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

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Staffy and Staffy cross listed with us within about 41 miles of Glasgow, with a link to the rescue that has each one. It is often a short list, because none of the dog rescues we list is in the city itself, so contact the two Staffy rescues below as well.

PDSA says many rehoming centres "see more Staffies than any other breed". The RSPCA blames overbreeding, bad press and irresponsible owners, and says many of the Staffies in its care are "well behaved, affectionate and playful".

In its breed profile, The Royal Kennel Club calls the Staffy "highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children". Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue is more blunt about rescue dogs: it says almost all of its dogs come with baggage, so ask how this one copes with people, other dogs and being left.

A rescue fee pays for vet work and kit as well as the dog. Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue covers a vet check, neutering, vaccinations and microchipping for dogs that need them, and each dog goes home with a new harness and lead, which it asks you to keep using. Staffie Smiles Rescue's adult fee is £250, falling to £130 for a dog of 9 or over. Further afield, at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, a dog aged 6 months to 9 years costs £250 and goes home with a month's pet insurance.

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

An adult from a rescue also comes with something no advert can sell you: a temperament that someone has already lived with.

Rescue Staffies rarely come with their parents' health results, so ask what a vet has found. UK breed sources point to these:

• Eyes and a metabolic condition. The Royal Kennel Club lists DNA tests for hereditary cataracts and L-2-HGA, eye testing and elbow scoring as best practice for breeders.
• Skin and hips. PDSA names skin allergies and demodex (a skin condition caused by mites) among the breed's problems, and says hips should be screened for dysplasia before breeding.
• Breathing and teeth. On its Breed Watch list, The Royal Kennel Club tells show judges to watch for laboured or noisy breathing and for misplaced canine teeth.

A Staffy needs less space than people expect: The Royal Kennel Club rates it for a small home with a small or medium garden, with up to an hour of exercise a day. PDSA puts the minimum at an hour, over several walks, and adds two warnings: Staffies dig and jump, so fences need to be secure, and they are prone to separation anxiety, so a home where someone is in most of the day suits them best.

A tenement flat need not rule you out. Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue says many of its dogs live happily in flats, and it rehomes to people who work full time, but it wants to know your plan if the dog would be alone for longer than 3 to 4 hours. It has no blanket rule on children, though it expects them to respect the dog and wants a child-free space the dog can escape to. Staffie Smiles Rescue does not rehome to homes with children under 12, or with pets that are not neutered unless there is a medical reason. If you rent, get your landlord's permission in writing before you apply.

No rescue sells a Staffy. You apply, the rescue decides which dog suits your home, and the money is an adoption fee. Most rescue Staffies are adults, and Staffie Smiles Rescue is the one that lists a puppy fee at all.

Buying instead? Speak to a vet before you look: Dogs Trust points out that some practices run pre-purchase consultations covering likely health problems and rough costs. The Royal Kennel Club also has a "Find a puppy" service. Steer clear of "merle" Staffies: since 5 January 2010 The Royal Kennel Club has refused to register merle Staffy puppies, because the gene is linked to impaired sight and hearing in the breed. Police Scotland advises against paying for anything you haven't seen, and you can report an online marketplace fraud to it online, by phone or in person.

In Scotland, as in the rest of Great Britain, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a recognised breed and not a banned type. The XL Bully is treated differently. In Scotland, since 23 February 2024 it has been illegal to sell, advertise, gift or exchange an XL Bully or let it stray, and it must be on a lead and muzzled in public (Scottish Government). Since 1 August 2024 it has been an offence in Scotland to own one without an exemption certificate, and the Scottish rules say it is unlawful to "sell, give away or rehome an XL Bully".

Whether a dog counts as a banned type depends on what it looks like rather than its breed or name, so no rescue in Scotland can rehome an XL Bully and none appear on LocalPetFinder.