Fostering: A Campaign to Keep Dogs Moving
- Sarah
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
Over the past few weeks, SBBD has faced urgent, unexpected challenges that pulled us away from our long-term plans. Emergency situations meant stopping everything — and we did, because the dogs needed us.
But the cost has been high.
When dogs come back into our care without having received the support they need, we don’t hesitate to put things right. That’s our promise. But it means unexpected vet bills, more time in care, and a rescue team juggling transport logistics while the clock ticks. In rescue, time really is everything.
Delays here in the UK—even just a few days—can cause a ripple effect abroad. Our partners in the Balkans rely on fixed transport schedules. If we miss a slot, dogs can’t travel. And when dogs can’t travel, the wait becomes weeks… sometimes longer. Each delay adds pressure and cost, especially when we start multiplying the numbers.
Why Now?
As we head into summer, things get even trickier. Many prospective homes have holidays booked, which means dogs stay in our care longer than usual. That means higher kennel bills, more mouths to feed, and fewer adoption fees to balance the books. It all adds up—and fast.
Right now, we need to keep our lifeline programmes moving, especially:
Foster a Frenchie – matching vulnerable French Bulldogs with safe UK foster homes.
Foster to Adopt – helping dogs begin their forever story sooner by settling into homes while their final steps are completed.
These programmes are working—and producing wonderful outcomes—but they’re ambitious. And recent emergencies have stretched them even further.
Just as we began to regroup, another urgent case emerged: two Boxers in desperate need of rescue. The community rallied, and we got them to safety—thank you. But as always, the rescue window was short, the cost immediate, and the clock unforgiving.
The True Cost of Moving a Dog
Getting a single dog into a foster home can cost us well over our standard adoption fee. Here’s why:
Private courier to collection point – up to £175
Pre-travel kennels, quarantine and final health checks – £50-100+
DEFRA-compliant transport to the UK – £300+
And that’s without any extra specialist needs or medication.
When dogs can’t go straight into adoptive homes, the cost increases further.
Our current fostering initiatives are generating wonderful home offers—but here’s the catch: to say “yes,” we need to clear the pipeline. That means transport costs, vet checks, paperwork, and logistics—none of which are free.
How You Can Help
If we had a steady flow of donations, even small ones, we could plan ahead more confidently. That means fewer emergencies, faster journeys, and more wagging tails.
You can now donate directly via our new website and even set up a monthly recurring donation—just £3 or £5 a month helps us plan ahead.
Donate via:
Website – simple, secure, and now live!
PayPal: sbbdboxers (please select “Family & Friends” to avoid fees)
Bank Transfer: Saving Balkan Boxer Dogs Rescue
Lloyds Bank
Sort Code: 30-98-97
Account Number: 83493460
A Final Word
To our incredible team—thank you for dropping everything, stepping in, and keeping things going even when it disrupted everything else. You are the reason we keep saying “yes.”
To our amazing supporters—thank you for your compassion, your generosity, and your belief in what we do. Whether you donate, foster, fundraise, or simply cheer us on… we couldn’t do this without you.
Let’s keep the promise we made—rescue, rehome, repeat—and get more paws across borders and into loving arms.
With love,
Sarah
x
