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Adopt Holly

Female · Young · 1 year

Personality:Let us introduce you to our very own super hero Holly the Heroic, named after the super brave character from Stranger Things. Holly has spent a bit of time in the Upside Down recovering from an operation, she’s had a long up hill journey to recovery but she is finally back the right side up and is very excited to find her forever home. Holly is friendly, funny and inquisitive, she does everything with enthusiasm, she has a zest for life and loves her food making her a joy to train. Holly likes other dogs and has made lots of doggie friends here at the centre, she will be excitable when greeting but can settle and walk nicely alongside them. While she has been recovering she has formed some really strong bonds to the staff and has become very loving and affectionate and will flop on your lap when she gets tired, she’s also a comedian and never fails to make us laugh. Behaviour:Holly is very keen on squirrels and other small fury things and is likely to chase them and pull on the lead so will need ongoing training to help reign in her prey drive. She is strong on lead and while she can walk nicely and engages well with her handler, there are times when she will pull and will need someone strong who can hold onto her and is committed to supporting her to walk nicely. Being a bull breed Holly can be full on at times so will need a handler who ideally has experience with this breed and is confident they can channel her energy into appropriate outlets. Holly can be wary of direct handling until she has formed a strong bond so any adopter will need to be prepared to take things at her pace but you will be rewarded with the best cuddles once she fully trusts you. Housing:Holly has had major surgery on her leg so any adopter would need to continue careful increase in exercise levels and limit the chances of injuries going forward. She will need a minimum of 6 ft fencing as she can jump high. She will get onto countertops and has food allergies so it is very important no food is left accessible to her. We are looking for a very enthusiastic home for Holly with a family that is prepared to adapt to her needs as she settles in and learns the ropes, she will need someone at home most of the time to begin with. She cannot be rehomed to the central Gosport area. Children/pets:Holly can live with adults and older secondary school age children who are used to large dogs. Due to being on a controlled exercise plan and high prey drive she should be the only animal in the home but could make doggie friends on walks. Vet history:Holly has had her left hind patella repaired – full details will be provided to any potential adopter but this essentially means you would need to be committed to ongoing plan including careful increase in exercise levels and home management as well as training exercises designed to help her get stronger. Holly has severe food allergies which result in her skin and ears becoming sore. She is currently fed a hypoallergenic diet and doing very well on this so any adopter would need to be able to continue with this and be very strict about not allowing her to have any other food. She is fully muzzle trained and can wear this on her walks to prevent her picking up things she shouldn’t have. She is fully vaccinated and up to date with flea and worming treatment. Holly really is a wonderful girl and we can’t wait for her to start her next chapter with gusto and bring more laughter, joy and friendship to her new home. Adoption fee:The adoption fee is £220. If you would like to make an additional donation over and above the adoption fee, this would be hugely appreciated. Additional information:All rented and leasehold properties will require written consent from the property owner or agent. This needs to be in place before completing an application form. If your application is successful, staff will request a copy.We reserve the right to remove a reserve at any stage of the adoption process if we believe it is in the best interest of the dog.Adopters should consider that previous medical conditions will now not be covered by insurance. Adopters are responsible for the on-going medical costs once the animal has been adopted.Due to the high number of applications we receive daily, regrettably we will only be able to contact the successful applicant.Please note you have to be 18+ to apply for an animal. All rented and leasehold properties will require written consent from the property owner or agent. This needs to be in place before completing an application form. If your application is successful, staff will request a copy. We reserve the right to remove a reserve at any stage of the adoption process if we believe it is in the best interest of the dog. Adopters should consider that previous medical conditions will now not be covered by insurance. Adopters are responsible for the on-going medical costs once the animal has been adopted. Due to the high number of applications we receive daily, regrettably we will only be able to contact the successful applicant. Please note you have to be 18+ to apply for an animal.

Size
Large
Age
Young · 1 year
Location
🇬🇧United Kingdom
Shelter
RSPCA Solent Branch CIO - The Stubbington Ark
Living with Holly
  • Vaccinated
  • Good with dogs
  • Good with cats
  • Good with kids
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Cared for by RSPCA Solent Branch CIO - The Stubbington Ark · United Kingdom

Listed 2 weeks ago

Bringing Holly home

What you'll need for Holly in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

  1. 01
    Required by most shelters

    Trixie Transport Box

    Sturdy plastic carrier — what most shelters require for pickup.

    View on Amazon
    €35–45
  2. 02
    Editor's pick

    Folding Wire Crate

    First-week safe space. Shelter dogs settle faster with a crate.

    View on Amazon
    €50–80
  3. 03
    Legal · EU

    Car Seatbelt Tether

    Legally required in most EU countries for transporting dogs.

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    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

    Dog-specific pheromone diffuser. Worth it for the trip home.

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    €18–25
  5. 05

    Orthopaedic Dog Bed

    Worth the upgrade — rescues often have joint issues from kennels.

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    €30–60
  6. 06
    Safer than a collar

    Padded Y-Front Harness

    Escape-proof for spooky rescues. Safer than a collar in week one.

    View on Amazon
    €20–35

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About Holly

What life with Holly looks like

Holly is a large young adult dog waiting at RSPCA Solent Branch CIO - The Stubbington Ark in United Kingdom.

An young adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. A larger dog like this one needs daily off-leash time when possible — a fenced yard or regular access to safe walking trails. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

🇬🇧Adopting from United Kingdom

UK shelters work under the Pet Travel Scheme (post-Brexit, the EU pet passport is not valid; a UK Animal Health Certificate is required for travel into the EU). Most UK rescues focus on domestic placements but some work with EU partners.

United Kingdom, United Kingdom browse more dogs in United Kingdom.

Frequently asked

Adopting Holly, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Holly?
Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. RSPCA Solent Branch CIO - The Stubbington Ark handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Holly on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Holly if I live in another country?
Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — RSPCA Solent Branch CIO - The Stubbington Ark will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. UK adopters: post-Brexit travel into the EU requires an Animal Health Certificate. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.
Is Holly already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?
Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Holly isn't the right fit?
Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with RSPCA Solent Branch CIO - The Stubbington Ark early rather than rehoming privately; they know Holly and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?
TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (EN). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.
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