New beginnings and happy endings.
We can tell you that rescue dogs make great pets but why not hear it from the wonderful families themselves? Prepare to have your faith in humanity restored!
Margie
Margie had already been adopted but her adoption hadn't worked out. We knew we could help her and had been on the look out for a new rescue dog as our two dogs are getting older, and it seemed like it was meant to be. We fell in love with her pretty quickly and after a trial period, we knew we wanted to keep her.
Margie is a real spark, a ray of Spanish sunshine. She is very cute and follows her mummy around, she loves to sunbathe whilst we're gardening. She is very loving and affectionate, loves a cuddle and a snuggle on the sofa.
When she came to us Margie had some guarding issues (with people rather than food) and we worked with the Five Circles psychologist to address these issues, but to be honest our other 2 dogs did most of the work helping her decompress and making sure she felt safe and secure.
To anyone thinking of adopting - do it! It's so rewarding and the dogs seem to know that they have been given a real chance at happiness.
We were really impressed with Five Circles. The support and contact in the early stages was very welcome and essential to settle Margie in the right way for her. The psychologist was very helpful in helping with the approaches to overcoming Margie's guarding issues. We now have a beautiful dog that is able to share her people and her toys. She is a very good girl! - Debbie Aske-Harris
Lupo
We had already adopted one dog from Spain, and the change in her life was incredible. She became so loving and grateful, and it was heartwarming to see. So, we decided to spread the love and give another Spanish dog a shot at a better life. That’s how Lupo came into our lives.
Lupo has been the perfect addition to our family. He’s super cuddly and always up for an adventure! He’s also a great sidekick for our other dog. Whether we're binge-watching TV or hitting the trails for a hike, he’s right there with us, making everything more fun.
Our main concern when adopting Lupo was how our other dog would react. They get along great, but they’re very different personality-wise (and size-wise!). We have to create a safe space for both and ensure they respect each other’s boundaries. It’s an ongoing process, it takes time and patience, but seeing how they coexist beautifully now and even enjoy each other’s company makes it worth it!
Adopting a rescue dog from abroad has been the most rewarding thing we've ever done. There are so many dogs waiting for a second chance out there in this world. Seeing the positive impact on their lives and the way they look at you with such gratitude is priceless. They give so much love and ask for so little in return. It’s a beautiful experience that I highly recommend.
Five Circles have been amazing throughout the entire adoption process. We felt supported every step of the way, and even now, two years later, we still feel connected and supported by them. If we ever decide to adopt again, it would definitely be through them - Sara Rodriguez Jara
Maggie
Maggie has changed our live in so many ways, she is so loving, loyal and affectionate.
There is always a four legged friend with a waggy tail to greet you when you come home. We have been on so many adventures over the UK and she has even climbed her first Munro! We really couldn’t have asked for a more loyal companion. She is our best friend and her favourite thing in the world is a belly rub!
We had a couple of behavioural issues to begin with where she got so excited to see other dogs, she would leap into the air but over time this has reduced.
Five circles dog rescue have been amazing through the adoption process. The follow up support has been great where we needed some support from the behaviouralist which has really helped us with her training - Shona Macdonald
Winston & Wicket
With both dogs we saw a social post, we were accepted to adopt another dog but his fosters didn’t want to give him up, we looked on the website found Wicket - a few weeks later he arrived, the process of getting him over from Spain was so easy, all we had to do was meet the van.
We were given lots of helpful advice about how to handle him for the first little while until he settled down. We arranged puppy classes for him to help with the basics. Like any puppy you have to be patient, it’s a learning process for all involved, whether you get an 8 week old from a breeder or adopt from a rescue you have to expect teething problems. He settled much quicker once we had Winston, just having a constant companion again made all the difference to his little world. We lost our other dog not long after Wicket arrived.
Winston was not on the cards for us at all, we had lost our other Black lab a few months before and all of a sudden the handsome Win appears on my instagram feed and that was that. Love at first sight.
They are the best boys and best friends.
We have been incredibly lucky that they both slotted right in, they get on and that is not always the case. I would say to anyone wanting to adopt from abroad that patience is key, it takes months for them to fully decompress after the pound and then the journey - Tricia Grant
Billy
As soon as we felt ready to welcome another dog into our home, after recovering from the loss of of our old dog, we knew that we wanted to give a rescue dog the opportunity of a loving home and fulfilled life. We chose Billy because he was so young to be in the unfortunate situation he had found himself in, through no fault of his own - we have the time, space and love in abundance to teach Billy how wonderful life could be.
Billy has made our life feel fulfilled, he has completed our family and we really enjoying being back out walking and having him with us to share our caravanning adventures.
Prior to Billy arriving with us, we did educate ourselves on dog training, dog behaviour and communication to give ourselves and Billy the best start we could. He was very nervous for a long time and it has taken the best part of eighteen months for him to become the confident dog he is now. We followed all the advice that Five Circles provided with and ensured we did not pressure him in the early stages.
We would say, take your time to make the decision and be 100% sure it is a commitment you want to make. Rescue dogs come with a varied number of issues that need time to rehabilitate and its not a journey that can be forced or rushed. However, once you are certain its a commitment you want to make then we would wholeheartedly recommend adopting a dog and not be put off by the dog being abroad.
Our experience overall has been a positive one. The Five Circles team are always available in the background should any support or advice be needed. It’s lovely to be part of the charity Family Facebook page as well, where all adopters can share happy stories of their rescue dogs - Chris and Pamela Hall
Kobe
Kobe has changed my life, he is the dearest companion I could ever ask for. I’m not exaggerating when I say that from the moment he stepped off the transport bus, we bonded. He follows me literally everywhere!
Kobe’s favourite thing to do is play fetch with two tennis balls. In a sort of “flyball” relay he drops the incoming ball at my feet as he runs past to chase the second ball that I simultaneously toss.
To anyone thinking of adopting a dog from abroad I would encourage them to do so for one very important reason - reputable rescues in other countries try with every resource available to them to provide a better life for formerly abused and neglected dogs now in their care. By giving one of their dogs a safe and loving home you complete their mission!
Throughout the adoption process I found my experience with Five Circles rescue to be very good. I appreciated immensely their help in choosing the right dog for me. The application process is very thorough which I found reassuring because it shows there are very serious about finding the right home for a dog. The online interview is done in a relaxed manner, not at all intimidating.
All the steps in adopting him were certainly worth it. I shall never forget the wonderful exciting day when Kobe was delivered to his new forever home - Isolde Nettles-MacKay
Chico
Chico was pointed out to us by our daughter, who is a dog walker. She thought he would be an ideal companion. The video and pictures that we saw, showed us a gentle but lively dog, and of course we would be helping a 'homeless' dog.
He has changed our lives immensely, giving us the motivation to get out for long walks, beach visits and to meet people. The energies he brings into the home are of joy, humour and love.
Chico was very nervous for the first year when encountering anything new, and would bark and rush at other dogs every time he passed any. Trust has built up over time, and the giving of treats when we see another dog approaching has distracted him. He now looks for the treat as soon as a dog comes into view!
His favourite thing is to flop down after dinner so that he can be brush and stroked for half an hour.
Be prepared to be patient, don't expect too much too soon, and seek help if necessary from professionals who can advise on lots of tips. Secondly, do it, don't be hesitant, and you'll not be disappointed.
Five Circles have been very supportive and informative about the whole process of adoption, and we've been happy that they can offer advice immediately - Lorraine Radford
Bonnie
We chose Bonnie after losing our old black lab cross rescue and decided after 3 months without a dog we wanted another. We said not a black dog as it would remind us of our old dog... But we saw Bonnie on the Five Circles site and fell in love with her
She settled in great, no real issues, so very lucky with that. A bit of a grumble when meeting my daughters 2 dogs. Introduced them gradually and now she loves playing with them and any dog she meets.
She has learnt how to play ball and will run and bring back for another throw. Her favourite thing when we go to the coast is to run up and down by the sea, swim and bark at the waves.
Adopting from Spain was so easy. We watched lots of videos of Bonnie and had messages etc about her before committing. A video call to chat to the team and show them our home and garden was arranged and they were great at giving us all the information we needed.
The website after was invaluable for help and advice and to keep in touch with other people who'd adopted at the same time.I know that help is there should I need it and would recommend Five Circles 100% to anyone looking for a rescue - Babs Miller
Meet the Spanish dogs eagerly awaiting their forever family. We believe that every dog deserves a warm bed, a loving family and a place to call home - if you can offer that, we could have the perfect companion for you!
