There is no single right way to share your home with an older dog. Adopt for keeps, foster to see how you get on, lend your sofa for a few weeks, or give a very old dog a soft place to finish their story. Whichever you choose, we cover every vet bill for every foster.

Adopt or foster

Adopt, foster or fall in love slowly.

A silver-haired woman on a sofa stroking a sleepy cream-coloured Saluki

An older golden-brown dog resting on a cushion in a warm, sunlit room beside a radiator

Someone in jeans lying on a white sofa with bare feet up, beside a small black and white dog

A tan and white dog with a greying face resting its chin on the edge of a grey dog bed

An older man in a straw hat relaxing on a porch chair while a brown dog stands beside him

A golden dog asleep on a black and white cushion on a dark sofa, in a patch of sun

Four ways in Say hello

Four ways to share your sofa

For keeps, for good, for every last walk. We match you carefully, then stay on the end of the phone for as long as you need us.

Adopt

Try life together for six weeks before you decide. Plenty of people decide on the first evening, but nobody has to.

Foster to adopt

An older dog stays for a few weeks while they wait for a home. We pay for food, vet care and blankets; you provide the lap.

Sofa fostering

For dogs too old or too frail to move again. They stay with you for the rest of their days, and every vet bill comes to us.

Forever fostering

Step one: say hello

Fill in the short form at the bottom of this page. Tell us about your home, your days and your sofa. There are no wrong answers, only honest ones.

An older woman in a purple hoodie holding the paws of a fluffy dog standing up to greet her

Step two: a slow walk together

Meet the dog on neutral ground with their foster carer. Nobody rushes. Most first meetings involve a bench and a very long sniff.

A grey-haired man walking a sandy-coloured dog on a long lead along a quiet, leafy lane

Step three: a trial sleepover

Take your new friend home for a night or two, with our food, our blankets and a phone number that someone always answers.

A man reading on a black leather sofa beside a relaxed Akita

Step four: the vet check

Our vet gives every dog a full health check and a written care plan, so you know exactly what you are saying yes to.

A smiling vet in blue scrubs sitting beside an older German Shepherd on the examination table

Step five: home, slowly

Settle in at your own pace. We call after a week, a month and a year, and we never stop being on your side.

An older woman in glasses resting her cheek on her dog’s head in front of a blue wall

Some of our dogs are too old or too unwell to move home again. Forever fostering gives them a sofa, a routine and a person for the rest of their days, while Slow Walks keeps responsibility for their care. It is the most tender thing we do, and the most important.

A soft place to land.

Forever fostering

What we cover

What you give

When the time comes

Questions we hear at the gate.

Straight answers before you fill in a form. Slow Walks is fictional; a real rescue would add its own policies here.

If you like quiet evenings, short walks and a dog who already knows the rules of a house, very possibly. If you want a running partner, we will gently suggest a younger dog from another rescue.

Is an older dog right for me?

Real rescues usually ask for a modest adoption donation. Our imagined fee is £95, which covers vaccinations, a microchip and a full vet check. Fostering is always free.

What does it cost to adopt?

Often, yes. Many older dogs are content with a midday visit and a long nap. We will talk through your week honestly and match accordingly.

Do you rehome dogs to people who work?

Yes, with your landlord’s written permission. We are happy to send a short letter explaining how calm our dogs tend to be.

I rent. Can I still adopt?

Then the dog comes back to us, with no judgement and no fuss. Every Slow Walks dog has a place with us for life.

What if it does not work out?

No. Slow Walks is a fictional rescue created for a website template. A real one would publish its charity number, policies and contact details here.

Is Slow Walks a real charity?

Tell us a little about your home and which way in appeals. A coordinator will reply within a few days to arrange a chat and, if you like, a slow walk. This is a sample form for a fictional rescue. Please do not enter health details, your address or any other sensitive information.

Say hello.

Your name

Your email

Your home, your sofa and the way in that appeals

Send my hello