Help & Support

Referral pathway

Hospital & Healthcare Support

Support clients whose hospital admission, treatment, recovery or healthcare needs are affecting their ability to care for their dog.

Use this pathway when a person needs temporary dog-care planning, practical support during treatment, help preparing for discharge or a contingency plan if their health changes unexpectedly.

The priority is to prevent a short-term health crisis from creating an avoidable long-term separation between a person and their dog.

Start a support referral Open the client guide Professional overview

Professional overview

When to use this pathway

Use this guidance when a client’s health, treatment or admission is creating a current or expected gap in their dog’s care.

Common situations include:

  • an emergency hospital admission;
  • planned surgery or inpatient treatment;
  • mental health admission or crisis care;
  • rehabilitation, respite or step-down care;
  • cancer treatment, dialysis or repeated appointments;
  • temporary reduced mobility, pain or fatigue;
  • recovery at home following treatment;
  • a delayed discharge or changing discharge date;
  • end-of-life or palliative care planning;
  • a client refusing or delaying treatment because of their dog;
  • a temporary carer becoming unavailable;
  • concern that permanent rehoming is being considered too early.
Ask early

Do not wait until discharge is imminent. Early dog-care planning gives the client, family, healthcare team and support services more time to identify safe and sustainable options.

Immediate action

Is the dog currently without safe care?

Emergency medical, safeguarding, veterinary and animal-welfare procedures take priority over a routine HomeWagger referral.

Urgent warning signs may include:

  • the client has been admitted unexpectedly and the dog is alone;
  • no one can access the client’s home;
  • the dog has no food, water, medication or toileting access;
  • the dog is loose, unattended or at immediate risk;
  • the temporary carer has withdrawn or cannot continue;
  • the client is too unwell to give clear instructions;
  • the dog has urgent veterinary needs;
  • there is an adult safeguarding or self-neglect concern;
  • police, emergency services or an animal-welfare organisation are required.

Immediate practical priorities

Establish where the dog is, who can access the property, whether food and medication are available, who is currently responsible and how long the arrangement can safely continue.

HomeWagger is not an emergency boarding service

Use the appropriate emergency route first. HomeWagger can then help with practical planning, signposting, temporary-care exploration and longer-term next steps.

Open urgent support guidance Contact HomeWagger

Initial conversation

Conversation prompts

Ask about the dog early, explain why the information matters and avoid making the client feel that their dog is a barrier to care.

Opening the conversation

You could ask:

  • “Do you have a dog at home?”
  • “Who is looking after your dog while you are here?”
  • “Is that arrangement safe and sustainable?”
  • “Is concern about your dog affecting any decisions about treatment or admission?”

Understanding the care gap

You could ask:

  • “Where is your dog now?”
  • “Who can access your home?”
  • “How long can the current arrangement continue?”
  • “Does your dog need medication, specialist handling or a particular routine?”
  • “What would happen if your discharge date changed?”

Planning for discharge

You could ask:

  • “Will you be able to manage your dog safely when you return home?”
  • “Which tasks might be difficult during recovery?”
  • “Do you need short-term help with walking, feeding, transport or veterinary care?”
  • “Who can step in if your recovery takes longer than expected?”

Explaining a HomeWagger referral

You could say:

“HomeWagger is a welfare-first navigation and support service for people with dogs. They can help explore practical support, local services, temporary arrangements and contingency planning. They cannot guarantee emergency boarding or a foster placement.”

Then ask:

  • “Would you be comfortable with me sharing the relevant information?”
  • “What is the safest and most accessible way for them to contact you?”
Language to avoid

Avoid saying “You will have to give up your dog,” “The hospital cannot help with that,” “You should have planned for this,” or “Your dog is preventing your discharge.”

Healthcare-inclusive practice

Treat the dog as part of the care context

  • ask about pets during admission and discharge planning;
  • record the dog-care issue clearly in the care plan where appropriate;
  • avoid assuming family or friends can provide indefinite care;
  • recognise that concern about the dog may increase distress;
  • consider whether the dog affects treatment acceptance or engagement;
  • involve the client in decisions wherever possible;
  • use accessible communication and allow time for planning;
  • avoid pressuring the client towards permanent rehoming during a crisis;
  • plan for delayed discharge or changing health needs;
  • share only relevant and proportionate information.

Recommended pathway

Identify, stabilise, plan, consent and review

Establish the current dog-care arrangement, the likely duration of support and what needs to be in place before discharge.

1

Confirm the healthcare situation

Establish whether the client is facing an emergency admission, planned admission, outpatient treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care or recovery at home.

2

Locate the dog

Confirm where the dog is now, whether the property can be accessed and who is currently responsible for care.

3

Check immediate welfare

Confirm that the dog has food, water, medication, safe accommodation, toileting access and appropriate supervision.

4

Establish how long support may be needed

Record the expected admission, treatment or recovery period and plan for the possibility that dates may change.

5

Record the dog’s essential needs

Include:

  • feeding and toileting routine;
  • exercise needs;
  • medication and veterinary care;
  • behavioural or handling needs;
  • compatibility with people or animals;
  • transport and equipment requirements.
6

Explore existing support

Identify family, friends, neighbours, carers or community services that may be able to help, while checking that the arrangement is safe, agreed and sustainable.

7

Plan for temporary care and practical help

Consider whether the client needs dog walking, feeding, transport, short-term care, veterinary support, food delivery or practical help after discharge.

8

Include the dog in discharge planning

Check whether the client can safely resume care, what support is needed at home and what happens if recovery is slower than expected.

9

Obtain consent and refer proportionately

Explain the purpose of the referral, confirm what information will be shared and record the client’s preferred contact route.

10

Review before the arrangement breaks down

Confirm that the temporary plan remains safe, that the discharge plan is realistic and that the client and dog have appropriate follow-up support.

Practical assessment

Hospital and temporary-care assessment

Use these areas to understand the immediate care gap, the likely duration of support and what must be in place before discharge.

Admission type

Is the admission emergency, planned, repeated, mental health, rehabilitation or palliative care?

Dog’s location

Where is the dog now, and who can safely access the property?

Current carer

Who is currently responsible, and how long can they continue?

Expected duration

How long is admission, treatment or recovery expected to last?

Property access

Is there a key holder, access code or safe route into the home?

Daily routine

What feeding, exercise, toileting and supervision does the dog need?

Medication and health

Does the dog need medication, treatment or a veterinary appointment?

Handling and safety

Are there behavioural, mobility, bite-risk or handling concerns?

Discharge readiness

Can the client safely resume care, and what support will be needed?

Dog-inclusive discharge planning

Discharge checklist

Include the dog alongside medication, mobility, equipment, transport, carers and home support.

Before discharge

  • confirm where the dog is;
  • confirm who is currently providing care;
  • check that the arrangement remains available;
  • confirm the client can safely return to the property;
  • identify any restrictions on lifting, bending or walking;
  • check whether the client can manage feeding and toileting;
  • confirm whether dog walking support is required;
  • check whether food and medication are available;
  • identify any veterinary appointments or treatment;
  • agree what happens if discharge is delayed.

After discharge

  • confirm who will support the client during recovery;
  • check whether the dog can be managed safely at home;
  • identify transport needs;
  • confirm the duration of temporary support;
  • agree who will review the arrangement;
  • create a back-up plan if recovery is slower than expected;
  • record emergency contacts and key holders;
  • provide accessible written information;
  • confirm the client understands the plan;
  • refer for further dog-related support where appropriate.
Discharge should not depend on an unsafe dog-care arrangement

If the client cannot safely manage their dog on discharge, identify what practical support or temporary care is needed before the arrangement breaks down.

Referral considerations

Before making a referral

Confirm consent, current dog care, expected timescales and the practical support being requested.

Referral checks

Confirm:

  • the client understands the referral;
  • informed consent has been obtained;
  • urgent welfare issues have been addressed;
  • the dog’s current location;
  • who is currently responsible for care;
  • how long the arrangement can continue;
  • the expected admission or recovery period;
  • the dog’s medical and behavioural needs;
  • the client’s likely abilities on discharge;
  • the support already available;
  • the client’s preferred outcome;
  • any urgent discharge or treatment deadline.
Manage expectations

Do not promise emergency boarding, foster care, transport, funding, home support, veterinary treatment or a particular outcome.

Information to include

Client information

  • name and safe contact details;
  • preferred contact method;
  • current ward, service or healthcare setting where relevant;
  • consent status;
  • authorised advocate or trusted contact where appropriate.

Dog information

  • name, age, sex, size and breed or type;
  • current location;
  • feeding and exercise routine;
  • medication and veterinary needs;
  • behavioural and handling needs;
  • compatibility with people and animals.

Healthcare and support request

  • admission or treatment type;
  • expected duration;
  • current care arrangement;
  • what support is required;
  • discharge date or deadline;
  • likely post-discharge limitations;
  • back-up plan if circumstances change.

Information sharing

Share relevant, proportionate information

HomeWagger generally needs to understand the practical dog-care gap, expected timescales, current arrangements and the client’s preferred outcome—not a complete healthcare record.

Usually relevant

  • contact and communication needs;
  • dog details and current location;
  • current carer and access arrangements;
  • expected admission or recovery period;
  • the practical tasks affected;
  • immediate safety or welfare concerns;
  • relevant discharge or treatment deadlines;
  • the support requested;
  • agreed consent and contact route.

Usually unnecessary

  • complete medical records;
  • detailed clinical notes;
  • unrelated diagnoses;
  • unrelated medication history;
  • full safeguarding records;
  • assumptions about capacity;
  • opinions about whether the client should own a dog;
  • information unrelated to the dog-care request.
Exception

Include sensitive information only where it is directly relevant, necessary, lawful and proportionate to the safety or support request.

Potential support

What HomeWagger may explore

Available support depends on location, eligibility, suitability, funding, capacity and the client’s circumstances.

Emergency care planning

A practical plan for unexpected admission, delayed discharge or sudden changes in health.

Temporary care options

Exploration of suitable short-term care while the client is in hospital or recovering.

Dog walking support

Local volunteer, community or paid walking options where appropriate and available.

Practical home support

Help with feeding, toileting, cleaning, medication or routine during recovery.

Transport support

Local options for veterinary, grooming or essential dog-related journeys.

Veterinary navigation

Signposting where the dog needs treatment while the client is unwell or absent.

Community support

Signposting to voluntary, community, older-person, disability or carer services.

Responsible rehoming

Welfare-first guidance where realistic support has been explored and the client can no longer meet the dog’s needs.

Before permanent rehoming

Support first

A hospital admission, period of treatment or temporary loss of mobility should not automatically result in permanent rehoming.

Before progressing towards relinquishment, check whether the following have been explored:

  • family, friends, neighbours or carers;
  • temporary dog walking or feeding support;
  • short-term care during admission;
  • transport and veterinary support;
  • food or medication delivery;
  • practical support during recovery;
  • community or voluntary services;
  • financial assistance where cost is a barrier;
  • a realistic contingency plan;
  • a review once the health crisis has stabilised.

Where permanent rehoming genuinely becomes necessary, the decision should be informed, welfare-focused and made outside the immediate pressure of a healthcare crisis wherever possible.

Open responsible rehoming guidance

Professional boundaries

What this pathway does and does not provide

HomeWagger supports dog-related planning, welfare navigation, signposting, practical support exploration and responsible next steps.

This pathway does not replace:

  • medical assessment or treatment;
  • hospital discharge responsibility;
  • adult social care;
  • mental-capacity assessment;
  • statutory safeguarding;
  • regulated home-care services;
  • veterinary care;
  • emergency boarding or transport;
  • legal advice or formal advocacy.

A referral to HomeWagger does not transfer clinical, discharge, safeguarding, medical, veterinary, legal or statutory responsibility from the referring organisation.

Staff are not expected to physically handle the dog, enter an unsafe property, guarantee care, arrange statutory services, make rehoming decisions for the client or delay urgent healthcare while seeking a HomeWagger response.

Related portal resources

Continue supporting the client

Open the most relevant toolkit or pathway for the client’s wider circumstances.

Housing & Homelessness Support

Use where hospital admission or discharge affects the client’s accommodation or ability to return home with their dog.

Open housing guidance

Next steps

What would you like to do next?

Start a referral

Submit information about a client who needs dog-related support during hospital treatment, admission or recovery.

Start a support referral

Share the public guide

Send the client HomeWagger’s support-to-keep-your-dog guidance.

Open the client guide

Request case guidance

Contact HomeWagger when the admission, discharge, temporary-care or welfare situation is unclear.

Request case guidance

💜 The HomeWagger Promise

Support first. Welfare always.

A healthcare crisis should not automatically result in someone losing their dog.

HomeWagger helps professionals identify the care gap, explore realistic temporary support and include the dog in discharge and recovery planning.

The aim is always the same: safer outcomes for dogs and the people who care about them.

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