Who writes this, and why

I'm Mike from North Wales. In September 2026, my partner and I adopted Barnie, a young boy from a shelter in Romania, through Pawprints to Freedom (a dog rescue charity who do amazing things). He was found at a very young age, one of a litter, behind a Kaufland supermarket, and grew up in the shelter. I started writing this site during the long wait before he arrived — the transport timings, the paperwork, the part nobody quite prepares you for — and I've kept going since he came home.

This site is two things. First, a genuine attempt to help other UK adopters: evergreen guides on the parts that confused me, and factual profiles of the rescues doing this work. Second, an honest journal of life with Barnie, published as it happens rather than tidied up afterwards.

Why it matters

Romania has one of the largest stray dog populations in Europe, roughly half a million dogs by welfare groups' estimates. Public shelters there have been found overcrowded and neglected, and since a 2013 law, councils have been allowed to put down dogs nobody adopts or claims within 14 working days. Barnie started out as a puppy behind a supermarket. Every dog a UK family adopts is one life changed completely, and the better prepared adopters are, the more of those adoptions stick. That's what this site is for. (The sources are on the Romania page.)

Why trust it

I'm not a vet and I'm not a charity. I say so plainly. Guides carry the date they were last reviewed; rescue profiles carry the date they were last verified. Right now the site earns nothing — no ads, no affiliate income. If that ever changes I'll disclose it clearly, and it will never shape what I recommend. (See how this site is funded.)

If something here is wrong or out of date, I want to know. There's a corrections and takedowns page for exactly that.