How We Work - Why we do it

Our commitment to the breed extends beyond sanctuary and re-homing.

Dogs learn very quickly from each other.
In BCR, we like to house dogs in social groups with a
well balanced Alpha male and Bitch to set a good example
and show timid newcomers how to trust and relate to humans.

We know that education and information is the key to the prevention of most, if not all, of the problems that we have to address in rescue - both with dogs we take in and with the many calls we get from the public for advice about the breed and behavioural issues.

BCR is active in working to gain a greater understanding of the needs of the Border Collie, especially in matters of care, good husbandry and welfare.
What we learn we seek to pass on to others for the benefit, longevity and continuity of the breed as a whole.

It is not just a matter of understanding the physical requirements of the Border Collie.
It is also a matter of learning about and understanding their psychological needs.

Each year, many Border Collies are taken into rescue centres with behavioural problems caused by peoples lack of understanding of their mental welfare needs and sometimes a complete and inexcusable failure to take such needs into consideration.
This is not just a 'dog'. This is a sensitive and intelligent breed which requires knowledgeable care and handling.
The best Border Collie is a sane one!

We look forward to a future where need for re-homing is greatly reduced.

BCR Members, Helpers and rescue dogs at Hazel Brow Farm
in Swaledale, gathered for socialising and puppy handling.
BCR likes to foster pups at visitor and educational centres where
they are handled by visitors and children, socialising them
widely and keeping them stimulated in a working environment.

Our own experience, and the experience of other animal welfare charities we work with, has taught us that Border Collies do not fare well in kennel situations.

In most cases, keeping this breed in kennels is counter productive to their physical and mental welfare.
Border Collies cannot be properly assessed under kennel conditions - so we use an alternative.

All dogs we take into our care are kept in foster homes or at our specialist rehabilitation and assessment centre, and after some time to settle in, will go through a period of observation and assessment in order to reveal their true character and show us if they have the need or instinct to work.

This information is needed in order to enable us to responsibly re-home a dog to a home where it will be happy and fulfilled.

If a dog shows us that it needs to work we find it a working home.

Stock is the first assessment, but failing that, if the dog has strong drive and work ethic we look for potential ability in scent discrimination.
Search and Rescue is excellent for a dog that has no interest in livestock and won't be distracted by stock on the moors, but there are other areas - the Police, Prison Service or with Customs as a Sniffer dog.
We assess dogs to see if they are suitable to train to assist disabled people, Hearing dog or Guide dog - or other arena - we will look for a home for the dog in the appropriate working area so its drive and needs can be fulfilled.

Floyd - now called Jed - came in to Border Collie Rescue from a farm in Wales that had suffered the consequences of Foot and Mouth disease.

He came to us with a brother and sister.
He was the only merle in the litter, a full merle, black, white and tan.
His siblings were both standard markings, black and white.

In spite of the problems they faced as a consequence of losing all their livestock the farmers family had kept the dogs well exercised and cared for, but there was no stock contact for the young dogs and a danger that they may become frustrated.

Unlike his siblings, Floyd demonstrated very little stock herding instinct or inclination to work during assessment, but did show a strong need to be doing something active with his life and has been re-homed into an agility home.
His brother and sister are both rehomed on farms, working stock.

Kane was a dog that came to us from a home where he had been bought as a puppy through a newspaper advert.

He was dropped off to the home for £70 cash.
The vendor then promptly disappeared.

He was very ill and were it not for the intervention of the PDSA, would have died within a week.

He was suffering from mange, distemper and a myriad of minor ailments when his owner handed him into our care.

It took a lot of care, medication and time to turn the dog on the left into the dog on the right.
This is the evil of Puppy farming.

We like to keep in touch with our dogs, offering support and back up for clients and their dogs.