Adopting a Rottweiler in Birmingham: rescues, rules and health

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Rottweiler and Rottweiler cross listed with us in Birmingham and within about 25 miles, and our Birmingham Rottweiler page links each one to its rescue. On many days it shows none. That is the honest picture, not a fault, and it is why the breed charity below matters. For other big dogs near the city, see our Birmingham large dogs page.

The Rottweiler Welfare Association describes every rescue as under tremendous pressure, with an "unprecedented" number of Rottweilers needing its help. Its reasons are mostly about owners, not dogs: a puppy that grows into a big adult and is seen as a nuisance, vet fees or food the owner can't afford, and life changes such as an owner's terminal illness or death, losing a job or a home, a new baby, a family break-up or a house move. Some dogs come to it as cruelty cases.

A rescue donation pays towards care already given. The Rottweiler Welfare Association neuters some dogs before they go, as well as microchipping and vaccinating them, and any dog it couldn't neuter first must be neutered by the new owner within 6 months. It will always take its dog back, whatever the reason, and it highly recommends insurance because vet treatment can be very expensive. At Birmingham Dogs Home, neutering and a microchip are part of the £250 to £400 fee.

Buying looks cheaper only until you add it up. The microchip is the breeder's job by law before a puppy is 8 weeks old, so it costs you nothing extra, but PDSA puts vaccinations and neutering among the set-up costs of any new dog, and those sit on top of the £400 to £3,000 Blue Cross quotes for the puppy. A grown rescue Rottweiler also arrives with its size, strength and manners on show.

Start with lifespan, because the sources don't agree. The Royal Kennel Club says under 10 years, PDSA more than 10, and Dogs Trust typically 10 or more. A Royal Veterinary College VetCompass study put the median age at death of Rottweilers under UK vet care at 9.0 years, and tumours, including cancers (neoplasia), caused 33.0% of the deaths where a cause was recorded. Beyond that, ask about:

• Hips, elbows and knees. Breeders are asked by The Royal Kennel Club to score hips and elbows for dysplasia, and PDSA adds cruciate damage, where a knee ligament tears.
• The heart. PDSA names subaortic stenosis, a narrowing just where blood leaves the heart; it can show up as a murmur or fainting.
• Nerves and cancer. A DNA test for juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy (JLPP) is on The Royal Kennel Club's list for breeders, and PDSA singles out bone cancer and lymphoma.

Think about space first. The Royal Kennel Club rates the Rottweiler a large breed that wants over two hours of exercise every day, ideally in a large house with a large garden. PDSA adds that it needs an experienced owner using positive, reward-based training, and may not be right for a family with young children. Rescues near the city check fences: Birmingham Dogs Home asks for a secure garden fenced to at least 4ft, and Wythall Animal Sanctuary for at least 5ft for most dogs.

Owning one is legal. The Rottweiler is not on gov.uk's list of banned types, and the England law section below sets out what is.

No rescue sells its Rottweilers. Each one goes to the home it matches best, for an adoption fee or donation, and that includes every dog on our Birmingham Rottweiler page. Puppies do reach the Rottweiler Welfare Association from time to time, but a young adult is the more realistic hope.

Buying instead? Ask to see both parents' hip and elbow scores and their JLPP results, and have a word with your vet first: 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).