Dogs Trust Merseyside is celebrating this month as Manager Georgina celebrates 20 years of finding dogs new homes. 
Georgina Lowery, who was a Lance Corporal in the army working as a dog trainer for seven years before joining Dogs Trust in 1999, joined the charity even before the Huyton-based rehoming centre threw open its doors to the public.
Georgina says: “We opened in August, but there was lots to do before then. Of course, we have to get the site ready but also recruit and train staff and welcome dogs for the very first time, so we could settle the in before the dog-loving public came to see if we had their ideal canine companion.
“It was exciting and nerve wracking but I’m proud to say that from the very first day we opened we have had fantastic support and have been able to find our dogs wonderful forever homes.”
Georgina joined as Assistant Manager and was appointed as Manager of the rehoming centre in 2007. Since opening, Dogs Trust Merseyside has found new families for more than 12,000 dogs and she herself has adopted seven, including nine-year old Lurcher Ella and eleven-year old Crossbreed Asha who currently live with her.
She says: “You never tire of seeing our dogs heading home with their excited new families, that’s one think that never changes. What has changed is that there are now fewer strays, but sadly dogs are still seen as disposable items and discarded as people would discard a pair of shoes because they are no longer fashionable, which is very, very sad.
“We celebrated the 4th year of our slogan ‘A Dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ last year and my hope for the future is that we continue to educate people to help them understand dogs through our work in schools and also through Dogs Trust Dog School, and to help them appreciate that a dog really is for life and something to commit to and cherish.”
To find out more about the dogs waiting for their new homes at Dogs Trust Merseyside you can visit www.dogstrust.org.uk.
