Happy Silver Anniversary, Clarissa!

In 1986, the Chairman's report in our Annual Review began:

“This has been a disappointing year, exceptionally so, for we have had to close three rescue centres”

Not the most auspicious of starts for the new CEO, Clarissa Baldwin, who just a few years before had coined the phrase 'a dog is for life, not just for Christmas'.

But the following years were to prove rather more fruitful, and this year we're celebrating 25 years of Clarissa being at the helm of what is now that UK's largest dog welfare charity.

At the end of 1986, Dogs Trust owned 9 rehoming centres and rented space at another 4 kennels. Those centres did what they could but in all honesty the building standards weren’t high and around 6,000 dog were cared for over the course of a year.

Today, Dogs Trust has 18 rehoming centres across the UK and Ireland. A brand new centre is under construction and planning permission has been lodged for another. When these latest additions are complete, around 18,000 stray and abandoned dogs a year will be cared for and the standard of care offered to canine guests is second to none.

The NCDL of 1986 couldn’t afford to tackle the stray dog problem at source. There were no neutering, microchipping or youth education campaigns. We couldn’t even afford to neuter our own dogs. All of these issues have now been addressed which has helped to ensure that the numbers of dogs destroyed in UK pounds is a fraction of what it was in the eighties. However, it must be stressed that even in the cash strapped days of 1986, Dogs Trust did not destroy any healthy dogs.

Thanks to Clarissa’s determination and visionary leadership - she will cringe when she reads that but it’s a fact - it’s been a truly remarkable 25 years.

So on behalf of all the staff and dogs at Dogs Trust, Happy Anniversary! Here's to the next chapter.

Daniel nominates CEO Clarissa for Mail's Inspirational Women of the Year

From time to time our office pooch, Daniel the Spaniel features on this blog. Today, he's completely taking over! He's got a message to share, folks! He really wants his best mate, Dogs Trust CEO, Clarissa Baldwin to win the Daily Mail's Inspirational Women of the Year Awards. He also wants to let you in on some gossip from behind the scenes on the photoshoot (and that fantastic candid photo above):

“Morning all, I’ve just been asked for my autograph on my morning walk in the woods today. I’ve been recognised because I’m on page 75 of today’s Daily Mail, being hugged by the big boss, Clarissa Baldwin.

Although the article is ostensibly about Clarissa and her tireless work saving dogs’ lives, and we both look nice in the photo (my ears look particularly fluffy) I thought I’d share with you the real behind the scenes gossip.

I’d been rushed off my paws all day at work, what with welcoming visitors to the office, barking at two new office dogs (hello Baggins and Huffle) and chomping six custard creams someone had thoughtfully left on their desk for me (sorry Adam.)

So imagine my surprise when my owner told me I had to do a photo shoot right at the end of the day. I was most put out about my ears and chest having to be groomed on a non–designated grooming day, then - insult to injury – was told I would have to sit still and smile nicely for the camera.

I had a better idea. When the photographer asked me to sit still I ran around the roof terrace, and when the big boss asked me to sit nicely on her lap I decided to run away and bark my head off. I thought it was very funny, but the humans looked a bit serious.

I’m pleased that after all my mucking about the photo came out nicely in the end though. Most importantly, I was handsomely rewarded with some yummy gravy bones. I’m just waiting for the paparazzi to start following me around now!”

You can read the whole article and nominate Clarissa today here on the Daily Mail website.

Pictures credit: Jenny Goodall, Daily Mail