About Us

About A New Leash for Life Rescue

A New Leash for Life Rescue is a voluntary organisation founded by Marcene Lines. Marcene has been rescuing dogs for over 9 years, and the rescue has successfully saved and re homed approximately seven thousand dogs. Marcene volunteers her time, juggling her rescue work around her job, family and her own 5 rescue dogs. 

Marcene firmly believes that any dog has a right to a warm, loving home regardless of where they have come from, so she works closely with a small network of local rescuers abroad to identify dogs of all shapes and sizes and ages, that they believe can be successfully re-homed here in the UK. These guardian angels keep these dogs safe, and prepare them for their onward journey by ensuring they receive all the right vaccinations and checks to get their doggy passports so they can travel to the UK.

Marcene's passion and dedication to help these desperate dogs find their forever home is mirrored by the small team of kind hearted volunteers who help her to run the rescue. The volunteers help with admin, transporting dogs, promoting and sharing the dogs to find them homes or by fundraising. 

We have a network of fabulous fosters who provide vital foster care for our dogs when they arrive in the UK.  All of our fosters give up their time and space in their homes to help our dogs recover from their journey and aid their transition into a home environment. 

Fostering is essential as it enables the dogs to have time to adjust to home life and to be assessed to make sure they find the perfect family for them. 

If you would like to get involved and are happy to volunteer some time to help or would like to discuss if you would be suitable as a foster please contact us.

The rescue relies on public donations, fundraising and sponsorship to help the dogs. We are always looking for ways to fundraise to cover vets bills, transportation costs and to help buy food and supplies for the dogs under our care abroad. 

We are always very grateful for any donations received and to volunteers who fundraise for the rescue.

Why Rescue from Abroad?

People often ask why we focus on rescues from abroad when there are dogs in shelters here?

Marcene has visited the shelters in Romania herself; where dogs are living in overcrowded communal pens and with minimal food and has seen the horrific ways that these poor souls are treated. Many shelters across Europe are very similar to Romania, not all people care for their animals like we do in the UK and when they have had enough they are dropped at a shelter, turned out on the street or even poisoned and killed. 

More recently Marcene and Elaina have taken several trips to Macedonia to spend time with our main rescue partner Mira and of course help at the shelter and meet the dogs. Making these trips enables use to see and appreciate the work that Mira and her team put in to all the dogs that are rescued; often in an appalling state.

 If you compare any UK dog shelter such as Dogs trust, RSCPA, Battersea and so on, they all have food, medical attention, compassionate people working there, a roof over their heads and warm, clean kennels 

Public Shelters across Europe are nothing at all like this, there is no charity, there are very few good shelters and for many dogs it is hell unless rescued, the dogs face the death penalty. In many shelters the dogs are just a number and when their number is up there is no more hope.

The Rescue is involved in several initiatives to get the most at risk dogs to a safe environment, get then urgent veterinary care and provide them with food and shelter.

If you would like to get involved please contact us to find out more, as we would welcome your support.