Meet-Ups For Rescue Dogs Help Pets & Their Parents Find Community

We pulled into the car park of Battersea Park in London, my husband and I up front, our dog Lucy in the back. Back home, she’d happily hopped into the car as she knows that means we’re heading on an adventure. She loves the car now. It’s a world away from what she used to be like. We’d struggled to get her in the car when we first adopted her four years ago. She didn’t trust us. She didn’t trust anyone.

I didn’t know if Lucy would ever be a social dog. For the first few months, taking Lucy out for a walk was filled with stress. Danger could lurk at every turn. She’d bark at everything – bikes, joggers and especially trucks. I’d dread off-leash dogs running up to her, she’d growl and try to get away. I’d shout for the dog’s owner to call their dog back, most likely they’d retort “oh he’s just being friendly”. 

But inside, buried deep behind the fear, was a dog with so much love to give. Gradually, as her confidence grew, and she learned that she wasn’t going to get hurt again, she became more affectionate. Snuggling into me and giving me licks. On walks, she gained a spring in her step. Her mouth wide and loose like she was smiling. “Your dog’s so happy,” people will now say to me as we walk together in the morning. Lucy says hello to dogs and their people. She plays and runs and loves life. 

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So this Sunday afternoon, parked up in Battersea Park, we were all ready for a rescue dog meet-up so Lucy can hang out with some kindred spirits. For years, breed meet-ups have been a thing – perhaps you’ve noticed them for Cockapoos and Daschunds and Golden Retrievers in your local area. But as more and more people are rescuing dogs that don’t fit into a type – mixes from abroad (Lucy was a stray in Greece, for example, so we don’t really have any idea what she is) and dogs that might be two or three unknown breeds together – events for mutts and rescues have started popping up across the UK and US. 

That’s what inspired dog bloggers Teresa Keohane (@thedogvine) and May Ping Wong (@missdarcysadventures) to set up Rescue Dogs of London and Friends – they are the organisers behind the event Lucy, my husband and I attended one sunny Sunday in London’s Battersea. 

“May and I have both got rescue dogs so we wanted to do something for the rescue dog community,” says Teresa, when we chat. “There’s loads of dog events in London but a lot of them are breed specific – so my dog wouldn’t be able to go. We wanted to set something up that rescue dogs could go to.” But Teresa and May also wanted to raise awareness and debunk some of the myths and stereotypes around what it’s really like to adopt a rescue dog. “A lot of people have a perception that all rescue dogs have problems, are aggressive, nervous, all of those things, those stigmas that surround them – which sometimes are true but not always,” she continues. Also, as Lucy proves, those things can change!

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One of May’s dogs, Darcy, is actually a Cockapoo. “Wherever I go, we see other Cockapoos,” she says. “And we say hi to each other, and there's a community. So we want to do the same thing for rescue dog owners, so they know each other, go out together and through these meet-ups form a community.” 

But they’ve also added ‘friends’ – Rescue Dogs of London and Friends – into their name to encourage people who haven’t yet adopted but are interested to come and meet the dogs and chat to their pet parents about the journey they’ve been on.

“I've met people who say, oh, no, I can't have a rescue because I've got children. But they think it’s okay if they buy a puppy,” says May (spoiler: there’s no guarantee any dog will be magically child-friendly – that part comes from training). “Part of the idea is bringing rescue dogs together not just to build a community but to demystify the whole rescue thing for anyone who is on the verge of rescuing, we want them to come and meet us. Expose themselves to the worlds that these various dogs came from, the different shelters, the different countries.”

 “We have dogs from about 15 different countries here,” says Teresa. As the pet parent of a rescue dog from abroad I know too well that there can be a stigma – ‘why didn’t you adopt a dog from this country?’ is just one of those annoying questions. “I've experienced it myself,” says Teresa. “But I found it difficult to rescue from the UK. One rescue centre asked me whether I had grass in my garden, which I thought was a little ridiculous. Another must have googled where I lived and told me I could only rescue a small dog.”

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At so many points in those first hours, weeks, months, I screamed, internally: what have we done? 

Teresa tells me that although there aren’t any rules for the meet-up, she says that they will always be somewhere with plenty of space and everyone must be respectful as some dogs might be nervous and not like strangers touching them. “It’s up to the owners to look out for their dogs,” she says, “some dogs are so confident you’d never know they were rescues. But don’t bring a dog who wouldn’t cope with this kind of environment. Bring them if and when they are ready.”

So here we are. Lucy is surrounded by other dogs just like her. Dogs who’ve been rescued from the UK and overseas – Greece, Romania, Spain and many other countries. And it was a gorgeous gang. We chatted about where we’ve been – we all had ‘ what have we done?’ moments in those early days and months – and what’s happening now and what’s to come. We covered recall and training tips and shared every thought that’s crossed our mind over our rescue journeys. It was beautiful. And, each dog also got a goodie bag of treats. They even had a behaviourist on hand for professional tips too. Plus, I got to give belly rubs and treats to the other dogs, which is always time well spent. 

I marvelled at my smiley off-lead (something I’d never dreamt was possible) Lucy as she got into playing pounce with some of the dogs she took a shine to. Watching her bond with other pups while I chatted to their parents, I felt so satisfied, so seen and so proud of how far we’d come over the last four years.

Although perhaps Lucy is less like me than I thought – about an hour and a half in, she trotted off to some bushes, then made a beeline for our car. Turns out she’s just like my husband; whilst she enjoys gatherings, her social battery has a limit and when she’s done, she’s done. Introverts unite!

Follow @rescuedogsoflondon on Instagram, where they will release details about their next meet-up

Meet-ups for rescue dogs

Rescue events are a new thing and often run by small organisations, individuals and local rescue centres. Look out for updates in your area’s Facebook pages, local notice boards and on Instagram… But here’s a few that caught our eye, in the UK and USA… 

Saving Saints monthly walks for big and reactive dogs, Lancashire 

Psychological Trauma Therapist and volunteer for Saving Saints Rescue, Rachel Wesley started organising monthly walks in Lancashire to help people with reactive dogs. Rachel has four rescue St Bernards. One has one eye and he’s highly reactive so she empathises with reactive dog owners. “The only rules are that you need to keep your dog under close control,” she says. “If anyone wants to chat about any difficulties with their dog I’ll walk alongside that owner and we can chat through issues – nutrition, behaviour – and I can recommend qualified behaviourists.” The event is also for those who struggle with their mental health and those who don’t own a dog of their own. 

Saving Saints, Lancashire, UK

The Dog Society’s Mutt Meet-ups, San Diego 

The Dog Society is a space for dogs and their pet parents to gather together. The humans can drink beer from the bar, the dogs can enjoy the ‘dog-focused paradise’. Although they offer breed-specific meet-ups, the Dog Society also regularly hold ‘mutt meet-ups’ for “embracing puppy diversity and celebrating every wagging tail.” Check their website for a calendar of events.

The Dog Society, San Diego, USA

Dog and puppy meet and greet, New York

One for those who are yet to adopt. Each Saturday, most of the dogs from NY Pet Rescue are brought down to 7 Harrison Ave, Harrison NY from 11.30 until 1.30pm to meet potential new parents. So drop by and say hello if you’re NYC-based. 

New York Pet Rescue, NYC, USA

Give a Dog a Home annual reunion dog walk, Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex

We adopted Lucy through Give A Dog A Home, she was a stray in Greece but was brought over to the UK by the charity. Each year, they host a reunion walk to meet other dogs and pet parents. The next is on Saturday 12 October. “It’s mainly for our adopters and foster dogs,” says founder and director Lynne Spencer, “but it’s a fundraiser and all dogs are welcome as long as they are friendly and on leads at all times.” 

Give a Dog a Home, Sussex, UK

Sighthound Sundays, locations across the UK

A group walk for longdog (greyhounds, whippets, lurchers etc) pet parents all over the UK. “Meet-ups often consist largely of greyhounds rescued from the world of racing and there’s a sense of understanding between everyone that you don’t find elsewhere,” says volunteer Lola Blackheart. “It’s brilliant for nervous and reactive sighthounds as dogs are on-lead at all times, and the groups are respectful and accepting.” You can see photos from past walks on Instagram and sign up for walks via MeetUp.

Sighthound Sundays, across the UK