Adopting a Cocker Spaniel in Birmingham: rescues, rules and costs

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Cocker Spaniel and Cocker cross listed with us in Birmingham and within about 25 miles, and our Birmingham Cocker Spaniel page links each one to its rescue. On many days it shows none, which is why the spaniel charities below are the main route. For Cockapoos see this page; Springers and other types are on the spaniels page.

Battersea puts it bluntly: Cockers are often handed in "usually because people underestimated the time, training and grooming this breed needs". The other side shows up in who waits longest. Spaniel Aid gets dozens of applications for young, easy dogs, while older dogs, pairs and dogs with some behavioural issues often wait several weeks, and it asks adopters to consider them.

Each charity's fee pays for work already done. Second Chance Spaniel Rescue says its fees go towards vet checks, vaccinations, neutering and behaviourist support, and Spaniel Aid lists a vet check, worming, flea treatment, vaccinations and neutering where possible; Spaniel Aid and UK Spaniel Rescue both include five weeks' free insurance. Fees fall with age: £225 at Second Chance for a dog of 9 to 11 and a voluntary donation of £100 or more over 11, and a donation of your choice at Spaniel Aid for a dog of 12 or over.

With a bought puppy the chip is already done, since the breeder must microchip it by 8 weeks under UK law, but neutering and later vaccinations are likely to land on you, after the £400 to £3,000 Blue Cross quotes for the puppy itself. Budget for the coat as well: PDSA calls Cocker grooming "high maintenance": a daily brush and, for show-type coats, a professional clip every three months or so.

Spaniel Aid and Second Chance Spaniel Rescue both mention vet checks, so start by asking what the check found, because a rescue Cocker's parents may never have been screened. For breeders, The Royal Kennel Club sets DNA tests for acral mutilation syndrome (AMS) and the inherited eye disease progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA), and recommends tests for adult-onset neuropathy and the kidney disease familial nephropathy, along with eye tests and hip scores.

• Ears and skin. Itchy skin and ear infections from allergies (atopy) are on PDSA's list, and Battersea calls ear infections common in Cockers, so ask how often the dog has had them.
• Eyes. Glaucoma and PRA can be inherited, according to Battersea, and PDSA also lists inherited eye conditions.
• Hips and immunity. PDSA adds hip dysplasia and certain auto-immune conditions.

Company comes first. Separation anxiety is something Cockers are known for, PDSA says, and it advises never leaving one alone for more than four hours; UK Spaniel Rescue won't place a dog anywhere it would be left longer, and asks renters for proof that the landlord agrees to a dog.

Then energy. A working Cocker is one of the "go-go-go types", in Battersea's words, while show Cockers tend to be calmer and longer-coated, and plenty are somewhere in between. PDSA's minimum is an hour of exercise a day. Ask the fosterer how the dog copes on a busy walk.

No spaniel charity sells its dogs. You apply for one dog, the charity picks the home that fits it best, and you pay an adoption fee; the same goes for any Cocker on our Birmingham Cocker Spaniel page. Young Cockers draw the most applications, so widen your search to adults and older dogs.

Buying instead? Look for a breeder who can tell you whether the line is working or show and who has health-tested both parents, as Battersea advises, and speak to your vet first: Dogs Trust says some practices offer pre-purchase consultations. The Royal Kennel Club lists litters through its "Find a puppy" service, and a suspicious advert can be reported to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).