Rescue profile
Pawprints to Freedom
Verified
A UK-registered charity (est. 2017) rescuing dogs from Romania, where it runs its own shelter, and rehoming them across mainland UK through a large volunteer network. This is the rescue we adopted Barnie through.
Key facts
- Rehomes from
- Romania
- UK regions covered
- England, Scotland, Wales
- Adoption fee
- £520 — approximate, varies by dog and location
- Transport frequency
- Roughly every few weeks — about 4–8 weeks from reservation to arrival
- Home check
- virtual
- Rehomes to homes with cats
- Case by case
- Rehomes to homes with children
- Case by case
- Rehomes without a garden
- Case by case
- Post-adoption support
- Lifetime rescue back-up (RBU), post-adoption Facebook groups, and access to volunteer advice.
- Charity number
- 1194754
Pawprints to Freedom is a UK-registered charity (charity no. 1194754) that began in 2017 and now runs on a network of more than 100 volunteers. It rescues dogs in Romania — where it runs its own shelter — and rehomes them across mainland UK. Some dogs are already in UK foster homes or kennels by the time they're listed. This is the rescue we adopted Barnie through.
The fee and what it covers
The standard adoption fee for mainland UK is around £520, though it can vary depending on the individual dog and your location. It covers transport to the UK, vaccinations, microchip, pet passport, and spay/neuter — so the figure is close to the true all-in cost, not a starting point.
Fostering is free. You can foster a dog (with the option to adopt later) at no cost, which is a good route in if you're not ready to commit to the full fee up front.
The process
A virtual home check is required before you can adopt, along with a £20 refundable deposit that's deducted from the adoption fee. Applications start through their website.
Their rehoming decisions are made per dog, based on each dog's temperament and assessment:
- Children — generally homes with children aged 4+, with the exact minimum age depending on the individual dog.
- Cats — considered case by case; dogs are cat-tested in Romania or in UK foster homes where possible.
- No garden — flat and gardenless applications are considered depending on the dog's energy, temperament, and access to nearby green space.
Transport
Dogs travel from Romania on the rescue's own dedicated transport (the "Happy Bus"), which runs roughly every few weeks as vehicle capacity allows. In practice, expect somewhere around 4 to 8 weeks from reservation to arrival.
After you adopt
Adopters get lifetime rescue back-up (the rescue will always take a dog back if things don't work out), access to dedicated post-adoption Facebook groups, and ongoing advice from the rescue's volunteers.
Where to find them
- Website: pawprints2freedom.co.uk
- Apply to adopt: pawprints2freedom.co.uk/apply
- Facebook community: facebook.com/groups/pawprints2freedom
Details verified 5 September 2026. Policies and fees change — always confirm directly with the rescue.
Before you apply
Guides for these countries
Details verified 5 September 2026. Policies change — always confirm with the rescue directly. Something out of date? Let me know.