ANIMAL charity Dogs Trust has celebrated five years since opening its hub in Penrith.
A birthday event was held on Monday, May 13, attended by His Majesty’s deputy lieutenant of Cumbria Mrs Tess Hart MBE, Dogs Trust CEO Owen Sharp, and dedicated staff, supporters, and volunteers.
Dogs Trust opened its Penrith Transfer Centre in May 2019. Although there is no traditional rehoming centre in the county, the team in Penrith supports the rehoming of thousands of dogs every year by collecting and transferring dogs in the charities dog ambulances, many from stray pounds, and taking them to Dogs Trust 21 centres around the UK for rehoming.
It's explained that what is offered at the Penrith centre is 'completely unique' and the work that the ambulance fleet does is 'vital.'
There are currently six ambulances, each covering an average of 1,000 miles per week. Since opening in 2019, the team at Penrith has helped over 9,000 dogs go on to find new homes.
Penrith Transfer Centre manager, Lisa Spence said: “Five years has gone by so quickly and it was the right time to stop and reflect on how far we have come in this time. I am so proud of my team and wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to not only the staff but also our wonderful foster carers, centre- based volunteers and anyone who has adopted one of our dogs.
“The support we receive from locals in Cumbria is priceless and we couldn’t achieve all that we do without the passionate help of locals. We are always looking for more volunteers so would love to hear from anyone who wants to join us in helping dogs in Cumbria in the years to come.”
In addition to the work of the ambulance drivers, in January 2022, the team at Dogs Trust Cumbria began rehoming directly from foster homes in the county, meaning that some of the dogs collected by the ambulance drivers now remain in Cumbria for rehoming. This has proved a huge success resulting in over 500 dogs being adopted to date.
Speaking at the birthday event, Dogs Trust CEO Owen Sharp said: “It is fantastic to be in Cumbria to celebrate all the team has achieved in five years of working from Penrith.
"Since 2019, over 9,000 dogs have had their lives changed for the better thanks to the incredible dedication of the Dogs Trust Cumbria team."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here