Dog rescue charities call for government support

Bramble's owner has died, leaving K9Focus to try and find her a new home

Dog rescue charities in the South West are calling for greater government support due to the demands being put on their services.

The charities say increases to the national living wage and national insurance contributions are making it harder to keep their kennels open, forcing them to rely heavily on foster carers.

North Devon charity K9Focus said the changes meant it was having to close its kennelling facility for rescue dogs.

The government said it supports charities "through one of the world's most generous tax regimes which provided £6bn in relief last year alone".

Lynne Hall, trustee of K9Focus, said the sector needs more funding and more foster carers.

She said the government does not provide funding to help with animal rescue work and called for it to "step up and provide some funds."

Last year another rescue charity North Devon Animal Ambulance closed down due to rising costs which further reduced the number rescue facilities.

K9Focus charity trustee, Lynne Hall, says the government needs to "step up and provide some funds."

Ms Hall said the rescue sector had changed since the Covid pandemic, with the charity now receiving seven or eight calls a day from people trying to rehome their dogs.

She described the situation as "heart-breaking".

"We could keep 15 dogs here and to see them empty is just awful, especially when you think we're going to see dogs being put to sleep", she said.

In Cornwall, St Francis dogs home in Newquay has been able to redevelop 10 new kennels and two isolation rooms thanks to a significant legacy donation.

Centre manager, Beverly Dobson, said this would enable them to take in some strays from local dog wardens who have struggled to find places due to a general shortage of rescue kennels.

Ms Dobson said "there is no such thing as government funding" for dog rescue charities.

She said some companies provide grants but they "are few and far between".

Beverly Dobson says "there is no such thing as government funding" for dog rescue charities

A government spokesperson for the Treasury said: "We support our charities through one of the world's most generous tax regimes for the sector which provided £6bn in relief for the sector last year alone, including exemptions from paying business rates in England."

"This comes on top of doubling the Employment Allowance to protect the smallest charities while creating a new Civil Society Covenant to usher in a new era of trust and partnership to tackle some of the country's biggest challenges."

A separate statement from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We regularly meet groups representing rescue centres to understand issues that are affecting the sector.

"We welcome the support the sector provides to communities, such as pet food banks and financial support with veterinary treatment, and we will continue to work with these groups."