The Dogs Trust Canine Care Card

My colleague Phoebe and I were invited to visit the Dogs Trust by Support Relations Officer Ella Tonge. We went into a really friendly and open plan reception area where we were met and greeted by friendly staff.

Ella took us on an in-depth tour of the facility which has been open for five years. Any need a dog may have is catered for, and considering they care for between 650 and 1,000 dogs per year this is no mean feat.

One of the first specialisms that Ella showed us was a hydro-physio tank. This is only one of two in the country and is an underwater treadmill for aerobic exercise to help overweight dogs lose weight or to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis that some of the dogs suffer from.

There is also an onsite vet suite that was donated to the centre by a retired vet in his Will. There is an area for minor procedures such as microchipping and dental work to take place plus there is an operating theatre – as all dogs that are taken in by the Dogs Trust are neutered prior to being rehomed. There is also an onsite behaviourist.

The Dogs Trust is a charity and therefore relies on donations. If you have any toys or an old Wendy house that are no longer used, please think about donating these items. ‘Playtime’ is valuable to the dogs and puppies as they require stimulation and soft toys provide comfort to them.

It is evident that people get puppies without fully acknowledging how much continuing work is involved. Puppies have unrivalled energy, they need training and for time to be spent with them. People find they cannot cope with a demanding puppy and therefore they get given to the Dogs Trust to be rehomed. If you are thinking of getting a puppy, why not attend one of the Dogs Trust talks? It will provide a lot of useful information so you’ll know what to expect when caring for a puppy.

There is an Education Officer who travels around Leicestershire schools to teach pupils about how to behave around dogs. Training is something that features heavily within what the Dogs Trust do, they run muzzle training classes, puppy training, what to do if your dog is scared of fireworks and preparing your dog for the arrival of a baby into the house.

There are also a lot of puppies waiting to be rehomed due to various quarantine issues such as incorrect pet passports and the illegal movement of animals for breeding purposes.

The care that the dogs receive from the Dogs Trust team is second to none; every single thing has been thought of and considered. The dogs are taken on up to four walks per day (depending on their exercise requirements), they are wonderfully cared for and receive lots of fuss and attention.

What is also noticeable about the centre is how eco-friendly it is. Being a charity they have to be extremely careful about expenditure such as energy costs. The majority of the buildings have grass growing on the roofs in order to provide insulation. There are also windows fitted in the roofs to allow fresh air to circulate. Rain water is caught, saved and cleaned and used to wash out the kennels.

There is a laundry room on site as bedding is changed daily. There is also a groom room where the dogs have a bath and can be clipped if their fur has not been maintained.

Ella also told us about the Canine Care Card, a card that a person registers that reflects their wishes for their dog to be rehomed by the Dogs Trust if they pass away first.

This scheme is so valuable and will hopefully encourage people who may have been reluctant about rehoming a dog (perhaps due to age) that it will continue to be cared for when they are no longer able to care for the dog themselves.

For more information about registering for a Canine Care Card please follow this link: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/get-involved/wills-legacies/canine-care-card/

Not everybody is aware that you have to make provisions for your pets within your Will as pets are classified as part of your property and continue to be your responsibility to make arrangements for. This is another reason the Canine Care Card is so relevant - if people do not make provision for their pets in their Will the pets may end up in a centre that is not as professional as the Dogs Trust. Having been there, I am safe in the knowledge there is nowhere better for a dog to stay until it finds new owners.

For more information about writing or reviewing a Will, Trusts and Lasting Powers of Attorney please contact our specialist team on 0116 212 1000 / 01858 445 480. We are able to see you at any of our offices in Leicester, Wigston and Market Harbrough. We can also see you at home if that is more convenient.

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