Available

Matilda

Mixed Breed · Female · Adult · 7 years

‘OLD DOG OF THE WEEK’ FEATURES NEW PHOTOS AND A FRESH WRITE-UP FOR AN OVERLOOKED OLDIE THAT HAS BEEN ON OUR WEBSITE FOR A WHILE BUT IS STILL WAITING FOR A NEW HOME. Please help Matilda by sharing this page (but if it's on Facebook, please check our page to make it's OK now)! Beautiful Romanian Shepherd lady Matilda is believed to be about 7 years old and is in a foster home in Norwich, Norfolk through Safe Rescue . Matilda can live with practically any other animal: dogs, cats, goats and horses are all part of the family in her eyes. She could also be the only pet at home. She needs an adult-only home, simply because she's enormous! She is the most placid, biddable and calm of dogs, who requires only gentle exercise and a garden to potter in. She is very comfortable relaxing outdoors. Matilda's adopters will need to have experience of shepherd-type breeds. Her genetic programming to “protect her flock” is still there and she will bark protectively when strangers approach her family. She needs a home where unknown visitors don't call very often and she needs to be put in her own safe space when any do come, to prevent any situations where people feel threatened by her powerful voice and sheer size. Matilda is the most loving and sweet girl with her family. Her foster carer said, "Despite her size her movement is slow and seldom so it’s kind of like having a large rug that gets up and moves itself to another room sometimes. She is fine with cats and dogs and is very steady around goats and horses….. again her descendency from protecting sheep in the mountains serves her well. She's just an all round great dog who takes her family duties quite seriously." Please note – Safe Rescue have a policy that all dogs adopted from them must wear a slip lead on walks. Please only enquire about Safe Rescue dogs if you are happy to always use a slip lead – extendable leads are not acceptable to Safe Rescue. All dogs have to be collected and a crate must be used. Full details of their rehoming policy are on Matilda”s home page here.. If you want this reassuringly big and beautiful lady in your home, please contact Safe Rescue below: Tel/Message: or between 9am-5pm Mon-Fri and 9am-4pm Sat Email: Please say you saw Matilda featured as Old Dog of the Week on the Oldies Club website. This replaces Matilda's original page dated 13 July 2026.

Size

Large

Age

Adult · 7 years

Location

🇬🇧United Kingdom

Shelter

The Oldies Club

Living with Matilda

✓Good with cats
✕Good with kids

Cared for by The Oldies Club · United Kingdom Learn about Mixed Breed →

More dogs in United Kingdom →

Listed 1 week ago

Bringing Matilda home

What you'll need for Matilda in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

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About Matilda

What life with Matilda looks like

Matilda is a large adult mixed breed dog waiting at The Oldies Club in United Kingdom.

An 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 Matilda, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Matilda?: Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. The Oldies Club handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Matilda on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Matilda if I live in another country?: Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — The Oldies Club 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. Transport is usually a separate cost, so ask for the exact figure before you commit.
Is Matilda 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 Matilda 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 The Oldies Club early rather than rehoming privately; they know Matilda 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.