Breed adoption guide
Adopting a Dachshund in London: rescues, rules and health
A few Dachshunds turn up with the rescues around London, and the national Dachshund charity has a coordinator for London, Kent and Essex. Here is where to look, the rules the breed charity sets before you apply, what adopting costs against buying, and the back problem every Dachshund adopter should ask about.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 20 October 2026
The short answer
To adopt a Dachshund in London, watch our London Dachshund page for dogs with the rescues near the city, and apply to Dachshund Rescue UK, a breed charity that considers adopters throughout the UK and has a rehoming coordinator for London, Kent and Essex. Its fees run from £150 to £650. Few Dachshunds are listed at any one time, so expect a wait, and read the breed charity's rules before you apply.
- Rescue adoption fees
- 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.
- Buying a puppy
- Blue Cross puts the cost of buying a puppy at £400 to £3,000, before food, insurance and vet bills. We have found no reliable Dachshund price, so we don't quote one.
- Dachshund breed rescue fee
- Dachshund Rescue UK charges between £150 and £650, depending on the dog's age, health and character.
- Rescues near London
- Cheshunt Animal Rescue usually charges £400 to £450 for a dog, and Stokenchurch Dog Rescue shows a minimum donation on each dog's profile.
- A lifetime with a Dachshund
- PDSA puts the minimum lifetime cost of a small dog, such as a miniature, at £6,200 to £12,000 and of a medium dog at £9,000 to £14,000 (2024 figures, including insurance but not vet bills if the dog becomes ill).
Where to adopt a Dachshund in London
The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Dachshund and Dachshund cross listed with us in London and within about 35 miles, and our London Dachshund page links each one to its rescue. If it is low or zero, that is the honest picture. Our London small dogs page shows the other small dogs listed today.
Rescues near London whose dogs we list
In October 2026 the Dachshunds listed with us near London came from three rescues. Cheshunt Animal Rescue in Hertfordshire takes in small dogs and fosters every animal in volunteers' homes. It won't place a dog with anyone who works full time or with children under 5, and only contacts you if you are a potential match. Stokenchurch Dog Rescue in Buckinghamshire keeps its dogs at kennels and rehomes within 50 miles, with a home visit first.
Pro Dogs Direct fosters dogs across London and the South East and doesn't rehome on a first come, first served basis: it picks the applicant offering the best home, then asks that person for a £25 deposit before a home check. That is its own process. Our guide to London dog rescues compares every rescue near the city.
Dachshund Rescue UK
Dachshund Rescue UK has been a registered charity since 2014 and rehomes Dachshunds through a UK-wide network of volunteer coordinators; it says it rehomes hundreds every year. Its regional contacts page lists one coordinator for London, Kent and Essex. You apply online; the charity reviews your application and contacts you when it has a dog that might suit, then a home visit follows. It is frank that there are more would-be adopters than dogs, so a quick match "would be unusual", and it keeps applications on file for 12 months. We don't list its dogs, so check its own site.
Charities with centres near London
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has a London centre and Dogs Trust has one at Harefield in West London. We don't list their dogs, so search their own sites.
Dachshund Rescue UK's rules: check them before you apply
The charity sets basic criteria every adopter must meet, so read them first. Several are hard for London homes:
- A secure garden is a must. It says Dachshunds are notoriously difficult to toilet train, which is why it asks for one.
- No children under 10. It may place a dog with older children if the dog is used to family life.
- Someone at home. No homes where everybody works or studies full time, and no regular daycare. It says separation anxiety is common in its dogs.
- Adopters aged 21 or over.
Adopting or buying a Dachshund: what you pay
Dachshund Rescue UK says every female is spayed or comes with a spay agreement, and every dog is microchipped and vaccinated, but it doesn't routinely neuter males, so budget for that with a male. Cheshunt Animal Rescue says its dogs come neutered, microchipped and with first vaccination cover.
A bought puppy should already be microchipped by its breeder, as UK law requires by 8 weeks, but neutering and further vaccinations usually come on top of the £400 to £3,000 Blue Cross gives for the puppy itself.
Dachshund health: ask about the back first
Dogs Trust says Dachshunds are predisposed to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), a condition similar to a slipped disc in humans that can compress the spinal cord and lead to weakness, loss of balance and even paralysis, most often in the back legs. In the DachsLife 2015 survey of 2,031 Dachshunds, run by Royal Veterinary College researchers, owners reported a vet diagnosis of IVDD in 15.7 per cent of the dogs assessed, from 24.4 per cent of standard smooth-haired dogs to 7.1 per cent of standard wire-haired ones.
- Back. Has the dog had any back trouble, weakness or wobbliness? The Royal Kennel Club asks breeders, at a minimum, to screen their dogs' spines under its IVDD scheme.
- Age. Older dogs and neutered dogs were at higher odds of IVDD in DachsLife, so an older dog's back history matters.
- Dapples. Since 1 January 2010 The Royal Kennel Club has not registered puppies from two dapple parents, because of the risk of impaired vision and hearing linked to the dapple gene.
A Dachshund in a London home
The Royal Kennel Club lists up to an hour of exercise a day and a small house as big enough, for both sizes. Stairs are the London question: for the first weeks, Dachshund Rescue UK suggests stair gates, ramps for furniture and fewer steps outside, plus three clear days at home with no visitors or plans to go out, and no walks in those first three days.
If you've been searching "Dachshund puppies for sale London"
Rescue Dachshunds are adopted, not sold. You apply, the rescue matches a dog to your home, and you pay its adoption fee. Every Dachshund on our London Dachshund page is adopted that way. You can't plan on a puppy, so be open to an adult.
If you decide to buy, ask the breeder for IVDD screening results, and Dogs Trust suggests asking your vet about a pre-purchase consultation on likely health conditions and rough costs. The Royal Kennel Club runs a "Find a puppy" service. Walk away from dapple puppies bred from two dapple parents, and report a suspected scam advert to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud.
The law in England
Microchipping and change of keeper
In England, as everywhere in the UK, every dog must be microchipped and registered by 8 weeks old. Since 6 April 2016 a dog in England can't pass to a new keeper until it is chipped, and the new keeper must update the database (the England regulations). A rescue chips before rehoming; after adoption, keep the details up to date.
Lucy's Law: buying a puppy
In England, Lucy's Law has meant since 6 April 2020 that puppies under six months can't be sold by a third party such as a pet shop or dealer: you buy direct from the breeder or adopt from a rehoming centre.
Banned dog types
In England, it is against the law to sell, abandon, give away or breed from a banned type: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully. Whether a dog is banned depends on what it looks like rather than its breed or name, so no rescue can rehome one and none appear on LocalPetFinder. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not a banned type.
XL Bully dogs
In England, 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).
Questions
Tap a question to expand
Is there a Dachshund rescue that covers London?
Yes: Dachshund Rescue UK considers adopters throughout the UK and has a rehoming coordinator for London, Kent and Essex. Dachshunds also reach the general rescues near London: in October 2026 Cheshunt Animal Rescue, Pro Dogs Direct and Stokenchurch Dog Rescue had them listed with us. Our London Dachshund page shows the live picture.
Is it cheaper to adopt a Dachshund than to buy one?
Usually, yes. Dachshund Rescue UK charges £150 to £650 and Cheshunt Animal Rescue usually £400 to £450, while Blue Cross puts the cost of buying a puppy at £400 to £3,000. A rescue dog is already microchipped and vaccinated; with a bought puppy, neutering and further vaccinations are usually extra.
Can I get a Dachshund for free, or for £150 or less, in London?
Not free from a rescue, and £150 only for some dogs: Dachshund Rescue UK's fees start at £150 and depend on the dog's age, health and character. Every reputable rescue asks a fee towards vet work. A "free to good home" Dachshund is a private advert with no rescue checks behind it, so meet the dog where it lives and ask to see the microchip details.
Should I adopt a Dachshund puppy, an adult or an older dog?
Be open to an adult or an older dog, because you can't plan on a puppy in rescue. With an adult, the rescue can already tell you its size, coat, back history and how it copes alone. The Royal Kennel Club gives the lifespan as over 12 years, so an older Dachshund can still have years ahead.
Why do Dachshunds end up in rescue?
Often because the owner's life changes. Dachshund Rescue UK lists divorce and bereavement among the reasons dogs come into its care, and says separation anxiety is common in the dogs it takes in. Ask the rescue what it knows about a particular dog's past.
Do Dachshunds have back problems?
They can. Dogs Trust says Dachshunds are predisposed to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), which can lead to weakness, loss of balance and even paralysis, and in the DachsLife 2015 owner survey 15.7 per cent of the dogs had a vet diagnosis of IVDD. Ask the rescue about the dog's back and see your vet promptly if you notice weakness later.
Is an older Dachshund a good choice?
Often, yes, but ask about its back. DachsLife found older dogs at higher odds of IVDD, so a vet check matters. Some charities charge less for older dogs: Blue Cross fees start from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over.
Can I adopt a Dachshund if I work full time or live in a flat?
Not from Dachshund Rescue UK if everybody at home works or studies full time, or if you have no secure garden: it asks for both. Cheshunt Animal Rescue also won't place a dog with anyone who works full time. Other rescues set their own rules, so check each one before you apply.
Keep reading
- Dachshunds for adoption in and around London
- All rescue dogs in and around London
- The best dog rescues in London, compared
- Dachshunds across the UK
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- Adopting a French Bulldog in London: rescues, costs and breathing
- Adopting a Cane Corso in London: rescues, costs and the law
- Adopting a Cockapoo or Cavapoo in London: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Cocker Spaniel in London: rescues, rules and health
- Adopting a German Shepherd in London: rescues, costs and the law
- Adopting a Golden Retriever in London: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a greyhound in London: rescues, rules and costs
- Adopting a Jack Russell in London: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Labrador in London: rescues, costs and the wait
- Adopting a Maltipoo in London: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Pomeranian in London: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Poodle in London: Toy, Miniature and Standard
- Adopting a Rottweiler in London: rescues, rules and health
- Adopting a Shih Tzu in London: rescues, costs and grooming
- Adopting a Staffy in London: rescues, costs and the law
- Adopting a Whippet in London: rescues, rules and health
- Every dog adoption guide for London
- Rescue pets in London
- Rehoming a Dachshund? Our owner guide
Dachshunds in other cities: Chelmsford, Guildford, Luton, Watford, Crawley, Maidstone, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Canterbury, Cardiff, Carlisle, Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Ipswich, Kendal, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds, Lincoln, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea, Truro, Worcester
Dachshund guides in other cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near London? Get your animals listed free.
Every animal links back to your own adoption page, and you can ask to be removed at any time.
Sources: Dachshund Rescue UK: home (charity since 2014, hundreds rehomed a year) · Dachshund Rescue UK: adoption process · Dachshund Rescue UK: criteria for adoption · Dachshund Rescue UK: adoption fees · Dachshund Rescue UK: regional rehoming contacts · Dachshund Rescue UK: FAQ · Cheshunt Animal Rescue: adoption process · Cheshunt Animal Rescue: homepage (small dogs, all animals fostered) · Pro Dogs Direct: how to apply to adopt · Stokenchurch Dog Rescue: adoption FAQs · Battersea: dog rehoming FAQs · Dogs Trust: Harefield (West London) · Blue Cross: our adoption process (fees) · Packer et al. (2016), Canine Genetics and Epidemiology: DachsLife 2015 (RVC owner survey, 2,031 Dachshunds) · Dogs Trust: Dachshund · The Royal Kennel Club: Dachshund (Smooth Haired) · The Royal Kennel Club: Dachshund (Miniature Smooth Haired) · Blue Cross: getting a puppy · PDSA: the cost of owning a dog · The Royal Kennel Club: Find a puppy · Report Fraud · gov.uk: Get your dog microchipped · gov.uk: Banned dogs · gov.uk: Lucy's Law in England · legislation.gov.uk: Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 · gov.uk: Ban on XL Bully dogs