Southern Beardie Aid

Southern Beardie Aid is the rescue and re-homing service affiliated to the Southern Counties Bearded Collie Club.  The organisation is recognised by the Kennel Club as an official breed rescue and is listed in the Rescue Directory that is circulated to all rescue coordinators and vets.  This network enables rescue and re-homing enquiries to be directed to the most relevant organisation, helping to ensure that dogs of a recognised breed are assessed by those with experience of the breed and re-homed appropriately.

In addition to helping Beardies in need find new homes, Southern Beardie Aid helps in many other ways, including paying for temporary accommodation whilst a permanent home is sought, funding vets’ bills and operations and making donations to support research and other health projects.  The service is completely voluntary, relying on the kindness of SCBCC members for both financial and practical support, and is funded through gifts and donations, including donations from new owners of rehomed Beardies.

Beardie in Need?

We understand that Beardies come to need re-homing for any number of reasons, be it marriage/partnership break-ups, ill health or death of owners, incompatibility with other pets or young children or owners moving to a new location that is impractical for Beardies.

A call for help is never refused regardless of age, circumstance or location

 

Re-homing Coordinators:

Belinda Steer tel: 07540 268832 or email: belindasteer@yahoo.co.uk

Carol Lewry tel: 01903 529324

Adopting a Beardie

Re-homing is a carefully considered process with a number of distinct steps:

• Collecting details from potential new owners
• Collecting details of the Beardie in need (where possible)
• Selection of a possible adopter and discussing with them the Beardie and its needs
• When possible/appropriate arranging contact between the current owner and potential adopter to discuss any issues or concerns
• Once an adoption agreement has been reached arranging a home check of the potential adopters and if the report is satisfactory (and this is not always the case) the transfer of the Beardie takes place
• A Release Form is completed by the original owner waiving all rights to the dog’s future and confirming that help with re-homing was sought voluntarily
• An Adoption Form is completed when the new owner confirms they are happy with their new Beardie

Please be aware that there may be a waiting list of people wanting to adopt and it is never a case of ‘first come, first served’.  Some Beardies are in a good condition both physically and emotionally but others, sadly, show signs of neglect and abuse.  It is important that the Beardie is matched to the home that is thought most suitable.  Please consider all Beardies offered to you as Southern Beardie Aid will have thought very carefully about the suitability of the Beardie for you.

Can You Help?

There are many ways of supporting Southern Beardie Aid:

• Home Checks – Before a Beardie is placed with a new owner, the environment needs to be assessed for suitability.  Provided with a comprehensive check list, you would be asked to assess the potential home and interview the owners, making a report on the suitability of the match
• Transport – although called Southern Beardie Aid, the service assists with Beardies in need all over the country, liaising with other rescue services as appropriate.  Sometimes a Beardie may need to be collected or delivered over quite a distance and Members can help by volunteering to do all or part of a journey
• Fostering – while every effort is made to line up a home before a needy Beardie is collected, sometimes this is not possible.  Occasionally a Beardie may need specific care or time to allow for a full assessment of temperament before going to a new home.  In these cases a foster home may be needed for a short period of time.  Perhaps you have the time, space and expertise to help?

Each year at the Strawberry Tea there is a parade of some of the many Beardies and Beardie-crosses helped by Southern Beardie Aid.

Southern Beardie Aid also present the Mr Tubbs Trophy to the rescue Beardie and its owner who, with dedication, love and patience have overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles and difficulties.