Sylvia and Billy were instrumental in kennels’ success
PADS’story began in the late 1980s when a kindly Perth lady named Sylvia Hales formed a charity called Perth Dog Aid, a group of devoted dog lovers who found foster homes for animals who had ended up in the Perth Dog Pound.
“This was a filthy, disease-ridden compound for stray dogs,”said PADS chairperson Alison Kennedy,“a terrible place in which the animals spent their last miserable days before they were put to sleep.
“Thankfully, such a place would never bepermittedtoexistinthiscountrytoday.”
A little later the charity was named PADS and money was eventually raised to build kennels at the old station in Forteviot.
Since then, the charity has been recognised as the benchmark for all animal rescue shelters in Scotland.
Alison continued:“It is true to this day that when you are out walking your dog in Perthshire you are very likely to meet at least one other walker whose dog came from PADS.”
And it was a Comrie man who helped build the palatial PADS kennels.
Alison paid tribute to Billy Geddes, who passed away in 2018.
He was the driving force behind the construction of the facilities at Forteviot.
Billy lived in Comrie with his wife Mary.
They recruited a lot of locals to support PADS fundraising efforts in the early days.
And Billy, who was a master builder, put his own business on hold for a year to take over the building of the kennels.
Alison continued:“Without his determination and skills PADS may not have come into being.
“He was the driving force in those early years and was a‘force of nature’, who did so much to establish the charity.
“All that PADS has achieved is largely due to the wonderful start it got from Billy Geddes.”
PADS kennels are currently closed but if you are interested in finding out more about the charity, or in donating or giving a home to an abandoned dog, go to the PADS website - padsdogrescue. com - call 01764 684491 or email padskennels@btinternet.com