Dedicated animal expert Marion Garnett, founder of the Ealing Animal Charities Fair, continues her column
TRUDIE has just been asked to take ownership of a Patterdale terrier – she doesn’t even know his name. All she knows is that he is in a dog pound and if she doesn’t take him, he will die.
When a stray dog is found, it’s usually taken to a dog pound (via a dog warden) where it waits for a minimum of seven days to be claimed by its owner. If the dog has not been claimed by the end of those seven days, it can be rehomed. Dogs who receive no offers from a rehoming centre to take it in are at risk of being put to sleep. According to Trudie, one dog every hour is put to sleep in the UK in a dog pound.
Trudie founded Doris Banham Dog Rescue (DBDR), in order to rescue, from pounds, dogs who are at the end of their seven day period of detention and are definitely going to be put to sleep. She continually gets calls from pounds asking her to take dogs.
Her criteria for taking a dog are that, if she doesn’t take that dog it will die (it has had no rescue offers), can she afford to take the dog and does she have a free kennel.
She rescues as many as she can regardless of age, breed, veterinary condition and training needs. But she can’t rescue them all.
At present DBDR cares for over 80 dogs costing more than £8,000 a month in kennelling alone. She has rescued over 15,000 dogs since 2004.
Although Trudie collects dogs from pounds around the country and rehomes all around the country including London, the dogs are cared for in Nottinghamshire. The kennels there puts them through quarantine, and assesses their veterinary and retraining needs. When ready, they are available for rehoming.
Ready for rehoming now are Angel and Simba – mother and son who were found in a filthy condition wandering the streets. They are devoted to each other. This photo was taken just after their first bath. If you are interested in homing Angel and Simba, see dorisbanhamdogrescue.org or call 07984 143253.
Many readers will have met Trudie as, for several years, she has had a stall at the Ealing Animal Charities Fair. They will be pleased to know last week she won the International Fund for Animal Welfare Animal Action Award for Dog Rescue.
Meanwhile, I’ve just heard from Trudie that the Patterdale Terrier is, as we speak, currently in transit to the Nottinghamshire kennels.