Dog rescue charity fears for its future
Oakwood Dog Rescue specialises in rehoming former street dogs from overseas
- Published
A dog rescue charity in Hull is trying to find a new city centre shop after being given 30 days' notice to leave its current unit.
Oakwood Dog Rescue said its shop on King Edward Street was its best source of income.
However, the charity said it had been told it needed to vacate the unit because the Prospect Shopping Centre, in which it is located, had been sold by NewRiver Retail to another landlord.
The BBC has contacted NewRiver Retail for comment.
Fundraiser Leanne Bottomley said: “We’re absolutely devastated because we never thought we’d lose it.
“We’re actively looking for another space but until we find one, we’re going to struggle.”
Oakwood Dog Rescue opened the shop through Community Spaces, which helps charities find affordable empty retail premises.
Ms Bottomley explained: “It’s not a lease that we hold. It’s a 28-day rolling one.
"We just pay the business rates and the bills. We don’t pay rent on it.”
The charity has been given 30 days to vacate its unit in the Prospect Shopping Centre
In an email to the charity which it shared on social media, a representative of Community Spaces said: "We have just been informed that the Prospect Centre has been sold by NewRiver to another landlord.
"This means your landlord, NewRiver the current owners, are serving notice on all occupiers who are in occupation under special terms."
“I think everyone’s a little bit scared,” Ms Bottomley said.
She explained the charity came close to having to close due to a lack of funds last year, saying: “Without our main source of income we’re back to begging the public to help us keep the rescue afloat.”
The charity currently has about 20 dogs in its kennels, many from Romania.
Kennel manager Maria Hollis said it was not always easy to rehome the dogs.
“They are so nervous,” she said.
“Sometimes it can take a good year or so in the home until they are ready to start asking the adopters for cuddles, but the rewards you get from them when they do ask for that first stroke or they take their first steps out into the garden, it’s so rewarding for them.”
Ms Bottomley said she feared for dogs that needed rescuing.
"All the rescues in the UK are so full," she said.
"Everyone’s struggling. There’s rescues closing down so I dread to think. If there’s nowhere for them to go and we can’t pay the rent, we’re really in a bad spot if that happens.”
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