Rehoming guide
How to rehome your Staffy
Checked 6 October 2026
The short answer
Needing to rehome your Staffy is nothing to be ashamed of, and Staffy rescues say so themselves: Senior Staffy Club tells owners "we will not judge you for needing to find your dog a new home". Staffies are a common sight in UK rescue, so breed rescues are busy and often run waiting lists. An honest listing about how your dog copes alone, with children and with other animals gives the right adopter the best chance of finding you.
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Why Staffies end up needing a new home
Staffies come into rescue in large numbers. PDSA says "many rehoming centres sadly report that they see more Staffies than any other breed", and the RSPCA says the breed has "suffered a great deal from overbreeding and bad press", with many ending up in its care through irresponsible ownership. It also says many of the Staffies in its care are well behaved, affectionate and playful.
The breed's needs can be harder to meet than people expect. PDSA describes Staffies as very people-orientated, says they are known to suffer with separation anxiety and are known chewers, and says they do best where someone is around most of the day. Dogs Trust calls them "typically high-energy dogs who need lots of exercise". In a home where nobody is around for much of the day, those needs are hard to meet.
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 Staffy
Being left alone. PDSA says Staffies should never be left alone for more than four hours, and that some struggle with shorter periods. Say honestly how long your dog copes on its own and what happens when it can't (chewing, barking, trying to get out), so an adopter can plan around it.
Children and strength. PDSA says Staffies tend to be tolerant and sweet-natured with children, but are very high energy and often don't realise their own strength, so they might not suit families with younger children. Tell adopters which ages of children your dog has lived with or met, and how it behaves when excited.
Cats, small pets and other dogs. PDSA says Staffies have a very strong prey drive, so smaller pets are not a good idea, though one that has grown up with another pet may get used to it. Say what your dog has actually lived with, and how it is with other dogs on walks.
Skin, health and the garden. PDSA lists skin allergies, a skin condition caused by demodex mites and hip dysplasia among the conditions Staffies may develop, so share your vet records and any special diet or treatment. It also says Staffies can be escape artists, digging and jumping, so mention it if your dog has ever got out.
Staffy rescues that take owners’ dogs
Staffy rescues often have waiting lists. Happy Staffie Rescue recommends "registering your dog(s) with as many rescues as possible", so contact more than one and list your dog with us at the same time.
Happy Staffie Rescuedogs · Kidderminster, Worcestershire; takes Staffies from across the UK
Fill in its online surrender application (it asks for at least two photos and the microchip number). Successful applications may join a waiting list, then you bring your dog to the Kidderminster centre for an assessment; it says it is "unable to offer a collection service" and prioritises Staffordshire Bull Terriers and related crossbreeds.
Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue (SSBTR)dogs · Scotland only
Complete its surrender form with photos; a volunteer visits you and your dog, then its committee decides. It usually asks you to keep your dog until a suitable home arises, "as Staffies generally do not cope in kennels". It mainly takes pure Staffies, and its FAQs say it cannot help owners outside Scotland.
Senior Staffy Clubdogs · Midlands-based, rehomes throughout the UK; Staffies aged 7 and over
For Staffies and Staffy crosses aged seven and older. Complete its Re-home Intake Form to join the waiting list; an assessor visits you and your dog, and your dog stays with you until a kennel space comes up. It says "in some circumstances we may not be able to take on a dog."
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 Staffy 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 Staffy appears next to rescue dogs on the Staffies 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 Staffy 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 Staffy: your questions
Tap a question to expand
Is a Staffy a banned breed? Can I legally rehome mine?
Yes, you can rehome a Staffy. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not one of the UK's banned dog types: gov.uk lists those as the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully. It also says whether a dog is banned "depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name".
Will a Staffy rescue take my dog straight away?
Usually not straight away. Happy Staffie Rescue says successful applications may need to join a waiting list, with priority given to pound dogs, and Senior Staffy Club uses a waiting list for when a kennel space comes up. Keep your dog at home, apply to more than one rescue and list your dog yourself in the meantime.
Should my Staffy stay with me while a new home is found?
If you can manage it, it often helps. Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue usually asks owners to keep their dog until a home is found, saying "Staffies generally do not cope in kennels", and its FAQs add that "Staffies struggle with change". A move straight from your home to the new one avoids a stay in kennels.
Related guides
Rehoming where you live
Rehoming guides for other dog breeds
Sources: PDSA: Staffordshire Bull Terrier · RSPCA: Staffordshire bull terrier · Dogs Trust: Staffordshire Bull Terrier · gov.uk: Banned dogs · Happy Staffie Rescue: Help · Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue: Surrendering a dog · Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue: FAQs · Senior Staffy Club: Rehoming your dog