great many registered microchip databases available and fortunately, if you’re still unsure, you can easily verify that a ‘service’ is legitimate before engaging with them. Some of the legitimate registries include Petlog, Identibase and Petrac, however, a full list of approved pet databases is available from the government and you can access the UK Government Microchipping Guide here.
If you’re unsure which database your pet is registered with, you can ask your vet to scan their chip and tell you which company is linked to their number. According to Google, some of the scam sites or networks that are currently known include the following:
Petchip Network or Petchip Info: This entity is known for sending highly convincing, fake emails that look like official renewals. The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has already ruled against them for operating unapproved, misleading registration databases.
UK Pet Chip Registry: This entity has been flagged by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) for promoting non-approved services that charge owners to register their pets on unverified ‘national databases’.
Petsmicrochips.com: This has been identified by consumer groups and user reviews as a misleading site that takes money for meaningless or unregistered microchip database entries.
If you’d like more information on microchips and what you need to know about them, take a look at this recent article written by Anne McDonald, PDWRA Trustee and Local Authority Dog Warden.
by PDWRA | 16 Jun, 2026 | Blog, Fundraising
After tragically losing their PDWRA adoptee Gaston, Greig and Holly wanted to do something to raise funds for the charity in honour and the wonderful time that they got to spend with him. So, Greig decided to sign up for a white collar boxing event!
From Holly:
My partner and I adopted PDWRA pug Gaston when he was 1 year old. He was the perfect addition to our family, a little brother for our pup Agnes. Gaston came to us a shy, nervous little soul but with all the love, affection and guidance from his big sister, he quickly became more confident and the most affectionate little guy, of course with that sassy pug personality! He had his share of minor health problems, but enjoyed a full, happy life. We were absolutely broken when we suddenly lost him, aged 6, to cancer in September 2024.
From Greig:
I signed up for the white collar boxing with a big challenge ahead. The whole experience was brilliant, I loved every minute of it. I had 8 weeks of training twice a week prior to the fight night, and I was also doing an extra boxing class every week too. The fight night was incredible! It took place in a large venue in my hometown of Dundee, with a crowd of well over a thousand people! It was a great night for my family and friends, who came to cheer me on. I had been matched up against the biggest guy taking part in the event, but fortunately I managed to pick up a victory via decision after the fight had gone the full three rounds.
I’m extremely proud of myself for going through with the whole thing, and very, very thankful to everyone who sponsored me along the way. I know the money is going to a great charity that is very close to me and my partner’s hearts, and will be very well used to help other wee pugs that are in similar situations to the one our brilliant wee Gaston was before we adopted him ❤️
Greig raised £1070 + £300 top up from his employer – DHL UK Foundation. The PDWRA are eternally grateful for the brilliant donation and can’t thank them both enough!
by PDWRA | 16 Jun, 2026 | Blog, Rescue Stories
I first found out about the PDWRA through Google when I was looking for Pug rescues, and saw that they needed volunteers to collect and foster pugs. Our family of 3 already had a much-loved little black rescue pug, Petal, but we thought it would be a nice idea to give some pugs a loving foster home, and that maybe we would find another pug we would want to adopt at some point.
We were vetted very thoroughly and it wasn’t too long until the lovely Jane from PDWRA contacted us and asked if we would be able to collect an older fawn pug called Vito, and foster him for a few weeks until he was found a new home. We were very happy to do this, although we did say that we didn’t want to permanently adopt a fawn pug, only a black one because we wear so much black clothing which gets covered in hair!
Vito’s last owner was an elderly lady who had had him for 5 years after getting him from another rescue, where he had been previously. She had sadly passed away, and so we collected him from her family about 40 minutes away from us. They were very upset to be handing him over, but circumstances meant that unfortunately they couldn’t keep him. When we met, he walked over to us to be stroked and made a fuss of but was understandably anxious.
His sweet and gentle nature was obvious straight away and he settled in quite easily to being second in command to Petal, despite being twice her size. From day one, he slept snuggled up on our bed – Petal at the top and him relegated further down. The only behavioural issue was that he kept weeing in the kitchen, even though he was able to go outside. Eventually we spoke to Jane about it, who was very reassuring, and she said give him time to settle in and he will stop doing it. Which is exactly what happened!
When he had been with us a few weeks, Jane said they needed to think about finding him a permanent home. Of course, by then it was unthinkable that we would let him go. We absolutely wanted to adopt him, his fawn hair was all over us and our navy velvet sofa, but we had fallen in love with him 😊
Vito was already 10 when he came to us 2 years ago, so he is now an old man. His coat is still incredibly soft and velvety, and he has the look of a teddy bear. He is toothless, so his long tongue hangs out, which charms everyone when they meet him. He loves slowly walking around the town, smelling absolutely every inch as he goes. He isn’t keen on mud though and lets us know he wants to be carried if he comes across any when we are up on the moors.
We work from home, so he’s usually cuddled up to at least one of us at all times. He has found his voice, he puffs out his cheeks, makes little grumbly noises and sometimes kind of honks like a goose. At times, he also has a certain way of hanging his head and looking from under his eyelashes, which really makes us laugh. We’ve named it his ‘Lady Diana’ look!
He loves to lie back in our teenage son’s arms like a baby, while his tummy gets tickled and endearments get whispered in his ears.
We would recommend anyone who is thinking of adopting a pug to do so via PDWRA, they were wonderful. Vito is a real treasure. He has brought so much to our family and we love him deeply.
by PDWRA | 16 Jun, 2026 | Blog, Volunteering
PDWRA Fosterer and Transporter Helen Talks about her Experiences of Volunteering
Our fosterers are a hugely important part of the work we do as a charity. When pugs are surrendered to us, they will usually need to be placed in a safe temporary home so that they can be assessed and any medical needs can be addressed. This is where our fosterers come in.
Fosterers like Helen deal with all kinds of situations and pug temperaments, and during their stay will compile a comprehensive report of a pug’s character, quirks and any special needs. Helen also often helps out with collecting the pugs that end up in her care, or transporting them to their new forever homes. Sometimes, they even come with surprises, such as having an unexpected litter of puppies…
These are Helen’s thoughts on her role…
How did you first get involved with the PDWRA?
I first got involved 3 years ago. I had lost my little pug to diabetes and really missed him but wasn’t quite ready to own one again, so thought about fostering and found PDWRA online. I first approached another rescue but was very disheartened by their lack of enthusiasm when on the video call for my home check. Then I found PDWRA who were so thrilled that I had approached them for fostering and in the home check they loved my garden and couldn’t wait for me to foster, totally different approach!
How long have you been a volunteer?
This is my 3rd year and I’ve fostered 21 pugs. We’ve had bonded pairs, we’ve had singles, we’ve had traumatised ones and we’ve had ones that have had babies. So yes. 21 in total!
What role do you perform?
I’m a foster carer and also help out with transport where I can.
What does it involve?
Being a foster carer of a pug involves providing a safe and loving temporary home while we assess them ready for adoption. Many pugs come into rescue because of illness, neglect, changes in family or from families that were just not aware of their needs. We provide love, stability, medical care and reassurance, preparing them for a permanent home. As a fosterer we help the rescue learn about each pug’s personality and needs, so that they can find the best possible match for adoption. Every foster reminds me of how resilient dogs are and how much a little bit of kindness can change their lives. I cry every time that I say goodbye to them when they have found their new home but when I see the photos of them settled, my heart bursts and that’s why I do it.
Why pugs?
I just love the breed and their personalities, they are needy, affectionate, stubborn, attention seeking, hilarious, loyal and make the best facial expressions as they understand every word you say to them.
Do you have any stories that stick in your mind?
Definitely Maisie and pups! It’s the one that sticks out because it was a surprise. And then you’ve got to make a makeshift whelping box out of a draw from a double bed until you can get your partner to rush into work and make one for you. Bless her, that was a big surprise but it was lovely. We had a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of tag teaming sleep, but she was a beautiful mum and she did really well
What’s your thoughts on the PDWRA?
Their work often goes beyond simply rehoming, they help dogs recover physically and emotionally, which I have experienced recently. In simple terms, they genuinely put the dog’s wellbeing first. The level of time and care that they put into matching dogs with suitable adopters, supporting foster carers and transporters, is hugely commendable.
Jackie has been my coordinator since I have been fostering and she has been a huge support with every dog that I have fostered, her passion and empathy toward each pug is evident in everything she does. As a coordinator, she goes above and beyond to ensure every pug feels safe, loved and cared for, as do the whole of the PDWRA. Her dedication, patience and constant support make the fostering process smooth and reassuring for everyone involved.
Really, I don’t think of it as a charity. I think of it more like an extended family, because we’ve all got the same views and it’s really nice that everyone can come together and do so much good.
Why should people volunteer?
Volunteering to foster is the most meaningful way to change a dog’s life without needing to adopt permanently.
If people were looking to foster, then I would definitely think about fostering for the PDWRA. The group of supporters that have been built up by the rescue feels like a true family, built on compassion, teamwork and their love for pugs. We all feel connected, valued and supported, and when you see the photos of the pugs in their forever home it makes me burst with pride that we all did that together.
If you would like to apply to volunteer for the PDWRA, please click here.
