Who writes this, and why

I'm Mike from North Wales. My partner and I are adopting Barnie, a 16-month-old boy from a shelter in Romania, through Pawprints to Freedom. As I write this he's due to arrive at the end of September 2026, and we're deep in the part nobody quite prepares you for — the transport timings, and the long wait in between. So I started writing it down.

This site is two things. First, a genuine attempt to help other UK adopters: evergreen guides on the parts that confused me, and factual profiles of the rescues doing this work. Second, an honest journal of life with Barnie, published as it happens rather than tidied up afterwards.

Why trust it

I'm not a vet and I'm not a charity. I say so plainly. Guides carry the date they were last reviewed; rescue profiles carry the date they were last verified. Right now the site earns nothing — no ads, no affiliate income. If that ever changes I'll disclose it clearly, and it will never shape what I recommend. (See how this site is funded.)

If something here is wrong or out of date, I want to know. There's a corrections and takedowns page for exactly that.