The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association
Run entirely by volunteers & public donations

Adoption
We are pleased to be open again in select regions, for new adoption applications following a necessary, temporary pause to handling nationwide general applications. This enabled us to focus on pug-specific adoption applications, shortening waiting times for the large number of pugs we had in our care, onto their forever homes.
This also meant we needed to rehome more older pugs & those with very individual or special-needs, plus bonded-pairs for which we tend to receive fewer applications for.
You will find the latest details about which regions of the country we are accepting general adoption applications from, in our Adoption section, as well as any latest pug-specific homes appeals.

Fostering
Good foster homes are essential in our rehoming process, particularly those that can support age-related or special-needs, or accommodate bonded-pairs, as the number of pugs surrendered to us this year in these categories has been particularly high.
For select areas of the country that we are receiving new applications for foster homes, PDWRA provides ongoing support with in-house expertise & vet costs covered. You may offer short or long-term care, for which the individual needs of the pugs will be matched to your home.
Our Fostering section provides full details and considerations for fostering, as well as the regions of the country where we’d welcome more new foster homes from, also where you can apply directly online.

Surrendering
In our phased re-opening, we are able to receive pugs needing to be surrendered from our busiest region, the South East, as well as the East of England. All pugs requiring rehoming will be matched to our nationwide waiting lists.
The difficult decision for our temporary closure was taken in order to provide the best welfare solutions to the very high number of pugs in our care earlier this year, with the resources available to us. By limiting the processing of new general adoption applications this enabled the escalation of specific applicants to adopt matched pugs, sooner and reduce the volume waiting in our care.
Please go to our Surrendering section for more information and contact details.

Volunteering
There are a number of ways that you can volunteer to support PDWRA, including:
- Home checking, by assessing adoptive or foster applicants in your near locality, according to rehoming requirements.
- Transporting, involves the collection, delivery and safe transportation of a PDWRA pug on its journey to its new home.
We are open to applications in specific areas of the country so please see our Volunteering section for the latest details and where you can apply directly.
We also have vacancies for specific, dedicated roles in the charity, that you can apply for too.


Volunteering
There are a number of ways that you can volunteer to support PDWRA, including:
- Home checking, by assessing adoptive or foster applicants in your near locality, according to rehoming requirements.
- Transporting, involves the collection, delivery and safe transportation of a PDWRA pug on its journey to its new home.
We are open to applications in specific areas of the country so please see our Volunteering section for the latest details and where you can apply directly.
We also have vacancies for specific, dedicated roles in the charity, that you can apply for too.
Latest PDWRA News
Hot Weather Alerts & Advice for our Pugs’ Health.
As temperatures have been rising to above 30°C in parts of England for the first time in 2025, we are expecting further very warm or even hot conditions into the weekend with maximums over 30°C, before cooler and fresher air returns from the West. This transition may...
When is the Right Time to Say Goodbye?
Article by Helen McKee (MRCVS) PDWRA Vet Advisor. How can I tell if my pet still has a good quality of life? All pet owners want their companion to have a good life. As your pet gets older, or if they’re diagnosed with a serious illness, you may worry that they’re...
Our Journey as Pug Parents – Wendy Ribbons and Martha
Way back, I have wanted to have a dog, particularly a pug but I felt blessed to have neighbours who have a grumble and allowed us to care for them when they went away. These were great times. My partner was also very keen to have a dog, but a big one, particularly a...
Valerie’s Story of Adopting Betty
In April’s newsletter you may have read the article about Laura & her pug Ethel and how her pug story began 40 years ago. Well following on from that, as Laura is my daughter, here is my story of how I discovered Pug Welfare and my pug journey. Having bought from...
Our Journey with the PDWRA – Dave & Sandra The Pugs!!
Why pugs, why rescue, why the PDWRA? This for us began a long time ago, my eldest son (now 16) fell in love with pugs when he was 4 after meeting a very handsome pug on the Isle of Wight called Dave. A love affair began, which never dwindled, however we could never...
Thank You PDWRA Volunteers – Transporters!
Finding the right match of pug to adopter can mean literally going the extra mile for the pug in question, and this was the case for Wilfred. PDWRA have a network of Volunteers who generously give up their time to transport pugs for us, collecting from owners, being...
PDWRA’s Facebook Mega Auction
Our Facebook Mega Auction to raises essential funds for our charity’s Pugs in Need throughout the year!
The Auction is BACK from its short Summer Break. From Monday 28th July newly listed items will be under way…..
With 5,500 members, please Join the group when it returns if you are not a member already to see what delightful items are on auction or to be raffled.
As well as bidding, you are able to donate your own items to be auctioned, or raffled too!
We have featured some fantastic antique and vintage collectibles among with the typical goodies that are donated and often hand-made by our generous supporters, personalised, affordable pet portrait drawings to be commissioned plus special items raffled at £2 per ticket, such as Holiday Chalet stays and latest models of popular Air Fryers…. do join in!