A new rehoming scheme is helping dogs find fresh starts without ever having to leave the comfort of home.
Dogs Trust Evesham is promoting its Homestay service, designed for owners who need to rehome their pets but can continue caring for them until a new family is found.
One recent success story is Nala, a Bernese Mountain Dog-Collie cross who was reserved within just three days through the scheme.
Nala was struggling with separation anxiety and was assessed as likely to find kennels stressful.
Homestay allowed her to stay at home until her new family was found.
Three months later, Nala has settled well and recently celebrated her second birthday with a party and dog-friendly cake.
Her new family say her confidence continues to grow and that they feel "incredibly lucky" to have her.
Jake Flatman, head of rehoming at Dogs Trust Evesham, said: "We know that giving up a dog is an incredibly difficult decision, but we want people to call us the minute they need help, rather than when they reach the point of crisis.
"The earlier people get in touch, the more we can do to understand their situation and help find the most suitable support.
"If behaviour challenges are contributing to the decision, our behaviour services – like our Behaviour Support Line – may be able to help dogs and their owners stay together.
"But if giving up a dog is the right choice, we’ll support them every step of the way and find them the best option to rehome their dog."
Homestay was created to ease pressure on Dogs Trust’s kennels and foster homes, which are consistently full.
The scheme allows dogs to remain with their owners until a new adopter is found, avoiding the stress of kennels and supporting better welfare outcomes.
Because the dog stays in a familiar environment, Dogs Trust can gather detailed information about its behaviour, preferences, and needs—helping to match it more quickly with the right new home.
Trial periods have shown that dogs in the Homestay scheme are rehomed in an average of 14 days.
This is compared with the typical 58.5 days spent in Dogs Trust rehoming centres.
So far this year, more than 700 dogs across the country have been supported via Homestay.
The charity is urging owners to contact them as soon as they think they may need to give up their dog.
A spokesperson for Dogs Trust said: "The earlier people get in touch, the more they can do to understand each individual situation and recommend the most suitable support.
"If behaviour challenges are contributing to the decision, the charity has a range of behaviour services to help dogs and their owners stay together."
If owners can continue caring for their dog until a new home is found, Homestay may be recommended following a pre-intake assessment.
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