Border Terrier rescue dogs and puppies for adoption and rehoming in the UK

As of 14 November 2026, no Border Terriers are listed for adoption in the UK on LocalPetFinder. Rescues add animals all the time, so this page fills as they list them.

About an hour a day. The Royal Kennel Club lists up to an hour a day in its summary and says "generally at least one hour a day" in its notes on the breed, plus mental stimulation to prevent boredom. Ask the rescue what this dog is used to.

Often, but it depends on the dog. The Royal Kennel Club says Border Terriers tend to be less dog aggressive than many other terriers and generally get along with other dogs when properly socialised. A rescue dog's history matters more than its breed, so check the rescue's notes on this dog.

Be careful. The Royal Kennel Club says the breed keeps a strong prey drive and that smaller pets such as rats or rabbits may be seen as prey unless introductions are made carefully from puppyhood. With an adult rescue dog, ask the rescue whether it has been tested with small animals.

Not for long. The Royal Kennel Club says Border Terriers thrive on being part of family life and "do not do well left alone for long periods or kept purely as an outdoor dog". Ask the rescue how this dog copes on its own.

Yes. The Royal Kennel Club lists the breed as shedding, and Dogs Trust says you will typically need to brush a Border Terrier a couple of times a week, with professional grooming as well.

Small. The breed standard gives a weight of 6 to 7 kg for dogs and 5 to 6.5 kg for bitches. A standard describes the ideal, so an individual dog may be bigger or smaller, and working-line dogs are often slightly smaller, according to The Royal Kennel Club.

The Royal Kennel Club lists the lifespan as over 12 years, and Dogs Trust says typically 12 or more. That can mean a long commitment, which is one reason older Border Terriers are worth a look too.

We only list dogs with rescues, so there is nothing to buy here: every Border Terrier on this page is adopted for the rescue's fee. If you decide to buy, The Royal Kennel Club runs a Find a Puppy service and suggests asking breeders about the working or show background of a puppy's parents. Dogs Trust suggests talking to your vet, and says some practices offer pre-purchase consultations covering likely health conditions, rough costs, finding a responsible breeder and testing for inheritable diseases.

Each rescue sets its own adoption fee. Battersea charges £230 for a dog over six months and £275 for a puppy under six months, Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog in England, Wales and Scotland, and Blue Cross fees start from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over and £335 for dogs aged 1 to 7. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.

No. We don't list animals for sale. Every Border Terrier on this page is with a rescue or rehoming centre. Rescues rehome animals rather than selling them, usually for an adoption fee: for example, Battersea charges £230 for a dog over six months and £275 for a puppy under six months, and Dogs Trust £300. The fee usually goes towards vet work already done, such as neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations. If you searched "border terrier puppies for sale", the Border Terriers here are the rescue route: you apply to the rescue and pay its adoption fee, not a sale price.

Usually not. UK rescues normally ask for an adoption fee, which pays towards neutering, microchipping and vaccinations. Many rescue fees are under £500: Battersea charges £230 for a dog over six months, Dogs Trust £300, and Blue Cross from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over. An animal offered "free to a good home" is usually a private advert rather than a rescue. All dogs in the UK must be microchipped by 8 weeks old, and in England, Wales and Scotland a dog can't pass to a new keeper until it is chipped, so ask to see the microchip details.

Not right now. Puppies do get listed, and rescues can tell you much more about an adult's character, so check back.

This page lists every Border Terrier with the rescues we list across the UK, each with its town. For a city, see Border Terriers in Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Brecon, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Cambridge, Canterbury, Cardiff, Carlisle, Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Ipswich, Kendal, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Wales, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Perth, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea, Taunton, Truro and Worcester. You can also search by postcode with the pet finder on our home page to see what is closest to you.