Adopting a Staffy in Cardiff: rescues, costs and the law

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Staffy and Staffy cross listed with us in Cardiff and within about 25 miles, and our Cardiff Staffy page links each one to its rescue.

The Royal Kennel Club's breed profile, in short:

The breed's past is rougher than its reputation at home. The Royal Kennel Club traces it to the Bull Terrier crosses of the 1860s, when Bulldogs were crossed with terriers for vermin control and blood sports; the modern Staffy comes from people who kept to the original type. It takes its name from the Black Country of Staffordshire, where it was developed, and was only recognised by the breed register in the 1930s. Despite those "rough and ready beginnings", the same profile says, it is known as a wonderful family pet.

PDSA describes Staffies as lively, energetic dogs that love company and want to be at the centre of family life, and says they do best with someone at home all the time. Dogs Trust adds the caveat that matters most for a rescue dog: every Staffy's temperament is different, shaped by its own experiences. A stray from Cardiff Dogs Home may have a past nobody knows, so judge the dog in front of you, not the breed.

You may hear the Staffy called the "nanny dog". Battersea uses the nickname and says Staffies are known for being patient with younger members of the family, but treat it as a nickname, not a promise. PDSA says Staffies are generally tolerant and sweet natured with children, yet are so energetic and strong that they may not suit families with younger children, and that any dog should always be supervised with children.

• Other dogs and pets. PDSA says some Staffies are a little wary of other dogs because they much prefer people, and that a well socialised Staffy should get along fine. It also warns of a very strong prey drive, so small pets are a risk; ask the rescue whether this dog has lived with other animals.
• Training. Staffies are intelligent and learn quickly, PDSA says, but can test boundaries and be strong willed, so start reward based training early, be consistent and work on recall. It suggests classes for first time owners, and Hope Rescue strongly encourages reward based classes for bull breeds.
• Exercise. Dogs Trust calls Staffies typically high energy dogs that need daily walks plus time to explore and burn energy; PDSA sets a minimum of an hour a day.

PDSA says many rehoming centres "see more Staffies than any other breed". The RSPCA puts that down to overbreeding, bad press and irresponsible ownership, and adds that many of the Staffies it looks after are "well behaved, affectionate and playful".

In Cardiff many arrive as strays: the council's dogs' home says most of its dogs are strays, which is why it often knows little of a dog's past. The breed's own standard paints a kinder picture than the headlines: The Royal Kennel Club calls the Staffy "highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children". Each dog is still an individual, so ask how this one copes with people, other dogs and time alone.

A rescue fee buys vet work that is already done. At Cardiff Dogs Home the £250 to £550 fee covers first and second vaccinations, a microchip and initial flea and worm treatment, and every adult dog is neutered before it leaves, a cost it says its charity, The Rescue Hotel, usually covers. All Creatures Great and Small's £300 donation for an adult goes towards vet treatment, neutering and flea and worm prevention, and Senior Staffy Club adds five weeks' free insurance for its £120.

Buy a puppy and the neutering, and usually further vaccinations, come later, on top of the price, which Blue Cross puts at £400 to £3,000. PDSA estimates £531 to set up a medium-sized dog, which includes the first vaccinations and neutering, and at least £83 a month after that.

Rescue Staffies seldom arrive with their parents' health tests, and a stray's history is often unknown, so ask what the rescue's vet has found. UK sources point to these for the breed:

• Eyes and a metabolic condition. The Royal Kennel Club best practice for breeders includes DNA tests for hereditary cataracts and L-2-HGA, plus eye testing and elbow scoring.
• Skin and hips. PDSA flags skin allergies and demodex mites, which cause a skin condition, and wants hips screened for dysplasia before a Staffy is bred from.
• Breathing and teeth. The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch asks show judges to look for signs of breathing difficulty and misplaced canine teeth.

The Royal Kennel Club lists the Staffy as suited to a small house with a small or medium garden and up to an hour's exercise a day, and PDSA suggests at least an hour, split over a few walks. PDSA also warns that Staffies can dig and jump their way out, so a secure garden matters, and that they are prone to separation anxiety, so they suit homes where someone is around for much of the day.

The coat is short and easy: The Royal Kennel Club says it needs grooming once a week, though it does shed. Whether a short-coated dog wants a coat on a cold, wet walk depends on the dog, so ask the rescue how it copes and your vet if you are unsure.

If you rent, get your landlord's permission in writing before you apply. Cardiff Dogs Home won't rehome a dog to a property where pets aren't allowed and asks renters for written permission, though a tenancy agreement that already allows pets counts. All Creatures Great and Small wants the permission emailed to it. A letter that names the breed avoids any doubt later.

Think about insurance before the dog comes home, not only for vet bills. Third party liability cover pays out if your dog injures someone or damages their property; it used to come with a Dogs Trust membership, but Dogs Trust says its membership scheme no longer includes third party liability insurance for new sign ups, so check whether your pet or home insurance covers it. The law on control is the same for every breed: in England and Wales it is against the law to let any dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, including in your own home.

An older Staffy is often an easy match, because the rescue already knows its temperament, and The Royal Kennel Club gives the breed's lifespan as over 12 years. Senior Staffy Club, which takes only older Staffies and Staffy crosses, says its dogs are checked by its vets and treated where needed, fully vaccinated, neutered unless a vet advises otherwise, and microchipped, with five weeks' free insurance. It asks £120 for one dog and £180 for a bonded pair.

Its process is slower than a local rescue's because of the distance: after you apply it aims to phone you within 3 days, a volunteer visits your home, and then you visit the dog twice where it is staying. Cardiff Dogs Home and All Creatures Great and Small list older dogs too, so ask them as well.

No rescue sells a Staffy. You apply, the rescue decides which dog suits your home, and the money you hand over is an adoption fee. Every Staffy on our Cardiff Staffy page is adopted that way, and many are adults, so be open to an older dog.

If you decide to buy, The Royal Kennel Club runs a "Find a puppy" service, and Dogs Trust suggests a word with your vet first. Be wary of any advert for a "merle" Staffy: since 5 January 2010 The Royal Kennel Club has refused to register merle Staffy puppies, as the merle gene is linked to impaired sight and hearing in the breed. If an advert looks like a scam, tell Report Fraud, the service that replaced Action Fraud.

In Wales the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not a banned type. The XL Bully is. In Wales, since 31 December 2023 it has been illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange or abandon an XL Bully or let it stray, and since 1 February 2024 illegal to own one without a Certificate of Exemption (gov.uk: England and Wales). Whether a dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like rather than its breed or name, so no rescue can rehome an XL Bully and none appear on LocalPetFinder. The law section below sets out the rest.

Two other names cause confusion. A Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not an American Staffordshire Terrier, which Dogs Trust points out is a different breed. Nor is it a Pit Bull Terrier, which has been a banned type in the UK for much longer than the XL Bully. Because the law judges a dog by what it looks like rather than its breed or name, gov.uk says a dog that matches many of the characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier may be a banned type, and a police or council dog expert decides. A rescue cannot rehome a banned type, so a Staffy or Staffy cross from a rescue has already been judged on that point; if you are unsure about a dog offered privately, ask before you take it on.