Rehoming guide
How to rehome your British Bulldog
Checked 6 October 2026
The short answer
If life has changed and your British Bulldog needs a new home, this breed has a UK-wide rescue that works differently from most. Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming usually leaves your dog at home with you until approved adopters come to meet them and take them home. Whoever you go through, be open about your Bulldog's breathing and eyes, which The Royal Kennel Club asks breeders to have checked, and about any skin problems.
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Every listing checked by a person. Adopters message you through the site; your details stay private.
Why British Bulldogs end up needing a new home
Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming says the majority of Bulldogs looking for a second chance are "simply victims of circumstance", such as a divorce, a new baby or another change in the family. That is one charity's experience rather than a national figure, but the point stands: often the dog hasn't changed, life has.
The breed's needs can add to the strain. Dogs Trust says Bulldogs are at higher risk of heat stroke and that their skin folds need regular cleaning, and The Royal Kennel Club says the breed suits smaller homes provided the dog is not left alone for long periods. The Bulldog is also in Category 3 of The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch list of health and welfare concerns for show judges.
None of this makes your dog a problem, or you a bad owner. It usually means the match didn’t fit, and a careful rehoming fixes exactly that.
What to tell adopters about your British Bulldog
Breathing and heat. The Royal Kennel Club says Bulldogs "are prone to overheating" and asks breeders to have breathing graded for BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome). Say how your dog breathes at rest and on walks, how they cope in warm weather, and what your vet has said.
Skin, eyes and vet records. Dogs Trust says Bulldogs often have skin folds that need regular cleaning, and the Breed Watch points of concern include irritated skin folds and eyelids turned in or out. Pass on your vet records and explain any routine, cream or check-up that keeps your dog comfortable.
Exercise and time alone. The Royal Kennel Club says "a couple of short, gentle walks a day" is generally enough, and that Bulldogs should not be left alone for long periods. Tell adopters what your dog's day looks like now and how long they are happy on their own.
Children and other pets. The Royal Kennel Club says Bulldogs form close bonds with their families, "including children, when introductions and interactions are properly supervised". Describe how your own Bulldog is with children, visitors, other dogs and cats.
British Bulldog rescues that take owners’ dogs
Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming says most rescues "are not able to act quickly due to a backlog", and advises owners to check that any rescue taking their dog is a registered charity, not a CIC (community interest company).
Bulldog Rescue & Rehomingdogs · UK-wide
Rehomes pure-bred British Bulldogs across the UK. You send its online form and a photo; if it can help, a local volunteer visits you and your dog at home, and approved adopters later visit and can take your dog home from there, so your dog usually stays with you rather than going into kennels. It says that once your dog is listed with it you can't rehome privately, and there may be a charge if the dog is no longer available. Registered charity 1115009.
National charities that take any breed
Dogs Trustdogs
Two routes: Homestay, where your dog stays with you while Dogs Trust finds a new home (it says Homestay dogs "generally find a new home within two weeks"), or a kennel or foster place, which "could take a few weeks". Giving up a dog to Dogs Trust is free, and it aims to reply within 72 hours. Start with a call on 0300 303 2188 or its online form.
Blue Crossdogs, cats, rabbits
Home Direct keeps your pet with you while Blue Cross finds a new owner. That is "the quickest way", it says, because space in its own kennels, cattery and small pet units "is very limited". It takes dogs, cats, rabbits and small pets. Call pet admissions on 0300 777 1960 or use its online form.
Should you charge a rehoming fee?
You can ask for a rehoming fee, paid at the handover after the adopter has met your pet, and never as a deposit beforehand. PAAG's worry with "free to good home" adverts is that people may take an animal on impulse and that a free advert "may devalue an animal" (PAAG). A fee does make the handover a sale, though, so animals can't go to anyone under 16 and you should be honest about your pet's health.
How listing your British Bulldog on LocalPetFinder works
- Fill in the free listing form. Photos, age, health, how your dog is with children and other animals, and an honest description. It takes about ten minutes, and your dog stays at home with you.
- A person checks it, usually within a day, before it goes live.
- Your British Bulldog appears next to rescue dogs on the British Bulldogs pages for your city (Ashford, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Bath and North East Somerset, Belfast, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bolton, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Canterbury, Cardiff, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chester, Chesterfield, Chippenham, Colchester, Coventry, Crawley, Darlington, Derby, Doncaster, Dover, Dumfries and Galloway, Durham, Eastbourne, Edinburgh, Exeter, Falmouth, Folkestone, Glasgow, Gloucester, Grantham, Great Yarmouth, Guildford, Hartlepool, Hayle, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Kendal, Kidderminster, Kingston upon Hull, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Llanelli, London, Lowestoft, Luton, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Margate, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newport, Newquay, North East Lincolnshire, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Penrith, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Sleaford, Solihull, Southampton, Southport, Spalding, St. Helens, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Swansea, Torbay, Truro, Wakefield, Walsall, Warrington, Watford, Wellingborough, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton, Worcester, Worthing, Wrexham, York), marked as listed by the owner.
- You choose. Adopters message you through LocalPetFinder, so your email and phone number stay private. You decide who to meet and who takes your dog, and you hand over in person.
We take listings from owners anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland the new owner needs a dog licence before they take a dog, so ask to see it before the handover.
Ready to find your British Bulldog a good home?
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Start your free listing →Before the handover: the must-dos
The microchip has to be transferred
In England, Scotland and Wales a dog can't be passed to a new keeper until it's microchipped, and the new keeper must update the database (England, Scotland, Wales); in Scotland the keeper's own details must also be correct before the handover. In England the same applies to cats, while in Scotland and Wales chipping a cat is optional. Check the chip is on a government-approved database and do the transfer at the handover.
No deposits, no couriers
Never ask for, or accept, money before an adopter has met your pet in person, and hand over face to face. A request for a deposit is the classic sign of a pet scam, and on LocalPetFinder it gets a listing taken down.
Banned dog types can’t be rehomed at all
It's against the law in England, Scotland and Wales to give away a banned dog. In England and Wales it's illegal to "rehome, sell, buy, or transfer ownership of an XL Bully" (gov.uk: England and Wales). In Scotland, since 23 February 2024 it has been illegal to sell, advertise, gift or exchange an XL Bully, Scottish guidance says it is unlawful to "sell, give away or rehome an XL Bully" (gov.scot), and since 1 August 2024 it has been an offence to own one without an exemption certificate. If you think your dog could be an XL Bully, don't list it.
Adopters must be adults, and you must be honest
Adopters must be 18 or over, and the listing must be accurate about health, behaviour, and whether your pet is good with children, dogs and cats. A good match is the one that lasts.
Rehoming your British Bulldog: your questions
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Can my Bulldog stay at home while a rescue finds a new home?
Yes, with Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming. After a volunteer visit, your dog is listed and matched with families on its waiting list, and the adopters visit your home and can take the dog home on that visit. The charity says "Bulldog Rescue own the dog during this interim period", so read its terms before you sign.
My Bulldog is a cross, or a French Bulldog. Will Bulldog Rescue take them?
No. Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming takes pure-bred British Bulldogs only, and says plainly that it can't help if your dog is not a British Bulldog. The national charities on this page take every breed and cross, and French Bulldogs have their own rescues on our French Bulldog rehoming guide.
Can I list my Bulldog with you and with Bulldog Rescue at the same time?
Not once Bulldog Rescue has listed your dog. Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming says that once your dog is listed with it, you will be unable to rehome privately, and there may be a charge if the dog is not available at the point of rehoming. Decide which route you want before you sign up, and take down any other listing if you go with the charity.
Related guides
Rehoming where you live
Rehoming guides for other dog breeds
Sources: The Royal Kennel Club: Bulldog · The Royal Kennel Club: Breed Watch, Bulldog (Category 3) · Dogs Trust: English Bulldog · Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming: About us · Bulldog Rescue & Rehoming: Rehome your bulldog