We choose the most suitable home for every dog and so are still taking in applications so that we won’t miss an ideal home for a maybe more challenging dog. We have taken in  ‘lockdown puppies’, young dogs with their predictable problems which needed working with. We have also rehomed some senior dogs, and pairs where one of the dogs may not be a westie, to avoid separating the dogs if they are bonded. These dogs are outside the criteria of most of the applicants who have specific preferences. We give every dog that comes to us the same chance of a loving home, and so please understand that we don’t often have the luxury of choice. We prefer to think that the main criteria for adoption is what you can offer the dog rather than what the dog can do for you, which hopefully is what brings most people to a ‘rescue’.

Home-checks, dog assessments etc held indoors over a cup of tea are unlikely to be the norm now, sad as it is. Outdoor meetings and introductions will still be safer with people from different areas mixing. We would never expect our volunteers or applicants to be in a situation in which they don’t feel comfortable.

These are testing times for dogs too. For around 16 months they have not been used to visitors coming into their homes or socialisation. A great deal of focus has been on people’s mental health and how they have coped in the absence of family and friends and in isolation. Dogs are very much social animals too who thrive on company, but not everyone will consider their anxieties now that their ‘pack’ will be spending time away from home, leaving them alone. They must be gently worked with. So many changes for them too.

Stay safe everyone, there are still some very challenging times ahead