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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
We’ll never forget the day you came to us, this little nervous floofball!! Your new little brother and sister, Reggie and Lola, so eager to meet you. Within a few hours you were all sniffing your way around the garden and flipping pillows off the garden furniture! You’d chomp your jaws when your dinner wasn’t served quickly and instead of barking, you’d “abba jabbah”, which would crack everyone up. By this point we knew you were going to be a failed foster and be our cheeky little Bo-Bo.
You were the most loving, gentle boy who was just so happy all the time, either it being cuddles on the sofa or out on adventures. Especially so when out on adventures. You’d skip your way around the park, ears bouncing, taking in all the smells, double checking every sniff Reggie and Lola would do and not straying too far from us.
Then your little partner in crime was born and it was instant besties as soon as we brought Florence home. You watched over her when she slept, had all the patience and gentleness when Florence would cuddle you and shared the biggest smiles together, as well as toys!! Particularly the ball pit!
You gave so much heart and love to all of our family and friends and you always knew how to melt our hearts with that beautiful stare. Even though you only had the one eye, it glistened with love.
There’s not a single day we don’t miss you Bo-Bo, rest easy little man, we’ll love you forever, you are the definition of a good boy!!
I first started fostering dogs in a casual way, by taking in a friend of a friend’s dog when they had to have an extended hospital stay. At that time, we had two pug crosses – a mother-and-son duo called Ruby and Bear – both of whom had never been an “only” dog and, as a result, were not particularly phased by the appearance of a long-stay visiting pooch. My husband, Paul, and I found looking after our little foster friend so rewarding that, once we handed her back to her owner, we decided to seek out another opportunity to foster. As our dogs were pug crosses, we thought it would be a good idea to find a foster dog with a similar temperament, so we googled “foster a pug” and the PDWRA popped up on the screen. We applied straight away.
That was in 2023, and after a vetting phone call from Jackie, the VAC, and a virtual home check, the first pug that swaggered through our doors was a handsome brute called Teddy, who was then 10 years old. We quickly shortened his name to Ted to give him the gravitas his age and bearing demanded. We collected him on November 5th, which made for a challenging first night with fireworks going off all around, but after that initial hurdle he settled in well.
Teddy had found his way into care quite late in life. Having been a much-loved pet, his former family found that he couldn’t adapt to their very young children and, after a couple of incidents in which he showed possessive behaviour, the decision was made that he could no longer live with kids and had to be moved. Paul and I initially expected him to be very sad and pining for his family, but amazingly he settled in immediately and we got the feeling that he was relieved to be in a dog-centric environment rather than a child-focused one. He basically started to kick back and enjoy his retirement.
In fact, he settled in so completely that the discussion quickly turned to adoption. As always, there were pros and cons to be considered and, at the top of the cons list, was the fact that our older dog Ruby had started to become really bad-tempered – not just around Ted, although it did seem as though his introduction into the home had been the catalyst. This left us weighing up whether it would be fair to both dogs to make Ted’s stay permanent. Sadly, the decision was taken from us when Ruby unexpectedly died.
Jackie was brilliant and we asked if we could take just one more week to consider Ted’s future with us, as we needed to see how Bear losing his little mum, and then being alone with Ted instead, might alter the dynamic in the household. They settled down together very quickly and it actually really helped all of us to have Ted there to fill the void Ruby left behind. We knew from then on that Ted was in his forever home. I suspect Ted had decided that from more or less his first day – he just had to wait for the rest of us to realise it.
We were able to adopt Ted seamlessly. Being an approved fosterer meant that we had already been vetted and home-checked, so it was simply a matter of signing the forms, paying the adoption fee, and acknowledging that he was already home.
Since adopting Ted, we have gone on to foster many more PDWRA pugs, which, with difficulty, we have resisted adopting as well. It can be challenging at times, especially as Ted has his issues with being possessive over food and a tendency to get a bit John Wayne when he thinks the others are being undisciplined. We’ve found that divide and rule works best at mealtimes, along with making sure everyone has a quiet, safe space they can retreat to if things get too much — humans included!
I wholeheartedly recommend fostering and adopting through the PDWRA. It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to help a little dog who may be abandoned or traumatised, to win their trust, and help them find love again. And sometimes, the love finds you too.
We lost our Pug cross Bubba in November 2024, he had been by my side for almost 13 years. After losing Bubba we missed having a dog so much and the flat felt so empty, so we decided that we were going to look into fostering, as weren’t ready to be full time dog parents again just yet.
I found the PDWRA online, read some of the lovely stories, and it sounded perfect for us. Shortly after contacting PDWRA and having our Home Check, just 4 days before Christmas 2024 we were asked to foster 2 bonded pug sisters. Wow, they were fun! We only had them for a few weeks, then off to their new homes they went.
Fast forward a couple more weeks of no pug in the house and I saw the Facebook post about Pat! I didn’t mention it to my partner Keiran at first as we said we weren’t ready to adopt, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. After sleeping on it I said to my partner “have you seen the PDWRA posts recently?” Straight away he said “you mean PAT?”, and we both knew he just had to come live with us. We loved the idea of having older dogs that could have a nice retirement with us. So that Saturday I contacted Dee and she put us in touch with Jane to have a chat about Pat.
Everything Jane said about Pat reminded us of our Bubba and his funny little ways. We then had a call with his wonderful fosterer and again everything we were told about him, such as that he needs to be in your circle of trust, made us want him even more. One week later (Feb 2025) and Pat is on his way from Cornwall to Nottingham. My partner Keiran then met one of the volunteers at Coventry to bring him home.
Pat fitted in with us straight away, he’s so chilled but for the first few days we just let him come to us and do whatever he liked. On the first night he straightaway decided that he was going to sleep in our bed with us and over a year later, that’s where he still sleeps.
Pat loves living in our flat, he has a big garden that he likes to go on adventures in, mainly climbing up things he shouldn’t! We knew when we got Pat that he had hip dysplasia and he required daily meds, but that doesn’t stop him on his garden adventures, he loves chasing anything in the sky day or night, his favourites include planes, helicopters and magpies!
Due to Pats hips, he only needs a little trot to our local park (about 30 steps from our flat), and he loves going with my partner Keiran to have some off-lead time. He’s a greedy pug, but since having him he now takes a treat very nicely. He still eats his food in 3 seconds though!
We thought Pat would be quite an independent Pug but he is completely my partner Keiran’s shadow. They spend all day together as he works from home and they have an absolutely incredible bond that started from day 1. After week one of having Pat, he let Keiran pick him up for cuddles, which is now a multiple daily event.
Pat only really barked at the sky and passing vans for the first few months of having him. He never really made any other noises (just a little snore), until one day I was trying to teach him to give me his paw, and when I went to reach out he started making a funny noise, not a growling noise, just a weird noise! We were laughing at him so much that he continued. He now loves a daily chat with us, you might have seen his video on the Happy Pugs in Happy Homes Facebook Group. He genuinely enjoys it, we can tell when he wants to do it as he will bring us his teddy to play with, then he wants you to wind him up with it so that he starts howling and talking (he definitely says no)!
Since having Pat in our lives, we now don’t know what we would do without him. He is the source of so many laughs and also gives the best cuddles. He is spoilt rotten, has 3 beds (we only have a 2-bedroom flat!) and he only sleeps in those during the day.
We feel incredibly lucky that the PDWRA let us have Pat in our lives. We went into having Pat with no expectations at all as we just wanted him to have a nice, chilled retirement home, however, we’ve ended up with a dream of a dog that we are so lucky to have in our lives.
I’m Buster and I’ve just turned 3 years old. I’m what’s known as a Frug – a Pug/Frenchie X.
My foster mum tells me that I’m the best of both breeds – I’m friendly, funny, affectionate and charming like a pug and strong, confident, full of energy and a little bolshie like a Frenchie.
I’m also single-coated so I’m easy to groom and don’t shed anywhere near as much as a full pug!
My foster mum says that I have additional needs, but I don’t care about that as all I want to do is give kisses to everyone, play and live my best life with my doggy friends.
Apparently, I have something called IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease), which is a spinal condition that sometimes causes the discs in my back to slip out of place.
The lady from the charity says that my IVDD is a pre-existing condition and any expenses for meds or treatment (approved in advance) will be covered by them.
I’ve had a couple of flare ups where I was a poorly boy and couldn’t use my back legs at all and I had to wear a nappy like a baby.
I’m feeling much better now though and I can walk and run around the garden and I don’t wee or poop indoors anymore. My foster mum says I’m completely housetrained apart from when I eat my dinner, get excited or get picked up. I just can’t help leaking a little wee and so sometimes I wear a belly band and everything stays lovely and clean.
My foster mum says that most of my progress has come from having weekly hydrotherapy sessions that the lovely charity has paid for and daily physiotherapy sessions that my mum does with me at home. The physiotherapy will need to be continued in my new forever home so my legs don’t get bad again.
Everyone says I’m a really good, brave boy as I could only walk 55 metres on the underwater treadmill at first but now I can manage 127 metres!
I’m described as a big playful, bouncy bundle of happiness as I love EVERYONE. Men, women, children, babies – they ALL need kisses from me. I love attention, fuss and cuddles.
I love other dogs and I get over excited and want to say hello to every single dog I meet whilst out on my walks.
I’d love to have a forever home with at least one young playful doggy brother or sister so I can have lots of fun with them (but not too rough) and sleep with them.
I love to play with my toys and will be coming to my forever home with my emotional support squeaky reindeer.
I’m great with cats but may intimidate shy ones if they’re not used to my bolshie nature.
Even though I might look and act like a big strong, happy, energetic boy at the moment, my forever family must remember that my poorly spine will always be vulnerable. My back legs sometimes slide out from under me when I turn corners. I love to run around in the garden and I love my walks (no more than an hour at a time and always wearing my Pawz rubber booties if on hard pavements) but I can’t be let off lead in case I hurt myself chasing and playing with other dogs.
If you think you could love me and give me the perfect home I deserve, please reply to Lisa, the lady looking after my welfare.
Volunteers’ Week is a time for us to show our immense appreciation to everybody that gives their valuable time for the cause of rescuing pugs in need. We couldn’t rescue and rehome the hundreds of pugs that we do each year without our incredible volunteers, we’re immensely grateful to each and every one of them. Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers, you are all amazing!
As a token of appreciation for everyone that does such incredible work behind the scenes, helping the PDWRA to rescue and rehome pugs that are in need of our help, we put together a tribute video that tells some of their wonderful stories.
Featured in our video are:
Jackie – one of our most experienced Volunteer Area Coordinators
Helen – who fosters pugs in need of a short-term home as well as getting involved with transporting
Tris – who has fostered for many years and also helps out with transporting and home checking
Shirley – who raises money for the charity by doing beautiful drawings of people’s pets
Lynn – who fundraises by managing stands at steam rallies selling soft toys, as well as antiques. She also puts on and manages an annual pantomime!
Caroline – who does home checking and has also fostered in the past
If you’d like to find out more about the brilliant work that our volunteers do for the charity, just click the video image below to watch the video on our YouTube channel…
The PDWRA have been contacted about helping to rehome 5-year-old Simba who has been in kennels with Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare for a few months and needs a loving forever home.
More about Simba:
Loves meeting people and having a cuddle!
Would best be suited in a home where children are older
Needs to be the only dog and no other small animals or cats
Mostly housetrained, not used to travelling, and would be most suited to a home with lots of company for cuddles
If you can offer Simba the home he’s desperately looking for, please contact Holly on 01825 880464, or via email at kennels@nullraystede.org where Simba is currently being cared for in East Sussex.
Please note that this is not a PDWRA Adoption Appeal, we’re posting Simba on behalf of Reystede Centre for Animal Welfare, so all enquiries will need to go direct to Holly.
Please meet Molly & Tilly, a devoted bonded pair searching for a loving home where they can stay side by side 💞
🐶 Molly (8-year-old French Bulldog)
Our bright, bubbly girl! Molly is curious, sociable, and loves being involved in everything around her. She can get a little excitable on walks (especially when she sees other dogs), but it comes from a friendly eagerness to say hello.
She’s great with people, comfortable around children, and has shown gentle curiosity towards cats. She knows some basic commands and absolutely lives for beach adventures and sniffing everything in sight 🌊🐾
🐶 Tilly (9-year-old Pug)
Sweet, gentle Tilly is the calm to Molly’s sparkle. She’s affectionate, easygoing, and happiest when close to her humans. Whether it’s a quiet wander around the house or a snuggly nap, she’s content just being by your side.
She’s wonderful with children, friendly with cats, and takes life at her own relaxed pace 💛
🏡 What They Need
✔️ A loving home together (they must not be separated)
✔️ A calm, caring environment with time for both walks and rest
✔️ A family with respectful children would be ideal
✔️ Could live with calm dogs (with sensible introductions) or happily be your only two
Both girls are housetrained, sleep soundly together downstairs, and adore being part of family life while also enjoying plenty of cosy downtime.
📍 Currently being fostered in Lancashire
💥 PLEASE DON’T SCROLL PAST… THEY NEED YOU 💥
Molly & Tilly have so much love to give, and they’re waiting for someone to give them the secure, happy future they deserve — together.
🙏 WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP
👉 Could you offer them a forever home? Please contact PDWRA
👉 If you can’t adopt, PLEASE SHARE this post
It might feel like a small click… but it could be the one that finds their perfect home 💛🐾
We’d like to give a MASSIVE thanks to the students of the University of Westminster and Project Coordinator Yousef Marafi for setting up a Crowdfunder initiative to raise money for the PDWRA. They’ve done this because they wanted to create a meaningful impact beyond their classroom, and we’re incredibly happy that they chose our charity to partner with.
They say that as students, they believe education should go hand-in-hand with impact, and that this project isn’t just academic, it’s also about creating change, raising awareness and supporting a cause that saves lives.
This appeal will only be open until April 28th, so if you’d like to support this wonderful initiative and contribute to the fund, just click below to visit their Crowdfunder page. Every donation will go a long way to helping pugs in need!
We have had pugs in our lives for over 30 years and they have always been part of the family. Over the last 10 years though, we made the decision to rescue exclusively. It just felt like the right thing to do. There are so many wonderful dogs out there who need a second chance and we knew we could offer a loving stable home.
That is how we came across the PDWRA. We had followed their work for a while and really admired the care they take in matching dogs to the right homes, especially those with more complex needs.
Willow was the first to join us and she has now been with us for 9 years. When she arrived, she lacked confidence and was clearly nervous, particularly around hands, which suggested she had not always had the best start in life. With time, patience and consistency, she has grown into a much more confident dog and it has been incredibly rewarding to watch her come out of her shell.
Vera joined us 6 years ago and brought her own set of challenges. She has complex health needs. She has very limited sight in her one remaining eye, along with multiple allergies and ongoing skin conditions. But despite everything, she absolutely loves life. She is full of character and joy and her resilience is something we admire every day.
The adoption process itself was really positive. It was thorough, but that gave us confidence that the PDWRA genuinely cares about getting the right match for both the dogs and their new families. We felt supported throughout.
Life since adopting has not always been easy… particularly managing Vera’s health needs, but it has been incredibly fulfilling. Seeing both dogs feel safe, settled and loved makes it all worthwhile.
We now have five pugs in our grumble and they bring constant noise, chaos and laughter into the house. Each one has their own personality and story and together they have made our home feel complete.
For anyone thinking about adopting or fostering, our advice would be to go in with an open heart and realistic expectations. Some dogs need time, patience and understanding, especially if they have had difficult pasts or ongoing health needs. But the reward of seeing them thrive and become part of your family is something truly special.
You may remember that last Spring PDWRA adopter Leona ran the Bristol 10k to raise funds for the PDWRA, bringing in over £1000 of much-needed funds! Her partner Gordon also brought in a whopping £800 by running the ruck race!
This year, they are joining forces to run the Bristol 10k together and have set up another Just Giving page for people to sponsor them. The run takes place on 10th May, so there’s plenty of time to visit the page and make a donation, it will still be live for a while afterwards too. Just click below to head over to Just Giving, every donation goes towards helping pugs in need!
My husband and I applied to adopt with the PDWRA in 2024. We filled in the form, had the zoom call interview and were really happy to be chosen to adopt 10-year-old George. George came live with us in late August 2024 and was a real sweetie. He didn’t like walking, loved a pup cup and a café and tummy rubs. He also coped well with my two elderly parents who lived with us. Unfortunately, in January 2025 my mother was taken into hospital and then into a care home and more upsettingly George stopped eating and was diagnosed with liver and blood cancer and a week later we made the heart-breaking decision to have him put to sleep.
We thought we would wait a little but before getting another dog but the next week the amazing East region coordinator Lisa called us and said would we like to go and see 4-year-old Dotty. Of course, we went to meet her and took her home with us. The first few days were a little fraught as she barked at every car, bus, lorry, bike, person on her walks and she liked walking, which was a shock after George. She soon settled down and three weeks later we took her on her first holiday to Devon, oh how she loves to zoomie on a beach, but has to be carried over any water! Hilarious.
After a few months we thought she would like to have a friend, and in July 2025 Bertha joined us. We took Dotty on a number of walks with Berta and her amazing foster mother Lou before making the decision to adopt her. Bertha needed to be spayed and was in heat, so it gave us and Dotty time to get to know her.
We are really lucky, they get on so well and both love to be out walking. What has changed for us since having Dotty and Bertha live with us? Both of my parents are now in care and the puggies are so good with them and the other oldies in the care home when we visit.
We had to get a bigger bed, as they take up so much room! They both love a pub and Bertha likes the froth on a beer when you aren’t looking. And, no more foreign holidays, but they are well travelled and will be starting a book on the beaches of Britain!
They are both such great characters, Bertha is very bouncy and gives the biggest face licks but is wary of strangers and won’t go far from our sides. She also loves sitting on the back of my chair when I work and is a very good neck warmer. Dotty is a little princess, she loves meeting new people and greeting them with a bark, she gives the best snuggles and very delicate face licks.
Thank you PDWRA for the work you do and for letting us adopt them.
