Adopting a Labrador in Birmingham: rescues, costs and health

Two routes run side by side for Birmingham adopters: the Labrador breed rescue's register, and the general rescues around the city. The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Labrador and Labrador cross listed with us in Birmingham and within about 25 miles, and our Birmingham Labrador page links each one to its rescue. It is often a short list, and some days it is empty.

The dog is rarely the reason. According to Labrador Rescue South East & Central, many of the Labradors it is asked to find homes for arrive because a family's circumstances have changed, and most have been well looked after. Some are old and need a calm retirement; others have problems that a good home can help them get over. Its area page adds domestic crisis, bereavement, ill treatment and financial difficulty.

A young Labrador from the breed rescue is not cheap: £500 for a dog under 2 and £600 for a puppy overlap the bottom of Blue Cross's £400 to £3,000 range for buying one. What you get is a dog whose temperament and vet history are known, and a rescue that stays involved: Labrador Rescue South East & Central promises to take any dog back, at any point after adoption, and its FAQs mention a helper's follow-up visit a couple of weeks in.

Older Labradors cost less (£300 from 4 to 8 years, £200 from 8 to 10), and Wythall Animal Sanctuary's dogs are £150, £250 or £350. A bought puppy should already be microchipped by its breeder, as UK law requires by 8 weeks, but neutering and further vaccinations may come on top of its price. Either way, PDSA puts the set-up cost of a large dog at £560 and its running cost at a minimum of £116 a month.

Parents' screening results seldom travel with a rescue Labrador, so the useful question is what a vet has found in this dog. A Royal Veterinary College VetCompass study of 33,320 Labradors at UK vets is the largest done on the breed here: ear infections topped the list at 10.4% of dogs, 8.8% were overweight and 5.5% had osteoarthritis. Chocolate Labradors had a median lifespan of 10.7 years, 1.4 years shorter than black or yellow ones. Ask in particular about:

• Hips, elbows and eyes. Breeders are asked by The Royal Kennel Club to score hips and elbows, test eyes and use DNA tests for inherited conditions such as exercise induced collapse and progressive retinal atrophy.
• Joints and weight. PDSA names hip and elbow dysplasia and describes the breed as "prone to obesity". The breed rescue's FAQs stress weight control and suggest two small meals a day for most Labradors.
• Ears. Since ear infections were the commonest problem in the VetCompass study, ask whether the dog has had them and what treatment worked.

Time alone is the rule the breed rescue is clearest on. Labrador Rescue South East & Central says a dog should not be left for more than 3 to 4 hours during the day, and Wythall Animal Sanctuary says its dogs generally must not be left alone for longer than 4 hours a day. If you work in the city centre, say how the dog's day would be covered.

Exercise is the other big ask. A Labrador is a large breed that The Royal Kennel Club expects to need over two hours a day, and Dogs Trust describes the breed as typically high-energy, wanting walks plus time to explore and play. Let the rescue match the dog to your routine.

No rescue sells its Labradors. Each dog goes to the home it suits best, for an adoption fee, and that is how every Labrador on our Birmingham Labrador page is rehomed. The breed rescue does take in puppies, but it can't predict when, so an older dog is the likelier match.

Buying instead? Ask to see both parents' hip, elbow and eye results, and speak to your vet before you choose: Dogs Trust says some practices offer pre-purchase consultations covering likely health problems and rough costs. 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).