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Please ensure you read and understand the information below before submitting an application to adopt a dog
Pre Adoption Application Information
Please read before applying to adopt any of our dogs
The majority of our dogs are rescued from a life on the streets in Saudi Arabia. They may have never known what life is like in what we regard as a normal home, therefore we have certain requirements regarding potential adopters. This gives us the best chance to match a particular dog to an applicant, and for you to have a happy, lifelong relationship with your new rescue dog.
1. Minimum age for applicants is 21.
2. Our dogs are rescues and their breed is determined by a ‘best guess’ from veterinary staff upon admission to the rescue facilities. It is never based on DNA testing.
3. Applicants must be aware that our dogs may not have any training in basic obedience, lead walking, house training or crate training.
4. Our policy on homes with children is that we decide about suitability on a case by case basis. Some dogs are suited to family homes with younger children and some are not. Generally our larger dogs would be available to adult only homes or families with older children. We make every effort to ensure you are a perfect match.
5. Our huskies would only be considered for adoption to applicants with experience of Arctic or large breeds e.g. German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois etc. The home required for a husky must have land which is appropriately secure.
6. We do not have any of our dogs in Scotland except those in foster. This means we rely on information from our colleagues in Saudi Arabia regarding a dog’s temperament, health and suitability for a particular kind of home. We do our very best to have the most up to date information available on each dog.
7. If a dog is not located in Scotland we will not reserve it until its arrival here on the basis that a potential adopter would prefer to meet the dog before making a commitment.
8. Applicants aged 67 or over may be required to enter into a ‘joint adoption’ with a younger family member as a co-signatory if the dog they are applying to adopt is a puppy or young dog. Older dogs may not be subject to this requirement.
9. If an application progresses to the home visit stage and is successful, the applicant will be given a copy of the Terms of Adoption. Only when they agree to those terms will the adoption be given the final go-ahead.
Our priority is to make sure that the dogs we rehome have the best possible future ahead of them and that our adopters have the love and companionship of a dog that is right for them. These are the most important parts of being in our Sand to Sofa family.
Now please read the section on Canine Brucellosis below
Canine Brucellosis (Brucella canis) In Rescue Dogs –
What you need to know
What is it?
Brucella canis or canine brucellosis is a bacterial infection in dogs which is passed primarily through urine, blood or genital fluids (mating). Symptoms include infertility, miscarriages, or stillbirths, but can also appear as lethargy, swollen lymph nodes, lameness, back pain, and swollen testicles in males. Many dogs have absolutely no symptoms at all. It is very contagious. There is no cure for brucellosis in dogs.
Can it be transferred to humans?
Yes, it can be transferred as a blood borne bacterium. But the chances are very small indeed. Only 2 cases of transmission from dogs were reported in the UK up until Q3 in 2023. Antibiotics are a highly effective treatment in humans.
Is it common?
At the moment, no. There were around 40,000 dogs commercially imported into the UK in the year 2023 alone, the vast majority being rescues. There were only a total of 160 instances of B. canis in the UK between 2020 and Q3 of 2023 but those figures showed a steady rise in cases year on year.
Who is affected?
From October 2025, rescue dogs coming from Romania must have a certificate showing they are clear of canine brucellosis before they can travel to the UK. Romanian rescue dogs have been proven to be the biggest cause of cases in the UK by far. Rescue dogs from other countries do not require this certificate, however when registering your new rescue dog from overseas with your vet, they will almost certainly ask you to have a brucellosis test done.
Sand To Sofa dogs are from Saudi Arabia. Is it common there?
There are no official figures for B. canis in Saudi Arabia however it is not thought to be prevalent at all. Much more common is livestock brucellosis, which is transferred to humans through unpasteurized milk, cheese etc. and is not transmittable to dogs.
Do I have to have a test done?
The short answer is no, you don’t. Almost all Sand to Sofa adopters have had testing at least mentioned by their vet. So far no-one has been forced to have it done or been refused registration at a vet practice after deciding not to test their dogs. Policy even among some vets is unclear. It is entirely your choice whether you want to have the test done or not. Cost of testing varies greatly with some vets reportedly charging less than £100 and some almost £300.
What if I suspect my dog has brucellosis?
B. canis can take up to 3 months to show symptoms in dogs. As indicated before, some dogs show no symptoms at all. If you suspect your dog is infected, keep them away from other dogs and go straight to your vet. It is a notifiable disease which means your vet must report any positive results to DEFRA. Sadly, many vets will advise euthanasia due to the absence of a reliable cure in dogs.
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