Dogs Trust Open Days in July: Newbury and Bridgend

The 6th of July is going to be a busy day for two Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres - it's the date of their annual Open Day!

Bridgend and Newbury will both be opening their doors to anyone who wants to come along and have some fun.

Newbury will be open from 12pm to 4pm with a Fun Dog Show covering 10 classes including Most Handsome and the Rogue's Gallery for rehomed Dogs Trust dogs. The Doggy Dash is also open to all and their canine compnaions. Great raffle prizes and home made sweet treats will also be on offer. Entry and car parking are free, with a £1.50 entry free for the Fun Dog Show, with judging at 1pm.

[Plumb's Farm, Hamstead Marshall, Newbury, RG20 0HR]


If you live closer to Bridgend and also want to show off your dog, then worry not, because the fun-loving staff there are also running a Fun Dog Show. With eight classes, including Waggiest Tail and Best Rehomed Rescue Dog, there are plenty of chances to get involved. If you've got a daring, active dog, you can leap into the fray with amazing agility displays. There's also a silent auction where you'll get a chance to bid for amazing prizes like a private recording session, a vineyard tour or a day's paintballing for 40 people.

Entry to the event is free, with car parking at £3 per vehicle and dog show entry at £2 per pooch. Gates are open from 11am to 4pm.

[Court Colman, Pen-y-Fai, Bridgend, CF31 4NG]


If you live locally, there's no excuse not to have a good time with Dogs Trust this Sunday! Enjoy, and do tell us if there was anything you particularly enjoyed or would like to see included in the future.

Dog of the Week: Bouncer @ Dogs Trust Leeds

Introducing... Bouncer!

Breed: German Shepherd Cross (female)

Age: Around four and a half months

Likes: Gentle care and attention. I was thrown out of a van onto a busy road and need lots of TLC but I am quite friendly and happy.

Dislikes: Sudden, strange situations; I'm a little nervous.

Needs: Amazingly, I sustained no physical injuries - hence my name! - but I will need a little help building up my confidence with people. I'm ready for a loving family!

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Leeds on 0113 281 4920 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk.

Dogs Trust statement on Shock Collars

Dogs Trust welcomes the announcement that the Welsh Assembly is considering banning the use of electric shock pet collars in Wales. The charity promotes the use of positive reward-based training methods and does not support the use of electric shock collars or any other punishment as part of training under any circumstances. Dogs Trust looks forward to the introduction of a similar ban in the rest of the UK

See the story here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7473597.stm

Proof that microchipping pets works: dog reunited with owners within 24 hours!

When a group of students found an adorable Collie cross wandering around Leeds' Hyde Park on her own, they took note of the Dogs Trust collar around her neck and called us. John, the Assistant Manager at Dogs Trust Leeds collected her and, knowing we microchip every dog in our care, scanned her for a microchip.

Amelia, as the dog's name turned out to be, had indeed been adopted from us by a Mrs. Swallow, though in Snetterton, not Leeds! Mrs. Swallow's son had set off to visit his brother in Leeds with Amelia, who escaped from the student house and promptly got lost.

The next morning, when the centre managed to track down Mrs. Swallow, she was already in Leeds frantically searching for the beloved family pet. Thanks to a microchip and the fact that Mrs. Swallow kept the details updated, Amelia was reunited with her overjoyed and relieved family just one day after first going missing.

A great story to celebrate National Microchipping Month, don't you think?

The Wag and Bone Show is back! Come join us at Windsor Great Park this summer

The popular and successful Wag & Bone Show is back for another year of fun, games and all things doggy. The even, on Saturday 2nd August in Windsor Great Park, helps raise funds for seven major animal charities and provides entertainment for all the family, both two- and four-footed members!

Former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purves provides commentary on the main events throughout the day, which is sponsored by Purina PetCare. As the owner of seven dogs, he has declared that "whatever the weather, I think The Wag & Bone Show is a winnner. So much to see, so much to do, I defy your dog not to have a wonderful day. And you might even enjoy it yourself, I know I shall!"

Pedigrees and crossbreeds are eligible to take part in loads of different events and The Blue Cross will be looking for this year's 'Top Dog', so if your dog has a melting expression, is a
loveable rogue or you are the best doggy family then enter the Top Dog competition. There are
10 categories at £2 per entry and you can register online at www.thewagandboneshow.com.
Scruffts, the fun dog competition run by the Kennel Club, caters specifically for crossbreeds and
only costs £1 to enter. You may even find yourself in the national final in November. Categories
like Child’s Best Friend and Golden Oldie ensure there is something for everyone at this year’s
Wag & Bone Show.

Other events and services (by no means an exhaustive list!) include:

• Dogs Trust Dogmobile with dogs looking for homes
• Obedience tests at Temptation Alley
• Doggie Water Bobbing
• Doggie Dash fitness tests (prizes for every entrant)
• Meet the Agony Aunt and Uncle for a Q&A on behaviour training and more
• Southern Golden Retriever Display Team performance
• Race between the charity mascots Barney (Blue Cross), Bat (Battersea) Carla the Cat (PDSA) Fred (Wood Green Animal Shelters), Rufus (KC) and Zippy (Dogs Trust). Come on Zippy!
• The Shopping Village
• PDSA free 10-minute dog 'MOT'

Tickets and information: 0871 230 5569 or online at www.thewagandboneshow.com
Ticket Price: Adult: £10 in advance (£11 on the door)
Concessions: £8 in advance (£9 on the door)
Children (5-16 years): £8 in advance (£9 on the door) Up to 4 years - Free
Family Ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £25 in advance (£30 on the door)
Camping: Caravan and camping facilities are available onsite priced at £25 for two nights. Book
your site in advance by telephoning 01753 847900
Opening Hours: 10am to 5.30pm, Saturday 2 August 2008

Dog of the Week: Claudia @ Dogs Trust Kenilworth

Introducing... Claudia!

Breed: Collie Cross

Age: 5

Likes: I am friendly with other dogs and, like most Collies, very active so I love to run and play. Because I'm shy I don't get noticed at the centre so I've been here for three years!

Dislikes: I get nervous around strangers.

Needs: An adults-only home with owners that are happy to introduce me gently and patiently to new people and who have a lot of time to run around with me.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Kenilworth on 01926 486010 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk

Looking for a London conference venue? There's The Colonel Rosy Hall at Dogs Trust Harefield!

Looking for an unusual, beautiful venue with modern facilities that is ideally located for the London Underground, M25 and Heathrow Airport? Look no further!

The Colonel Rosy Hall is a lovingly restored 17th Century tithe barn set in 16 acres of Middlesex countryside.

Ideal for business conferences, meetings, corporate events, product launches, fundraising and seminars, the venue consists of two main rooms that can be hired individually or jointly. Facilities available include:

Presentation equipment

• Audio Visual system with DVD
• PC compatible with most memory sticks and cards
• Projection screen
• PA System including lapel and roaming microphones
• Flipchart

Catering

• A wide variety of menu options to suit your individual needs and budget

Setting

• Ample free parking
• Outside area overlooking the landscaped entrance
• Excellent disabled access
• Rural location

There is also plenty of opportunity to tailor the venue to individual requirements.

If you're interested in the venue simply contact Jennifer Rose with the information below, or drop by to visit the Rehoming Centre on a weekend and have afternoon tea in the new tea rooms!

Contact Details

Conference Coordinator
The Colonel Rosy Hall,
Dogs Trust Harefield,
Highway Farm,
Harvil Road,
Harefield,
Uxbridge UB9 6JW

Tel: 01895 453930 Fax: 01895 453934
Email: jennifer.rose@dogstrust.org.uk

Lets With Pets: Tell us about your rental experiences

Here at Dogs Trust we hear a lot of stories about the difficulties people face when trying to rent accommodation that will accept their pet (dogs or otherwise).

As part of our Lets With Pets campaign, we're trying to establish the scale of the problem, so we're looking for you to tell us about your past and present experiences.

Our survey should take no more than a couple of minutes, and it will provide us with extremely valuable information for our campaign. Please help us to help future pet owners who are struggling to find appropriate housing or even having to give up their pets because of housing restrictions.

Thank you!

Dog of the Week: Norman @ Dogs Trust Roden

Introducing... Norman!

Breed: Collie Cross

Age: 7

Likes: I am very affectionate and love lots of fuss and cuddles. A good game of fetch is always welcome and it helps me keep in shape because I love my food. I also like other dogs and older children.

Dislikes: Younger children make me a bit nervous but I get on very well with kids over 10.

Needs: Though I'm on the older side, being a Collie type I have bags of energy and am young at heart, healthy and playful. Can you keep up with me?

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Roden on 01952 770 225 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk.

Reminder! Two days left to get your tickets for the Dogs Trust Glasgow Fundraising Ball

With just two days to go before the big event, there's still enough time to lend a paw for local rescue dogs and attend the Dogs Trust Glasgow Fundraising Ball on Saturday 14th June.

Between dining on a three course meal at the sumptuous Marriott Hotel and dancing to a live Ceilidh band, you can bid on authenticated celebrity goodies, all in the knowledge that you are helping Scotland's abandoned dogs.

Proceeds from the night will help dogs like Sandy, a two-year-old Lab Cross resident (pictured).

Tickets are £55 pp or £495 for a table of ten. To book, call 0141 773 5141 or email victoria.kelly@dogstrust.org.uk now!

Dogs Trust lost dog appeal: have you seen Jasmine the Staffy?

Dog owners in the Mitcham area and across the country are being reminded that dogs can be lost and stolen all too easily. Two-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier Jasmine (pictured), went missing from her enclosed back garden in Mitcham on Sunday, the possible victim of a dog theft.

Neutered and microchipped, young Jasmine appears to have been the latest in a string of recent dog thefts in the area.

All too often, Dogs Trust hears of pedigree and crossbred dogs being stolen for ransom, breeding, hunting, selling on to unsuspecting members of the public, or, worst of all, for use by dog fighting rings. Prevention is definitely better than cure, as getting your dog back is very difficult.

Five tips for ensuring your dog's safety:

• Microchip your dog, remembering to update your contact details every time they change.
• Make sure your dog is wearing a collar and tag with your name, address and phone number (not his / her name, as it can make them more likely to trust a stranger). A collar and ID tag is a legal requirement.
• If your dog is neutered, consider stating this on a tag attached to their collar. This might put off certain types of thief, especially if they're a pedigree.
• Never leave a dog unattended outside a shop, in a parked car or in an unobserved garden.
• Immediately report stolen dogs to the police and local dog warden.

If you have seen Jasmine or have any information on her whereabouts please contact Megan on 07852 345731 or 07834 049773 anytime. Confidentiality guaranteed.

Black cabs go sunshine yellow to promote Dogs Trust

Buster hails a cab...

London's black cabs are set to mirror today's glorious sunshine as Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, launches its very own fleet of 18 yellow taxis.

The cabs are designed to raise awareness of our work, in particular the Sponsor a Dog scheme, and will be spotted cruising all over the capital over the next 12 months.

Do you know why Dogs Trust has a sponsoring scheme? In the words of our Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin:

"Whilst we make every effort to find the perfect home for all our dogs, some - who may have hd a particularly bad start in life - are simply happiest living outside the normal home environment. We take care of these dogs too under our Sponsor a Dog scheme.

"Our work of rescuing and rehoming is only made possible by the support of the public so spreading the word is incredibly important to us. We are very excited to be able to use these bright, cheerful taxis to help raise awareness of these special dogs."

Sean Hogg, a black cab driver from Barking (honest!), is keen to get behind the wheel as he already sponsors Shane at Dogs Trust. All Dogs Trust taxi drivers are keen dog lovers who will explain to any interested passenger about the benefits of sponsorship and adopting a rescue dog.


Sponsor a Dog - The Knowledge

How much? As little as £1 a week!

What do I get? Regular news and updates, a sponsorship pack of fabulous free gifts and the knowledge that you're helping Dogs Trust give a dog all the TLC he needs. You can even sponsor a dog as a gift for a friend.

Where can I sign up? Call Dogs Trust on 020 7837 0006 or visit the Sponsor a Dog website.

Dog(s) of the Week: Bella and Rex @ Dogs Trust Evesham

Introducing... Bella and Rex!

Breed: Rottweiler Labrador Cross (Bella) and Brindle Bulldog Staffordshire Cross (Rex)

Age: Bella is 3 and Rex is 2

Likes: Training - we're both recent graduates of Evesham's one-to-one training programme. We were both very nervous initially but we've made huge strides in just four months.

Dislikes: Rex isn't keen on other dogs, but Bella has developed a liking for Collie types! Neither of us is fond of cats.

Needs: Rex is extremely sociable and friendly while Bella is still quite shy though improving rapidly. We'd both require homes without children.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Evesham on 01386 830 613 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk.

Dogs Trust fundraising: can you lend your support to our fans?

Recently I've been reading our social networking sites and forum with a big smile on my face. Why? Because many supporters have come forward with a range of creative ways that they've decided to support Dogs Trust (and for a variety of reasons). Here are just some of the events going on over the next few months to give you some inspiration if you were stuck for ideas:

Adele's eBay Pet Portrait Auctions (end 09 June 08): Adele contacted us about publicising her auction on our Facebook page, and we're very glad she did. Guaranteed by Mission Fish, 10% of the proceeds from the auction for these portraits goes straight to Dogs Trust, so the more you bid, the more you raise. It's much appreciated, Adele.

Auction 1: 10" x 14" portrait from photo
Auction 2: 12" x 16" portrait from photo

David's Northern Rock Cyclone Event (14 June 08): DoggySnaps regular David McGarry must be in the last stages of training now as there are just eight days to go before he straps on his trainers and cycles 31 miles in aid of Dogs Trust. Phew! You can sponsor him here. Thanks, David.

Stacy's Great Scottish Run (07 Sept 08): On our bebo page, Stacy told us about the 10km run she is fervently training for in memory of her best friend who was a committed supporter of Dogs Trust. You can sponsor her here. Good luck Stacy!

Keep Bilbo on the Beach Facebook Group: A group set up for a very different doggy cause has been urging its members to make donations to Dogs Trust in order to show their support for dogs in general. This is very generous and we're most grateful.

We're incredibly grateful to every single supporter who has made a donation, carried out a fundraising event, sponsored or adopted a dog or just spread the word. It all counts and the dogs in our care are very glad you did what you could to help them.

National Microchipping Month: have you microchipped your pet yet?

One in three lost dog reunions happens thanks to microchips.

In a call-to-action marking the beginning of National Microchipping Month (June 1-30), Dogs Trust is urging those owners who have not microchipped their dog to make it their number one priority.

A tiny chip coded with a unique reference number is implanted via injection just under the skin between the shoulder blades. A hand-held scanner held over the area can identify the number which corresponds to a database of owner contact details.

As painless and brief as a normal jab, this procedure now accounts for 32% of dogs being reunited with their owners, a massive rise from 7% in 1999. Microchipping overtook the ID disc in effectiveness five years ago!*

This only represents a proportion of the lost dogs that were returned home, and does not reflect the overall numbers of strays in the UK. According to the last survey the total number has, sadly, increased.

Dogs Trust Chief Executive Clarissa Baldwin comments:

“Of the hundreds of stray dogs that come to our centres, it is heartbreaking to think that many once had loving homes.

“More and more dog owners are aware that microchipping is the most effective and proactive means of ensuring a lost pooch will be returned.

“If you haven’t had your pet microchipped, make this the month to do it. Dogs go missing all the time, for all sorts of reasons, and microchipping is by far the best precaution you can take to ensure your furry friend doesn’t end up on the streets, or even being put to sleep.”

Owners can expect to pay £20-£30 for microchipping at their local vets’ or £10 at our 17 Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres. You can find your nearest Centre by calling us on 020 8837 0006 or visiting www.dogstrust.org.uk.

All dogs adopted from our Centres are microchipped, neutered, vaccinated and health-checked before being released to their new owners.

*Please note that a collar and ID tag are required for dogs out in public under UK law.

Dogs Trust Statement: Response to RSPCA Conference / Increased dog fighting reports

Today the RSPCA has highlighted a rise in the number of calls it receives about dog fighting and is holding a summit to discuss dogs in the community.

Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, is totally opposed to any form of dog fighting and welcomes the increased penalties under the Animal Welfare Act and Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act. Representatives from Dogs Trust will be attending the summit.

However, dogs will not generally attack or fight unless provoked to do so or trained for fighting. The manner in which a dog is reared and trained is the greatest factor that influences the likelihood of aggression and so owners have a responsibility to train and supervise their dogs properly.

All dog owners should be encouraged to be responsible owners, regardless of the breed of dog. This includes keeping to the conditions under the Dangerous Dogs Act exemptions: microchipping your dog, keeping your dog under control (including use of lead and/or muzzle where necessary) and of course training, and keeping dogs in a way that discourages any inappropriate aggression. Dogs Trust urges the public not to punish individual breeds for the actions of irresponsible owners.

Some commentators in the media have called for the reintroduction of the dog licence. Dogs Trust does not believe this is a workable solution. A dog licence would penalise vulnerable dog owners but would not deter irresponsible owners. Dogs Trust believes tougher pet vending laws and increased education campaigns about responsible dog ownership are required.

Dogs Trust and Dragons' Den designer team up to launch Youdoodog

When Sarah Lu first brought the Youdoodoll to Dragons' Den and accepted an offer from Deborah Meaden, she might or might not have anticipated the success her customisable squidgy dolls brought her.

And what could be better than a Youdoodoll? A Youdoodog, of course!

Love it, pet it, take it for a walk, play with it or groom it... the Yoodoodog leaves classic toys like the Rubix Cub, Cabbage Patch dolls and Space Hopper gathering dust.

Exclusive to Dogs Trust, the Youdoodog goes on sale later this month costing just £19.99. It's the world's first ever make-your-own dog kit.

1. Choose a photo of your favourite furry friend.
2. Print it on the kit's transfer sheet.
3. Iron it onto the canvas creature to create your very own (perfectly trained) Youdoodog.

The ideal gift for someone who has everything - except, perhaps, a dog - the Youdoodog can be reserved from Dogs Trust by calling (01736) 336 999 or visiting www.dogstrustgifts.com. All profits from sales will be donated to Dogs Trust, and go on to help the thousands of dogs in our care live happy lives, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.