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Image in ‘finding forever homes for cats and dogs’

Only Rescues aims to be the best pet adoption site in the UK. Our vision is for every dog and cat to have a safe, loving, forever home with sustainable, responsible adoption the preferred option for pet owners. Our mission is to provide a central platform that ethically matches adopters with rescue dogs and cats. A helping hand in starting the journey to meeting the newest member of the family.

Our founders, Tara and Igor, launched Only Rescues in 2022 when their beloved rescue dog, Max, sadly passed away very suddenly aged just 8. Max was found on the streets of Serbia at just 6 months old and handed into a kill shelter. He was rescued by a fantastic charity and became part of their family in 2017. Max is not only in the picture above, but he is also the dog that you see in our logo. The cat in our logo is Morris, he was found in a plastic bag in a Morrisons car park and rescued by his mum in 2017. Sadly, Morris passed away just 3 years later, but he knew nothing but love in that time. Max and Morris represent all the dogs and cats out there that need a second chance at love and happiness.

We know that there are 1.7 million dogs and cats waiting to be adopted each year in the UK. We believe that every one of them should have someone to care for them - a bowl of food, a warm bed, a future.

Compassionate - we always put pets first. Everything we do is driven by our love of animals.
With Integrity - we strive to be honest and transparent at all times.
Ethical - advocating responsible rehoming is our core founding commitment.
Innovative - we embrace tech and progressive thinking in order to deliver a better experience.

Our Values

About Us

Why We Love Tractive — The GPS Tracker Every Rescue Pet Needs

For many of the dogs and cats that come through Only Rescues, a quiet life in a calm home is a dream come true, but the transition can be a big one. Rescue pets, especially those who have known trauma or been in unstable environments, can be more flighty or nervous when faced with something new. That’s why having reliable tracking is so important.

Tractive GPS trackers are designed specifically for pets, both dogs and cats, giving you real-time location updates, activity monitoring, and historical movement data through an easy-to-use app. Whether your dog is still settling in or your curious cat likes to explore beyond the garden, Tractive gives you peace of mind knowing you can locate them instantly.

Unlike basic tags, Tractive combines GPS tracking and health monitoring in one place, so you can see where your pet is and how they’re doing. This is especially valuable for rescue animals who may be more prone to running off when spooked or encountering unfamiliar surroundings. 

“We use Tractive for our two rescue dogs and it’s been amazing; easy to use, total peace of mind, and a brilliant app that tracks their GPS and health all in one place.” — Tara, Founder of Only Rescues.

If you want to give your rescue pet the safety and security they deserve, link(https://tractive.com/en/pd/gps-tracker-dog?ranMID=45904&ranEAID=4618732&utm_source=rakuten&utm_term=4618732&ranSiteID=fq_TjLOs2io-ZwoqcJByOj2VPJUlrw3q0Q)[find out more here.]

https://www.therescuepetawards.com/

Why We Love Tractive — The GPS Tracker Every Rescue Pet Needs

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Partners

Do as much preparation in advance as you can. Decide where your cat is going to rest and sleep and have a cat bed ready to go. Make sure you have food and water bowls and check what your rescue cat is currently being fed. If you want to change to a different kind of food, always make any changes gradually.
Have at least one litter tray placed as far away as possible from their food and water, in a private location
Provide access to a high spot. Cat perches are great for cats that like to climb but a cardboard box on a sturdy shelf is just as good.
Get a scratching post, it’s much better than your cat scratching the sofas!
Make introductions to the rest of the family in a calm, controlled way.
When it comes to bedtime, start as you mean to go on. If you let your new cat sleep in your bedroom in the first night, do you really want them at the bottom of your bed forever? Being very clear about house rules from day one is much better for your pet’s long-term emotional stability.
Focus on the rules and routines first, and a positive relationship will naturally follow. It’s all about striking the right balance between setting boundaries and developing a bond.
Be consistent – it’s important for any cat, but especially so for a rescue cat that may have experienced lots of inconsistencies in its care.

Do as much preparation in advance as you can. Decide where your dog is going to rest and sleep and have a dog bed ready to go. Make sure you have food and water bowls and check what your rescue dog is currently being fed. If you want to change to a different kind of food, always make any changes gradually.
Make introductions to the rest of the family in a calm, controlled way – and keep your rescue dog on a lead at first, if you need to.
Introduce your new dog to any existing pets in a neutral territory – with existing dogs, you could meet in the park then bring them both home together, or take the other dog to the rescue centre to make sure both dogs get on. If that’s not possible, make the first introductions in the garden, rather than indoors.
When it comes to bedtime, start as you mean to go on. If you let your new dog sleep in your bedroom in the first night, do you really want them at the bottom of your bed forever? Being very clear about house rules from day one is much better for your pet’s long-term emotional stability.
Focus on the rules and routines first, and a positive relationship will naturally follow. It’s all about striking the right balance between setting boundaries and developing a bond.
Be consistent – it’s important for any dog, but especially so for a rescue dog that may have experienced lots of inconsistencies in its care.

Cats

Dogs

Once you’ve adopted

• Do as much preparation in advance as you can. Decide where your dog is going to rest and sleep and have a dog bed ready to go. Make sure you have food and water bowls and check what your rescue dog is currently being fed. If you want to change to a different kind of food, always make any changes gradually.

• Make introductions to the rest of the family in a calm, controlled way – and keep your rescue dog on a lead at first, if you need to.

• Introduce your new dog to any existing pets in a neutral territory – with existing dogs, you could meet in the park then bring them both home together, or take the other dog to the rescue centre to make sure both dogs get on. If that’s not possible, make the first introductions in the garden, rather than indoors.

• When it comes to bedtime, start as you mean to go on. If you let your new dog sleep in your bedroom in the first night, do you really want them at the bottom of your bed forever? Being very clear about house rules from day one is much better for your pet’s long-term emotional stability.

• Focus on the rules and routines first, and a positive relationship will naturally follow. It’s all about striking the right balance between setting boundaries and developing a bond.

• Be consistent – it’s important for any dog, but especially so for a rescue dog that may have experienced lots of inconsistencies in its care.

• Do as much preparation in advance as you can. Decide where your cat is going to rest and sleep and have a cat bed ready to go. Make sure you have food and water bowls and check what your rescue cat is currently being fed. If you want to change to a different kind of food, always make any changes gradually.

• Have at least one litter tray placed as far away as possible from their food and water, in a private location.

• Provide access to a high spot. Cat perches are great for cats that like to climb but a cardboard box on a sturdy shelf is just as good.

• Get a scratching post, it’s much better than your cat scratching the sofas!

• Make introductions to the rest of the family in a calm, controlled way.

• When it comes to bedtime, start as you mean to go on. If you let your new cat sleep in your bedroom in the first night, do you really want them at the bottom of your bed forever? Being very clear about house rules from day one is much better for your pet’s long-term emotional stability.

• Focus on the rules and routines first, and a positive relationship will naturally follow. It’s all about striking the right balance between setting boundaries and developing a bond.

• Be consistent – it’s important for any cat, but especially so for a rescue cat that may have experienced lots of inconsistencies in its care.

About Only Rescues: Rescue Dog & Cat Adoption in the UK