With emergency funding from The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, Hope Rescue has been able to continue to help abandoned dogs overcome health issues and find forever homes, despite the pandemic.
Set against a backdrop of major challenges posed by Covid-19, Hope Rescue based in Llanharan has helped 481 dogs in need since March – including 211 dogs that were handed over because their owners could no longer take care of them. A recent survey by The Kennel Club found that more than one in ten Welsh dog owners (14 per cent) worry about being able to afford to take care of their dog; an alarming figure for organisations like Hope Rescue.
Hope Rescue received financial support from The Kennel Club Charitable Trust as part of the organisation’s Emergency Relief Initiative launched in April to support canine rescue and training organisations affected by Covid-19. The money helped the rescue organisation to pay for emergency veterinary treatment and other fees, and secured a future for numerous abandoned dogs.
One of the dogs whose life was turned around thanks to Hope Rescue is 8-year-old Brave, who was found collapsed on a remote road near Llanwonno Mountain. Vanessa Waddon, coordinator at Hope Rescue commented on Brave’s story: “When Brave was found, he was in a sorry state. Abandoned alone in mountains, he was weak and eaten alive by maggots. We rushed him to vets who had to remove the worms one by one.”
Brave’s muscles were weak and he required intensive care and therapy to recover, but spending several months in loving foster care and receiving top-notch treatment has much improved his condition. He has now found a forever home, with owners dedicated to his full recovery.
Cases that Hope Rescue deals with are various, including rescuing pregnant dogs, like a year-and-half-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Belle, who was signed over to vets as her owners couldn’t afford her emergency caesarean section. Hope Rescue agreed to take care of Belle and her five healthy puppies, and nursed her back to health after her difficult surgery.
“All her puppies thrived and quickly found amazing new homes, and so did Belle,” added Vanessa. “It was really thanks to the donation from The Kennel Club Charitable Trust we could help her and other dogs in emergency situations this year.”
Other dogs that Hope Rescue saved since lockdown include best friends Griff and Llew whose owner sadly passed away, and nine-month-old Doberman Arlo who was saved from being put to sleep as his owners couldn’t afford to pay for surgery on his broken leg. Thanks to the hard work of Hope Rescue, Griff and Llew were rehomed together and Arlo’s leg and life were saved.
Reverend Bill King, Chairman of The Kennel Club Charitable Trust said: “It is very rewarding to see the results of the support we provided to Hope Rescue and other important organisations during the recent, very difficult months. Hope Rescue does an incredible job in helping dogs with different background stories, nursing them back to health and finding them loving forever homes and we are happy to see them continue their rescue efforts throughout the pandemic so no dogs were left behind.”
The Emergency Relief Initiative was launched during the height of the pandemic in April by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust and The Kennel Club Educational Trust to support canine organisations suffering genuine financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. Since its launch, the support programme helped dozens of rescue, welfare and training organisations across the UK.
To find out more and support organisations like Hope Rescue by donating to The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, visit thekennelclub.org.uk/KCCT.
