Adopting a Jack Russell in Birmingham: rescues, costs and health

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Jack Russell, Parson Russell and Jack Russell cross listed with us in Birmingham and within about 25 miles, and our Birmingham Jack Russell page links each one to its rescue. It is usually a short list. Our Birmingham small dogs page shows the other small dogs listed today.

Jack Russell Terrier Rescue UK calls Jack Russells one of the most overbred breeds in the UK, and says that is why more and more end up abandoned, neglected or surrendered. Battersea adds the other half of the story: the breed was developed to work alongside foxhounds, and people expecting a calm lapdog find a dog that chases, digs and barks and needs ongoing management. On the plus side, Battersea finds the breed very smart and "highly trainable".

A rescue fee buys vet work already done. Small Dog Rescue says every dog it takes in is health checked by its vets, neutered, microchipped and vaccinated, though puppies can leave before they are neutered. Jack Russell Terrier Rescue UK neuters, vaccinates, chips and treats its adults for fleas and worms, and sends puppies home under a neutering contract. Some charities charge less for older dogs: Blue Cross fees start from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over.

Buying works the other way round. UK law requires every dog to be microchipped by 8 weeks, so a bought puppy should already be chipped by its breeder, but neutering and further vaccinations usually come on top of the £400 to £3,000 Blue Cross gives for the puppy. With an adult rescue dog, its character is already known.

A rescue Jack Russell's parents are unlikely to have been health tested, so ask what the rescue's vet found. The breed's long life is the good news: a Royal Veterinary College VetCompass study of dogs under UK vet care gave the Jack Russell Terrier the longest life expectancy at birth of the breeds it studied, 12.72 years. UK sources point to these:

• Eyes. The Royal Kennel Club asks breeders to DNA test for primary lens luxation (PLL), where the lens slips out of place, and to have eyes tested. Battersea says untreated lens luxation can cause painful inflammation and blindness.
• Balance. The same tests cover late onset ataxia and spinocerebellar ataxia, which Battersea says affect balance and coordination, worsen over time and have no cure.
• Knees and hips. Kneecaps that slip out of place (luxating patellas) appear on both the Battersea and PDSA lists, and PDSA adds Legg-Perthes disease, a condition of the hip.

The Royal Kennel Club lists a flat as big enough and up to an hour's exercise a day, though it rates the breed a country dog rather than a town one. Small Dog Rescue won't rehome to a flat at all. PDSA describes a high prey drive and a dog that can squeeze through the smallest gap and jump well, and says it should never be left alone for more than four hours. Before a terrier arrives, walk your fence line: for most dogs, Wythall Animal Sanctuary asks for fencing of at least 5ft. PDSA would not recommend keeping a Jack Russell in a home with smaller pets.

Rescue Jack Russells are adopted, not sold. Each dog on our Birmingham Jack Russell page goes through its rescue's own process: an application, a match with a suitable dog, then an adoption fee or donation. Puppies turn up too rarely to plan around, so stay open to an adult.

Buying instead? Look for a breeder who health-tests both parents, as Battersea advises, and take up the Dogs Trust suggestion of asking your vet about a pre-purchase consultation, which covers likely health conditions and rough costs. The Royal Kennel Club has a "Find a puppy" service. If an advert looks like a scam, report it to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).