Dogs Trust Glasgow
At WaggyWoos we have made supporting an animal charity a key component of the company and currently that charity is The Dogs Trust Glasgow.
My Own Dogs Trust Story
In the past I have been involved in fundraising for Dogs Trust and so it seemed a natural choice to support them via this business too. The Dogs Trust so some miraculous work and the love they show for the dogs is truly heart-warming. From the months that I spent there it showed me just how important all the donations are that they get and how far these organisations truly make them go. I currently sponsor a dog with them which I pay monthly for however from this moment on I have now decided that my company will donate 1% of its annual net profits to Dogs Trust.
History Of The Dogs Trust
In 1891, Lady Gertrude Stock started the National Canine Defence League, with the aim to campaign against animal cruelty. Practices like prolonged chaining were common back in the 18th and 19th century and many people who had dogs treated them not as pets but rather as animals that were there to fulfil a job. In the years that followed, the great work continued with more campaigns for animal welfare and increased rehoming. The change of name came about in 2003 when the organisation decided that “Dogs Trust” was a much better fit. The distinctive yellow and black logo has now become a familiar sight.
Accomplishments
Some of the charities main accomplishments include a successful campaign in 1997 which made the government decide to amend the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991. The Act has been controversial for failing to identify the origin of the rise in Dog attacks and for focusing on the looks of a dog breed rather than the individual dog’s behaviour which, consequently is a result of how the owner has trained the animal. The change in legislation stated that the rules of the act would be relaxed in some measures and courts would be given more flexibility on euthanasia. It also declared that specific breeds of dogs would no longer be automatically destroyed.
Another accomplishment is one from a few years back in 2016 when it was made mandatory for dog owners to microchip their dogs in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales. Microchipping your pet gives it the best possible chance of being identified and returned to you if lost or stolen. Sadly, however even with this mandatory law in place the number of dogs being stolen has risen by 16% since 2016.
From my personal viewpoint, Dogs Trust’s main accomplishment is becoming the UK’s leading dog welfare charity. I say this because that statement alone shows just how much devotion and dedication each and every volunteer has put in to giving these dogs a better chance at life. You don’t become the leading dog welfare charity in a country without showing a previous track record of your determination and resilience towards your mission, which is to protect all dogs in the UK and elsewhere from neglect, cruelty and suffering.
Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres
Dogs Trust rehoming centres are scattered all across the UK in areas such as Glasgow, Merseyside, Darlington, Canterbury, Leeds and Manchester. There are currently over 20 centres in the United Kingdom which take in approximately 18000 dogs per annum. The number of staff in these centres equates to 1400 with an additional 3500 Dogs Trust volunteers. Most, if not all of these centres are equipped with the latest indoor and outdoor facilities ranging from hydrotherapy pools for rehabilitation to training barns for assessments and training. Vet suites are included for regular health checks as well as sand pits for when the dogs want to play. One of the main differences I’ve noticed personally is that the kennels have increased in size, giving dogs more room to move about. Using glass doors on the kennels also allows dogs to see what’s going on and who is approaching their personal area.
SRU (special rehabilitation unit)
In the special rehabilitation centre are mostly dogs who have either behavioural issues or struggle with the standard kennel environment. The main focus for the dogs in this area is getting them back to a standard where they are suitable to be rehomed again which means meeting all the necessary criteria. The units contain large sleeping areas as well as spacious compounds that give them access all day and night too. In the outdoor section are a variety of Astro turf, sand or grass areas where the dogs can run about. CCTV cameras also monitor the SRU to make sure any incidents are rapidly attended to.
The Freedom Project
A dog fostering service for people fleeing from domestic abuse and going into refuge is precisely what the freedom project is all about. The service has been running for over 16 years now and has helped over 1500 people who have been dealing with these horrible situations. One of the main difficulties people face who are wishing to remove themselves from these circumstances is that many refuges are in no position to accept pets, so in many instances people will not leave until they know there is somewhere safe for their dog to go to. This is just another example of the great work The Dogs Trust performs. It offers a solution by offering a free and confidential foster care, enabling the owner to access a refuge without the worrying fear of what may happen to their dog if left behind. The stats on this project are truly astonishing; Almost nine in ten professionals working in the domestic abuse sector have been in cases where an animal has also been abused. Nearly half of professionals undertaking work in the sector are aware of instances where the pet has been killed. Not just physical abuse but also mental abuse occurs whereby pets are used as tools for controlling a specific partner – almost all professionals said they have seen this happen.
More Information
If you would like to know more about The Dogs Trust please feel free to visit their website (link below).
