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Matilda

Female · Adult · 8 years

Matilda is a huge Romanian Shepherd aged around seven years old. Passed cat – goat – horse testing. Can live with or without other dogs. Adult home needed. We met Matilda on our trip to the Botosani public shelter in Romania back in March. Generally we don’t willingly take Rommie shepherds as they are a specialist breed that require experienced adopters. Because she was a middle aged dog we just couldn’t leave her there to live out her retirement years. Matilda is now in the UK and looking for that experienced adopter. She is the most beautiful, calm, quiet of dogs who requires only gentle exercise and a garden to potter in. However her genetic program to “protect her flock” is still lingering and she will bark protectively when strangers approach her family. Of course barking is not going to physically hurt anyone, but she is a big dog with a big booming bark and that can of course be intimidating. She needs a home where visitors are not a common occurrence and she needs to be put in her own safe space when they do come to prevent any situations where people feel threatened. Matilda is the most loving and sweet girl with her family. 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. Shes just an all round great dog who takes her family duties quite seriously. She will need an adult home environment. Matilda fostered Norwich Norfolk If you are interested please message or call between 9am to 5pm Mon – Fri or 9am to 4pm Sat. . Adoption Donation Fees are Puppies already neutered and all adult dogs: £430. Un-neutered puppies on spay/neuter contracts: £530 (You will receive a £100 rebate once you send us proof of neutering). Senior dogs (10+ years): £150–£250 (depending on age and individual needs). Adoption Terms & Conditions When you adopt a Safe Rescue dog, you MUST use a slip lead. This will keep your dog safe: your new dog will be nervous and will not trust you, and you will not know which situations might upset your dog. If your dog panics, then a slip lead is the only way to prevent your dog from escaping (many dogs can escape from a collar and/or harness). It will take AT LEAST 3-6 months for your dog to settle-in and for you to know your dog fully (longer for nervous dogs). The slip lead must ALWAYS be used during this settling-in period. Even after your dog is settled, it is safest to use the slip lead in situations where your dog may become scared (e.g. visiting new places, around unfamiliar people, at the vet), and it situations where unexpected triggers might happen (e.g. around bonfire night). Nervous dogs may always need to wear a slip-lead as a back-up safety measure. The slip lead is a safety device and must NEVER be used as a training tool. Using the lead to apply pressure to the dog’s neck is damaging. If your dog pulls on the lead, then we can advise you on training methods that avoid harm. Once your dog is settled, you may want to consider using a harness (together with the slip lead) if your dog is comfortable with being handled when it is fitted. Most harnesses are not escape-proof, but harnesses with a strap behind the ribcage (e.g. Ruffwear Webmaster or Perfect Fit Harnesses) are safer. Retractable / extendable leads must never be used on our dogs. Adopted dogs must be collected from the rescue and transported straight home in a secure metal crate. Fences and gates must be 5foot minimum in height and secure. Matilda is a huge Romanian Shepherd aged around seven years old. Passed cat – goat – horse testing. Can live with or without other dogs. Adult home needed. We met Matilda on our trip to the Botosani public shelter in Romania back in March. Generally we don’t willingly take Rommie shepherds as they are a specialist breed that require experienced adopters. Because she was a middle aged dog we just couldn’t leave her there to live out her retirement years. Matilda is now in the UK and looking for that experienced adopter. She is the most beautiful, calm, quiet of dogs who requires only gentle exercise and a garden to potter in. However her genetic program to “protect her flock” is still lingering and she will bark protectively when strangers approach her family. Of course barking is not going to physically hurt anyone, but she is a big dog with a big booming bark and that can of course be intimidating. She needs a home where visitors are not a common occurrence and she needs to be put in her own safe space when they do come to prevent any situations where people feel threatened. Matilda is the most loving and sweet girl with her family. 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. Shes just an all round great dog who takes her family duties quite seriously. She will need an adult home environment. Matilda fostered Norwich Norfolk If you are interested please message or call between 9am to 5pm Mon – Fri or 9am to 4pm Sat. . Adoption Donation Fees are Puppies already neutered and all adult dogs: £430. Un-neutered puppies on spay/neuter contracts: £530 (You will receive a £100 rebate once you send us proof of neutering). Senior dogs (10+ years): £150–£250 (depending on age and individual needs). When you adopt a Safe Rescue dog, you MUST use a slip lead. This will keep your dog safe: your new dog will be nervous and will not trust you, and you will not know which situations might upset your dog. If your dog panics, then a slip lead is the only way to prevent your dog from escaping (many dogs can escape from a collar and/or harness). It will take AT LEAST 3-6 months for your dog to settle-in and for you to know your dog fully (longer for nervous dogs). The slip lead must ALWAYS be used during this settling-in period. Even after your dog is settled, it is safest to use the slip lead in situations where your dog may become scared (e.g. visiting new places, around unfamiliar people, at the vet), and it situations where unexpected triggers might happen (e.g. around bonfire night). Nervous dogs may always need to wear a slip-lead as a back-up safety measure. The slip lead is a safety device and must NEVER be used as a training tool. Using the lead to apply pressure to the dog’s neck is damaging. If your dog pulls on the lead, then we can advise you on training methods that avoid harm. Once your dog is settled, you may want to consider using a harness (together with the slip lead) if your dog is comfortable with being handled when it is fitted. Most harnesses are not escape-proof, but harnesses with a strap behind the ribcage (e.g. Ruffwear Webmaster or Perfect Fit Harnesses) are safer. Retractable / extendable leads must never be used on our dogs. Adopted dogs must be collected from the rescue and transported straight home in a secure metal crate. Fences and gates must be 5foot minimum in height and secure.

Size
Extra large
Age
Adult · 8 years
Location
🇬🇧United Kingdom
Shelter
Safe Rescue for Dogs
Living with Matilda
  • ✕Spayed
  • ✓Good with dogs
  • ✕Good with cats
  • ✕Good with kids
Cared for by Safe Rescue for Dogs · United Kingdom

Listed 2 months ago

Bringing Matilda home

What you'll need for Matilda 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.

    View on Amazon→
    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

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

    View on Amazon→
    €18–25
  5. 05

    Orthopaedic Dog Bed

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

    View on Amazon→
    €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 Matilda

What life with Matilda looks like

Matilda is a extra-large adult dog waiting at Safe Rescue for Dogs 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. Safe Rescue for Dogs 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 — Safe Rescue for Dogs 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 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 Safe Rescue for Dogs 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.
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