Published: 20/04/2015
Monday 20 April 2015. For immediate release
COPELAND Council is continuing its good work with a local kennels to rehome stray dogs.
The authority has, in the last year, managed to return or rehome all but one of the 133 stray dogs rescued by its officers. Of the remainder, 64 dogs were reunited with their owners and 68 were found new homes.
Copeland works with Whinmill Kennels in Harrington to ensure strays are taken to a caring environment and then kept until a home can be found for them. Only in the most extreme circumstances is a dog put to sleep.
Julie Betteridge, Copeland’s Director of Customer and Community Services, said: “We do all we can to see dogs either returned to their owners or sent to a new home - even though the law does not require us to. We have been working with Whinmill Kennels for a year now and together we make sure that putting dogs to sleep is a last resort. I am delighted with these figures and it speaks volumes for the efforts of the Whinmill staff when endeavouring to find loving homes for these pets.”
Pam and Bob Sowerby, who run the kennels, are rightly proud of their record for returning and rehoming strays.
Pam said: “We are dog lovers - we have had them, and the kennels, for 30 years. We have forged an excellent relationship with the Dogs Trust, who never put a healthy dog down, and regularly drive dogs up to Carlisle to meet with their representatives.
“We too would never put a dog down unless it was too aggressive to be rehomed. We make every effort to find them a caring new home.”
When a stray dog is reported in Copeland, specially trained officers will initially try to see whether it has simply run off from a nearby owner or home. Failing that the dog will be brought to the kennels while efforts are made to trace the owner – who then pays for the kennel fees and the return of the dog. This happens in about half the cases.
When an owner cannot be traced the dog will be rehomed by Whinmill or passed on to a rescue centre where they will not be put down.
If you see a stray dog in Copeland, it can be reported to Copeland Council by calling 0845 054 8600.
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