Ailsa’s magic with animals puts her in line for award
NOMINATED BY HER TEAM AT THE DOGS TRUST
AN animal loving nana has been commended for her passion for pups.
Ailsa Sly is one of the most valued volunteers at Dogs Trust Darlington and after speaking to her, it’s easy to see why. The 64-year-old began volunteering at the Sadberge charity eight years ago, during which time she has seen hundreds of dogs find their forever homes.
After years of dedicated service she has become a fixture at the rehoming centre and says she loves every minute, but she didn’t pursue her passion for animals until later on in life.
After years as an office worker in the 3M technology warehouse, in Newton Aycliffe, a shock cancer diagnoses forced Ailsa to put herself first.
She took some time away from the office to receive treatment for breast cancer. When she returned she began to find it difficult and stressful. It was then that she decided to take early retirement and begin to pursue her passions, including becoming a volunteer for The Dogs Trust.
Ailsa said: “I actually left work because I had breast cancer, but I went back to work and found it a bit stressful. Then I just thought I want to do something that I want to do and I’m an animal lover.
“When I applied and got the letter I couldn’t believe it, I kept looking at it and just couldn’t believe it – and I’ve never looked back, I just love it.”
For the last eight years she has spent Wednesday and Friday mornings doing ‘anything and everything’ a volunteer at the rehoming centre could do. Kennel duties, admin, home checks or socialising puppies, there is no job too big or small. She has even been given the task of assisting pups receiving hydrotherapy treatment in the new hydro centre.
She cherishes bonding with the dogs and helping care for them until they find a home.
Ailsa said: “At the end of the day, I’ll do any job because all I want is that ultimate goal.
“It’s lovely when you hear that a dog has got a forever home. It’s just great.”
While she doesn’t have any dogs of her own, Ailsa does have three rescue cats at home – Frankie, Timmy and
Blue – who she loves coming home to after a day of helping out with the dogs. She also helps to care for her neighbour’s Labradoodle Sydney, who she regularly takes on walks after his owner’s wife died unexpectedly last year.
Now, thanks to her work with The Dogs Trust, Ailsa has been named as a finalist in the category Charity Volunteer of the Year at the 2023 Petplan & ADCH Animal Charity Awards. Nominated by her colleagues and volunteers, the mum-of-two said she was ‘overwhelmed’ when she got the call.
She said: “I was just finishing my shift, signing out and they said you need to ring Phil from Petplan. I was perplexed, I was thinking, ‘What’s going on here?,’ but when he told me over the phone it was such a shock and I was so overwhelmed.
“Once it sank in, I feel so proud to be nominated for the charity that I work for. To me I’m a winner anyway because I’ve never been nominated for anything like this.”
Ailsa will attend the awards ceremony in May at The International Conference Centre, in Telford, where she is looking forward to donning her glad-rags and getting to meet other animal lovers. While her husband can’t make the evening due to work commitments, she is taking a friend to enjoy the evening with.
On her retirement and charity work she said she loves what she does and has no plans to slow down; she even checks the website before every visit to see if any of her favourite dogs have found a new home.
Ailsa is grateful for the nomination and loves to work at the rehoming centre and getting to see her favourite dogs, Badger and Maggie, the lurchers, and Sky, the Akita-cross.
She added: “I’ve made loads of friends there over the years and they always know that I’m there to help them and I’ll do anything for them.”