‘Adopt, don't shop': NI animal rescue charity hosts special rehoming event

Belfast Telegraph

27-05-2025

The rain didn't stop dog lovers from turning out for a special rehoming event hosted by animal welfare charity Almost Home.
The Moira-based organisation, which works to rehome animals across Northern Ireland, held a dedicated night to showcase some of its collies and bull breeds in need of forever homes.
Charlotte Irvine, a volunteer with the charity, said specialist breed events allow potential owners to get to know a number of dogs of their favourite breed all at once.
'We do a lot of socials and posts on social media, but there's nothing like coming and meeting a dog in person,' Charlotte said.
'It also helps [the dogs] to socialise and become more confident, because they have a range of different backgrounds. Some of them have maybe come from homes and others haven't.
'It's really good to get them out, meeting the public, and to get breed enthusiasts coming to meet them as well.'
But for bull breeds, the team hopes that similar events will help challenge common misconceptions.
Charlotte explains: 'I think a lot of what we want to do is to get members of the public out to see staffies and other [bull breeds] and see how gentle they can be when they are treated properly. So that's really important for us, because we do have a lot of bullies in the shelter.'
Among those at the event was Moira O'Sullivan, who attended with her sons, Cathal and Aaron Power.
'We had a dog who died two years ago and I wasn't really for a new dog, but I think finally we are ready,' she said.
'I can see that the boys missed having a dog around. And we live beside the Mournes, so we want a dog that can come up with us.'
The family is hoping to adopt a dog in September; Moira said the event has allowed her boys to see how much fun it would be to rehome one.
'Events like this are great because you get to see all the dogs,' she explained.
'The boys were playing in the field with Max [one of the collies available for adoption] and they realised he was a playing dog. Our old dog wasn't a playing dog, so I think it was great for them to experience it; having a dog with high energy will be great for them.'
Moira encourages anyone interested in adopting a dog to attend a rehoming event.
'It's hard whenever you go into a shelter. We went into the kennel and you could see them behind a cage. I find that quite difficult,' she said.
'I think it's difficult to know a dog when they are in the cage. Whilst here, you know they are being rehomed but they are actually out and about, so you can get to know them a bit better.'
Jayden Keenan, meanwhile, was taking care of 14-month-old Zara, one of the collies available for adoption at the event, and he was pleased to see how many eager potential new owners attended the event despite the rain.
'It's great to see. We were hoping for better weather but seeing the amount of people just shows you how much interest there is,' he said.
Karen Matthews, one of the main organisers of the event, said she hopes that the showcase has encouraged members of the public to seriously consider adopting.
'Events like this are very important for encouraging the public to adopt,' she said.
'We always say 'adopt, don't shop' if you can. And it's [also] great to get [the dogs] out so they can socialise and get to meet the public.'
Karen encourages anyone considering adopting a dog to ensure the shelter they are adopting from has taken all the appropriate precautions.
Currently there are no official regulations for animal shelters across the UK. But animal activists have called for the introduction of regulations in England and Wales.
Karen feels that any regulations should also be introduced in Northern Ireland to ensure animals are cared for properly and that potential owners are aware of a dog's health before adopting them.
'I've been in rescue for a long time and you will see rescues popping up everywhere, and some of it is concerning because there are no home checks done,' she explained.
'They aren't neutering dogs, they aren't home checking. They have dogs coming in and being sold as the same. You can't say everyone is the same but I've spoken to lots.
'There needs to be proper regulations. And anyone that is in it for the right reasons will support that, because it will benefit everyone.'