The daily routine goes on at Loving Homes Dog Rescue, the dogs still need cleaned, fed, watered.  Walking, exercise, play and training goes on. Phone calls to answer, applications to sort and emails to respond to.

However, what’s not happening is volunteers coming in to walk and socialise with the dogs, home checks can’t be done, adopters and fosterers can’t come and meet potential dogs and fundraising has all but stopped.

The daily routine goes on for the dogs but the rescue has ground to a halt. The reality is LHDR can’t get dogs into their forever homes due to lock down. The staff are okay with this as they understand the top priority is to keep people safe. What is heart breaking is that they can’t help any more dogs as there is no more kennel room and the sanctuary is full.

These are not the only challenges the rescue faces: the inability to do fundraising is also having an impact. Dogs still need their medication, food, toys and heating. This and more comes at a cost, a cost that has always been covered by volunteers kindly giving up their own time to put on fundraisers to support the charity which is impossible to do in the current situation. Without this the small reserve they have is dwindling, there are grants out there, however LHDR and other rescues are struggling to get the approval as they are an animal welfare charity, and thus do not meet the criteria set by funding bodies, despite supporting the community in an individual way.

The rescue finds themselves in difficult times; as a member of staff said:

“We are worried, terrified in fact of the impact of lockdown. Though we do all we can for the dogs, to know that they can’t go to there forever homes and are stuck languishing in kennels breaks our hearts, but it’s for the best in this situation.

“But the real fear is the fundraising, with everything cancelled we have so little coming in we are worried that one emergency trip to the vets could see us left with nothing, then how do we make sure the dogs get fed?”

The effects of the lockdown on the rescue is clearly causing concern for the organisation and no doubt others.

The staff understand the impact and strain on finances the lockdown is having on households, however if you can support the dogs in any way please contact the Rescue on Facebook at Loving Homes Dog Rescue

or call (01856 781589);

should you be kind enough to make a monetary donation their paypal is enquiries@lovinghomesdogrescue.org.uk.

The charity also has an Amazon wish list that can be  found at:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/D7M7MN05MZBA?ref_=wl_share .

“Anything or any amount will help us and the dogs, we would be so grateful even just for a pound”