Thanks for considering a rescue cavalier!
We maintain a list of people desiring a rescue dog, that we can inform when a cavalier that might match their interests comes in for rehoming (please read the ‘about cavaliers’ section of this website to be sure a cavalier is the right breed for you). There's almost always a wait for this popular breed, but the waiting list can move swiftly so please get an application in to us if you are interested in a cavalier.
As with rescue dogs generally, sometimes our cavaliers are special needs dogs with a medical issue or else, may not have been kept in the best of circumstances and are looking for a second chance for a happy life. At other times the dog may have come from a normal, happy family situation but due to changing circumstances, needs to be rehomed. Though we try to make the best match possible, it is impossible to guarantee a dog that is housetrained, cat-trained, or accustomed to children; young dogs (under three) are rare and we never have puppies.
You can download a rehoming form and contract here, then email it here. If a dog that fits your interests and home environment comes into rescue, a routine homecheck is done to make sure all parties will be happy. There is a rehoming fee of approximately €100 dependent on the costs associated with a particular dog -- usually this includes a vaccination and preliminary vet check and all dogs are neutered if needed before placement. We offer backup support, trainer recommendations and will always take back a dog if things don’t work out.
Please note that if you rent your accommodation, we need to speak directly to your landlord to verify that you are able to take a cavalier. Cavaliers sometimes come into rescue because people have their dog in rented accommodation and find their landlord will not allow this. It is traumatic for a dog to be homed and then returned to rescue for such a reason so we will only home to people who are tenants when a landlord has given express permission.
We invite you to also visit www.cavaliertalk.com, a discussion board that we run that has much information about all aspects of owning this breed and general chat about cavaliers.
Health issues to know about
There are two serious health issues within the breed to be aware of when considering a cavalier: mitral valve disease (MVD) and syringomyelia (SM). MVD is a very common degenerative heart problem that will affect 50% of all cavaliers by age 5 and almost 100% by age 10. This begins with a heart murmur and sadly often ends in congestive heart failure. It is however usually treatable and is a condition many dogs live many years with, with little affect on their ordinary lives -- but some cases can be serious and shorten the dog’s life significantly. It is impossible to predict whether a murmur will worsen or remain stable over any given dog’s life, but keeping a dog lean and fit goes a long way toward prolonging life and pushing onset of MVD to late in a cavalier’s life. You can read more here:
Syringomyelia is an increasingly-seen neurological condition caused by a skull malformation that can be very serious. You can read more here:
and here:
Puppies
Please do not consider ANY puppies sold through newspaper ads or the Buy & Sell; most of these dogs are bred indiscriminately with no regard for healthy lines, and many are offered by brokers for "puppy farms", where breeding dogs are kept in horrendous conditions. Such puppies suffer from a very high incidence of early onset MVD (heart murmurs and heart failure) and other costly maladies. Ethical breeders do not offer puppies through small ads. Contact the breed club (www.ikc.ie, in the Buying a Dog section) to find out which registered cavalier breeders have or are expecting litters. Note that IKC registration alone is no guarantee of the quality of a puppy, so you will need to do some research and INSIST that the breeder cardiac tests and follows the heart protocols for breeding (a vet heart check IS NOT ENOUGH). Buyers should only consider breed club recommended breeders for a shortlist, and expect to pay at least €450 in Ireland for a puppy.
Good breeders will invite you to their home to talk to you, let you meet the puppies, are proud that their dogs are raised in a home environment and will show you the puppies with their mother.
