Adopt or Sponsor a Husky

How it works

Click a dog's name to find out more about them. Within each category the dogs are listed in priority adoption order, and we really do have a 'top priority' list we are trying to home first. Alternatively, scan our QR code for the 'adoption-ready' app, which gives much more information about the dogs. Please send all adoption enquiries by email.

Ready for a sofa

The dogs listed here have worked hard all of their lives and deserve a bit more constant pampering than we can give them in their retirement. Profiled dogs include Bran (born 31 Oct 2010), who ran in lead during his first seasons and was adopted in August 2020; Georgie (born 21 Jun 2019), who came to us as a rescue from Helsinki, originally an Estonian pup; and Anton (born 1 May 2012), the only purebred Siberian Husky at Hetta Huskies.

Practical aspects of adoption

It is pretty easy for anyone living in Scandinavia to adopt one of our dogs. If you want a certain type of dog (one that can run with you, or one that is good with kids), please get in touch — we have other suitable dogs beyond those shown here. For those overseas the inoculations and paperwork are complicated, expensive and time-consuming, but not impossible: we have dogs who have moved as far as Colorado and New York, plus many who have travelled to the UK or Central Europe.

Before you decide

Battersea Dog's Home in the UK has a great factsheet to help you and your family think through the issues involved in adopting a new dog. As Battersea note, giving a home to a rescue animal is one of the most rewarding things a person can do — but it is important you feel ready for the commitment of taking on another life that will be totally dependent on you. If you are hoping to adopt one of the dogs, please download a Word copy of the questions, complete it and return it to us.

Questions to challenge yourself with

What are your reasons for wanting a dog, and have you owned a dog before? Who are you adopting this dog for — and do they understand the commitment? What do you know about the husky breed; have you researched how they really behave versus how films portray them? Are all family members in agreement? Do you have young children who understand how to behave around dogs? Where will your dog sleep and spend most of its time? Do you have a secure garden? How many walks a day will it get, and are there suitable places to walk? Most huskies can't walk off the lead.

How much time will you spend with your dog, and how long will it be left alone? We try hard to house train dogs but can't guarantee it; there may be a small adjustment period. Many of our dogs came from farms with little socialisation, so may only ever bond with two or three people — do you have the patience to bond with your dog? Are you hoping to skijor or bikejor? Are you financially able to care for the dog, including vet registration, insurance and ongoing booster vaccinations? Most of our dogs aren't spayed or neutered. Do you have someone to care for your dog if you become ill or need to travel? Are you ready for a long-term commitment — dogs can live to 15 years old?

If you're still keen

If, having thought through all of the above, you are still interested in adopting — GREAT! We can't wait to hear from you! And for those who do decide to give a husky a final comfortable home, petfinder in the US has great tips for your first 30 days together to ease the transition for both of you.

Moving a dog overseas

For those living overseas, the inoculations and paperwork needed to get a dog ready to travel are complicated, expensive and time-consuming — but not impossible. As you can read on the lucky dogs page, we have dogs who have moved as far as Colorado and New York, plus quite a few who have travelled to the UK or Central Europe.

Useful logistics

Scandipet from Sweden can arrange for dogs to be flown to other countries (via Amsterdam); they are a far better option than any company going through Finland. The page also links to information on transferring through Sweden, Swedish rules, requirements for bringing a dog into the USA, and how to measure a dog for a travel box.

How we price sponsorship

We set the puppy and retired categories lower than working dogs, since children are drawn to the younger dogs and working dogs are a less obvious choice even though they arguably need it more. The pricing is debatable — old dogs and pups can actually cost more than working dogs in veterinary and medical needs. Matsku, one of our old retirees, spent her entire 2016 sponsorship allowance on a mammary tumour operation that bought her more quality months of life. We are hugely grateful for any support towards the whole-life care of our dogs.

Some of the pairings

Celine and Jerome have supported some of our more difficult cases but their hearts lie with the A-pups, especially gentle Amber. Paul Moody and Cecilia Xausa fell in love with our oldie Eden, sponsored him, then gave him and Manso a retirement home in the UK — channelling Eden's remaining sponsorship to shy yearling Firn. Anna's parents Patricia and Michael McCormack sponsor Princess and Mercury-Mick respectively. The Frei family have been involved since 2013, adopting four dogs and sponsoring several more, now supporting star leaders Sanna and Leon. Noah Wilson sponsors Sisu — a fitting choice, as 'sisu' means strength and bravery in Finnish — following his own remarkable recovery from a freak accident.

Could you foster?

If that sounds appealing to you, just get in touch. We have such a wide range of dogs of different ages and characters that I am sure we can find the perfect one for you. And for the dogs, that extra sofa time is an offer that is seldom turned down!

Puppy Sponsorship (Bronze): €100/year or €8/month

Pups are wonderful but cost more than an adult dog. Once weaned they need feeding five times a day for months, plus an intensive series of inoculations and deworming: quad and rabies vaccinations at 12 weeks, 16 weeks, and 1 year and 12 weeks, with extra help against mosquitoes in their first year. Your €100 doesn't quite cover a pup for a year, but goes a long way towards raising our future stars. Bronze sponsors receive an information card, a certificate and four updates a year, plus 25% off any day-length safari.

Senior / Non-Working Dog Sponsorship (Silver): €350/year or €25/month

For our canine senior citizens living out a comfortable retirement on the farm, and dogs unable to run for medical reasons. Most retired dogs have minimal veterinary costs and eat less than working dogs, so this level covers our estimate of their annual food (around €350/year). Silver sponsors receive an information card, a certificate and a newsletter-style email update twice a year with photos, plus 50% off any day-length safari.

Working Dog Sponsorship (Gold): €700/year or €58/month

We estimate keeping a working husky for a year costs about €2 per dog per day (across 200+ dogs), counting only averaged food and veterinary costs — hence gold level is €700/year. Gold sponsors receive an information card, a certificate and a newsletter-style update four times a year with photo and video attachments, plus one free day-length safari of their choice.

Small donations

Even small donations are very welcome. Everything goes back into the farm and the dogs, who appreciate any extra bone that comes their way! Donations can be set up by direct debit or through PayPal. Around €50 tends to go towards a piece of agility equipment that can carry a sign with your name on it. We continuously develop the agility course — young dogs love the obstacles in summer, and we use the easier ones to build trust with older dogs.

Kennel Sponsorship: €250

A new kennel costs between €200 and €500, depending on its size and whether it is a 'sick-dog' kennel (accessible by a dog wearing a medical cone), a double kennel where dogs can sleep together, or a single. When you sponsor one, we make a small plaque with your name on it that stays there as long as the huskies let the kennel survive, and we send you a photo of your kennel, your plaque and the happy dog moving into its brand new home.

Cage Sponsorship: €500

A cage costs around €500 in materials alone to erect. Built in moveable pieces, each has a barricade of water-resistant plywood dug into the ground to stop dogs digging out, bowl holders screwed to the front so they can be fed and watered through the fence without destroying their bowls, and a wire roof to stop them climbing out. Sponsored cages carry a plaque with the sponsor's name and benefit the dogs for a long time. Extra cages — used when dogs have collar sores or need the warmth of another dog on super cold days — are a big help.

A worldwide map of adoptees

At first we prioritised homing Transun's older or non-running dogs over our own oldies, because we knew they wouldn't get to live into retirement on their own farm. A map on the page shows most of the places our dogs have lived, or still live, in their adoptive homes.

Some of their stories

Vulpes (born 28 Jul 2009) came from a racing kennel in Norway where he was one of the best leaders; he's friendly, loves cuddles and is house-trained, though he gets stiff in his hips if pushed too hard. Leon was our #1 top runner for many years and ran more than 21,000km in his life; now 12, he retired together with Sanna, a shy star lead dog, so the pair could settle into a new home together. Yasper and Yesper are two large fluffy siblings who would only be rehomed together, as they are inseparable. Each profile notes the dog's ideal new home, how it copes alone during a working day, and whether it can still do canicross or skijoring.

Currently spoken for

A long, affectionate (and frequently updated) list of dogs already claimed by guides and friends of the farm — for example Atlas, Sonic, Smashie and Jumbo for Eliel; Cherry, Laika, Bell, Mollis, Laddie, Indigo and Pilot for Anna; Elsa and Isbre for Carla; Yukon and Quest (and hopefully Happy and Selje) for Andrea and Letizia; Lyngen and Lhotse for Jenni. Some dogs, such as Pilot, Indigo and Cuillin, have more than one hopeful future owner gently competing for them. As Anna notes, 'I am sure I am missing a few!'

Older and 'less-good' sled-dogs

These older or 'less-good' sled-dogs are, by nature, probably not easy to find new homes for, and we fully expect to care for them into old age. That is why they are on the 'please sponsor me' list — any help at all with their long-term care would be appreciated.

Working dogs who need extra support

A random selection of dogs that could be sponsored as part of our working dog sponsorship program. Hickory, one of our H-pups born in 2014, is an extremely hard worker who needs a lot of extra food to stay healthy. Japp, one of our strongest and fastest Alaskan huskies, has a short coat and burns so much energy that he needs to be fed more than most and watched closely. Indigo came as a very shy rescue who cowered in the kitchen; after a lot of time and love she has become a happy lady and a leader-in-training who has to wear a special fluffy harness to avoid harness rub. Maple is pretty but extremely difficult to find running and cage partners for, so she needs extra socialising time.