American Bulldog Rehoming and Rescue

The Endangered Dogs Defence and Rescue provides support for down-on-their-luck bullbreeds  and other dogs. They first came to my attention in 2003 when they got in touch with me because they had just got their first American Bulldog in for rehoming. He was a bully-type American Bulldog called "Duke" and he had been very poorly treated: infact he had been beaten so badly that a number of his teeth had been knocked out or broken. After posting details of Duke's plight on a few bullbreed message boards and I am happy to say that he found a new home with a family in the North of England. A couple of months later a man approached me at a dog show and said "Are you Rowland?" It was Duke and his new owner, Dave. It was really nice to meet them face to face for the first time and Duke looked in good shape.

Sadly, many more American Bulldogs have passed through the hands of the EDDR since then and I personally continue to be contacted by people seeking to rehome a bulldog for one reason or another. Regrettably, I do not have the spare space to take in any dogs myself at this time, so I always refer all enquiries to the EDDR. Please visit their website.

The continuing bulldog rehoming problem is probably partly a measure of the breed's growing general popularity. Part of the problem also lies with the ever-increasing popularity of the breed with unsuitable inner-city owners who see these dogs as macho fashion accessories (these are also the sort of people who bring trouble to bullbreeds due to poor control and inappropriate behaviour). Additionally, many breeders are more interested in money than in the welfare of their dogs and they will readily sell pups to inappropriate homes. Of course the circumstances of the very best dog-owners can and do change sometimes. Whatever the reasons behind a rehoming case, the EDDR and try their best to give a dog a fresh start in a caring home.

With any powerful breed such as the American Bulldog, it is essential that all dogs for potential rehoming are carefully assessed and vetted along with any potential new owners. To a great extent rescue organisations have to rely on the accuracy of information given to them by a dog's former owner. If you are considering rehoming your dog or passing him to a rescue centre, please be 100% honest about your dog and your reasons for wanting to rehome him. This is in the best interests of the dog, his new owners and the breed as a whole. If a dog needs rehoming due to temperament problems, you will not be doing him or anyone else any favours by being dishonest about it. The consequences of a bulldog being placed in a home that is unsuited to his needs/temperament could potentially be severe.

If you are considering taking on a rescued adult American Bulldog, I would urge you to think very carefully about it. If you are not an experienced dog owner, it may be too much of a challenge for you and it would be a shame for a rescued dog to have to be returned to the shelter. On the other hand, it could be an extremely rewarding experience for you and for the dog who gets a second chance at life.