Summer is coming
The summer is approaching and soon we shall all be more inclined towards spending time in the great outdoors.
This is especially welcome news for the dog owners amongst us, who will find their daily walks with their canine friends distinctly more enjoyable. This country is blessed with such beautiful countryside, and what better way to enjoy it than with a four –legged companion? If you are not lucky enough to have a dog at present, we at Dogs Trust are always on the look out for new volunteers to assist with walking the 16,000 dogs in our care.
Dog Rescue
Some of you may have been watching Dog Rescue, a fly-on-the-wall documentary about Dogs Trust West London and Manchester Dogs Home which is screened on ITV every Sunday evening for the next three weeks. It had 3.2 million viewers in the second week, which is a staggering number and so heartwarming to see that rescue dogs are topping the TV viewing charts!
For the past few months an ITV film crew has been following staff at our Rehoming Centre in Harefield, West London, to capture the day to day life of a busy dog rescue centre.
A dog is for life, not just for Christmas
One of the nice things about writing a blog during the run up to Christmas is that amid the frantic business of shopping, cooking and socialising it gives one the perfect excuse to spend a quiet moment reflecting on the past year and planning for the future.
It would be quite wrong of me to write a festive blog (ugly word, useful tool) without mentioning my favourite saying
Greyhound Report
As one of the assessors for Lord Donoughue’s independent review, I am pleased that the long awaited report into the Regulation of the Greyhound Industry has now been published. I am sure the next few weeks will see a flurry of activity with differing views on what is, and what is not, included in the 150 page report.
There will undoubtedly be those who think it is the answer to the future of greyhound racing and others that feel it has not been as revolutionary as they had hoped and expected.
Westminster Dog of the Year
I couldn’t help but smile to myself last week at the typically British scene unfolding before my eyes. It was our Westminster Dog of the Year competition, and despite the relentless drizzle and ominous grey clouds, everyone present – four-legged and two-legged – was in high spirits. I think the brandy in the coffee may have helped!
It’s the one day of the political year when media attention is not focused on the MPs’ policies and personalities, but on their best friend; their dog. The MPs also get the chance to show the nation that no one is too important to have their face slobbered upon – or scoop the poop.
A Packed Summer
It is now September and it is some weeks since I wrote a blog. My only excuse is that the summer has been packed full of activity and, in particular, I have enjoyed meeting so many supporters at events over the past few weeks. Thank you to the many thousands of you who managed to attend one of the Open Days at our Rehoming Centres which I hope you enjoyed as much as we do.
I receive a number of moving mails from supporters which I love to read. A recent posting on Doggy Snaps titled, “Dogs Trust made my little girls dreams come true” really touched my heart;
Supporting the Underdogs
By now, millions of dog lovers will have seen the new BBC2 programme The Underdog Show. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a brief synopsis…
Eight celebrities have teamed up with eight of the dogs in our centres and now have to undergo a crash course in dog training. Each week (for six weeks), the celebs have to undergo tasks which demonstrate their dog handling skills – all under the eye of three watchful judges. A vote at the end of each show decides who stays in the competition and who is in the dog house.
Welsh Rarebit
We see and hear so much about the maltreatment of dogs, so it’s always nice to have a story that warms the heart. Here’s a picture of a very special dog who was recently abandoned in South Wales and subsequently brought to our Bridgend Rehoming Centre.
Google, Pop Trivia and Responsible Dog Ownership
I’ve been driving myself insane for a few days. I haven’t been able to get a song lyric out of my head. Lying in bed at night listening to my brain singing (wailing?) “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the waaaaay” - time after time. What maddened me is that I couldn’t remember anything else about the song.
Finally, after remembering that this is the 21st Century, one Google search put me out of my misery. “The Greatest Love of All”, George Benson, 1977, recorded for the Muhammad Ali film “The Greatest”. Whitney Houston, 1986, #1 in Australia and USA, #8 in the UK, a lowly #21 in Germany. Peace at last.