Dogs In Art

This weeekend the Stockbridge Art Gallery* opens its 'Not Just For Christmas' exhibition that runs from 15 November to the 24th December.

The gallery specialises in Dogs in Art and in addition to period dog paintings and sculpture they also display and represent some of the finest contemporary artists working in the field today.

One of these artists is Paula Vize who has painted the above image entitled Faith, Hope and Trust. This is the first in an annual series of paintings for the Stockbridge Gallery in support of Dogs Trust.

Stockbridge Art Gallery are aiming to raise £10,000 from the sale of 100 limited edition signed prints of this painting. The prints are just £100 or £120 if you'd like it mounted.

If you are interested in owning one of these limited edition prints then please email Victoria Armstrong or call 01264 810142 to reserve your copy.

*The Stockbridge Gallery can be found at The Old Post Office, High Street, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6EU.

Dogs Trust Christmas Events: Come to a local centre!

Regular Dogs Trust supporters will know that most of our centres have two annual events: a Summer open day / fun dog show and a Christmas fair or grotto. Here are all the confirmed dates for Christmas events where you can kick of the festive period in the company of our staff and fellow dog lovers.

These are also listed under the Events tab on our Facebook Page. For more information, give your local centre a call. All events are daytime except Ilfracombe's charity ball (ring the centre for more details).

• Ballymena - 2nd December, Christmas Fair
  
• Bridgend - 5th December, Christmas Fair
  
• Darlington - 5th and 6th December, Christmas Fair
  
• Evesham - 29th November, Christmas Fair
  
• Glasgow - 6th December, Christmas Fair
  
• Ilfracombe - 27th November, Charity Ball
  
• Kenilworth - 5th and 6th December, Christmas Fayre
  
• Leeds - 5th and 6th & 12th and 13th December, Santa Paws Grotto
  
• London - 6th December, Christmas Fayre
  
• Merseyside - 28th November, Christmas Fair
  
• Shoreham - 6th December, Christmas Fayre

Events usually include stalls, games and fun activities for all the family. I know some are planning auctions, raffles and tombolas for fab prizes too (and just in time for present-giving season!).

Dogs Trust Dublin Launch: the celebrity guests

I gave our Communications team about 25 seconds to catch their breath on returning from Dublin before I hounded them for a behind-the-scenes guest post on the goings on at the launch party. Duly the lovely Sinead, who is deputy head of the department, obliged with these snippets on making sure the celebrity guests had a great time. More photos on our Flickr feed!

The photographers, Marc and Tony, at the Dogs Trust official opening seriously had their work cut out for them. Tony was taking pictures of staff and guests while Marc was looking after our VIP guests. Bear in mind that we had FIVE celebrity guests all arriving at the same time. Interesting. Craig Doyle was super lovely and got up close and personal with a fabulous Samoyed called Kiko, who later had to be put back in his kennel (Kiko not Craig) as he was a little bit over excited. Ben, the other dog pictured with the lovely Mr. Doyle got a little bit amorous and let’s just say the pictures will have to be photoshopped…

Meanwhile in the puppy palace I was with the gorgeous Amy Huberman and Holly White doing an extremely glam photoshoot involving three stunning little puppies. The camera was clicking and the girls were working their magic until a certain little wheaten doggy decided to throw up all over Holly’s coat. Emergency wash down of jacket and back to work like a true professional!

A few hundred yards away Steve Collins the ex boxer was meeting his “doggy double”, Marley the Boxer, and It was honestly love at first lick. I mean there were practically fireworks between them and Steve decided there and then that he wanted to rehome Marley.

After a long but wonderful day I can safely say that all of us were exhausted and ready for at least two days sleep which of course never happened as it was straight back to work. I am looking forward to a long lie in this weekend!

Dogs Trust Dublin Official Launch: news and video coming soon!

The doors opened quietly to dog lovers last month, but today sees the official bells-and-whistles launch for Dogs Trust Dublin!

The brand new centre aims to rehome 1,000 dogs every year, and builds on neutering and microchipping campaigns and education work Dogs Trust has been doing in Ireland since 2005.

The big event is taking place as I write, as 11am marks the big moment. We have people on site bearing cameras and ready to capture the best bits for all to see online, so please come back and watch this space tomorrow for a chance to see all the news and get a good peek at the centre itself.

I'm told there are some celebrity guests, too!

In the meantime, if you'd like to visit Dogs Trust Dublin or find out more about it, visit www.dogstrust.ie.

Dogs Trust response to the APGAW report: A healthier future for pedigree dogs

Below is Dogs Trust's statement, as can also be seen on www.dogstrust.org.uk. Please contact the Dogs Trust Press Office by email with any queries.

Dogs Trust welcomes the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare Report into pedigree dog breeding. There are serious problems with the health and welfare of some pedigree dogs, resulting from inappropriate breeding practices and directly from the conformation of the dog imposed by breed standards. We were pleased to be able to contribute to this report, which suggests measures which can now be implemented to improve the situation.

We welcome the report recommendations on health screening; public education; the enforcement of codes of ethics; the revision of breed standards; permanent identification; the showing of dogs; health certificates; and the development of an Independent Advisory body. We are disappointed that the Report does not concentrate sufficiently on the welfare implications of breed standards or suggest improved legislation. Similarly we believe that many of the recommendations must be applied to all dogs not just pedigrees.

Dogs Trust has been encouraged to see that the Kennel Club has made a start in reviewing all breeding practices including the breed standards. However we are concerned at the lack of good data currently available to underpin the review.

Dogs Trust rehomes both pedigree and crossbreeds dogs through our 18 Rehoming Centres. Too many dogs in our care have come from irresponsible dealers, pet stores or puppy farms. Dogs Trust believes that more research and discussion about how to stop the 'battery farming' of dogs within puppy farms is long overdue. Dogs Trust believes that peer review science is an essential part of the solution. And that all breeders, not just Kennel Club members, must follow the scientists' guidelines.

Dogs Trust continues to work closely with the Kennel Club to improve the current situation, and we have jointly commissioned an independent review of the showing, breeding, and registration of all dogs. The inquiry Chairman, Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, will publish his findings in January 2010. Following the publication of this report Dogs Trust would welcome a meeting of all relevant stakeholders to discuss ways in which the recommendations from both reports can be translated into effective solutions.