9:57am Tuesday 20th January 2009
STAFF at a Bucks dog rescue centre managed to rehome 17 dogs in the last four weeks alone.
The animals, which had been cared for at the Stokenchurch Dog Rescue Centre, were matched up to suitable families.
Not only were the dogs monitored to make sure that they were ready to be rehomed, but visits were carried out to their new families to assess the new home.
Dog welfare officer Susan Berryman, pictured right with Barney, said: “These people weren’t just coming in at Christmas – they’ve been registered for a while on our books.
“The dog is matched to the person’s circumstance. We’re careful to match the right person with the right dog.”
The centre, which is in Oxford Road, Stoken-church, takes in strays and dogs that other pounds can no longer hold.
Many of the animals would have been put down if they had not been taken in.
The dogs receive a ten day assessment with reviews by trainer Pauline Whittaker.
If the dog has behaviour problems it will be sent on a training course which could last six months or longer.
Susan said that Stokenchurch Dog Rescue only puts a dog down if it has major health problems.
“We have dogs here that have been here a long time with behaviour issues and we don’t put them to sleep,” she said.
One of the centre’s success stories is Barney, a three-year-old basenji cross.
After inspecting Barney staff found that the former stray had been abused in the past, possibly by being struck on the back legs.
Whenever anyone tried to touch his legs he would become aggressive.
Following the training programme, however, his character has improved.
Now the centre has found a couple to take Barney in, and his new family have promised to continue his training.
Rescue centre trustee Geoff Perfitt said: “Part of the success is down to more time being spent by our staff on training the dogs and also we now let some dogs go out to a possible new home on trial for a week or more. None of those dogs have been returned to us and so it seems our new policy is working.”
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