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Queen to open new kennels at Battersea
Batersea
The new block will provide accommodation for 56 dogs.

Kennels to provide a calming environment for the home's most vulnerable dogs

Her Majesty The Queen will visit Battersea Dogs & Cats Home tomorrow (17 March) to officially open the charity's new state-of-the-art kennels.

The £4.8m new kennel development will provide a welcome home to lost, abandoned, or unwanted puppies at the world-famous rescue centre.

The Queen, who became Patron of Battersea in 1956, will be shown how the new canine facilities will play a vital role in supporting the dogs during their early days at Battersea, improving and speeding up their journey towards a loving new home.

Claire Horton, chief executive of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home says: “We are truly thrilled Her Majesty is opening our new kennels at Battersea and sharing with us the most important day for the home in decades. This is the biggest development in the home’s history and we’re honoured to have our Royal Patron meeting some of the many animals that will benefit from these new facilities.”
 
“The kennels, named in honour of Battersea’s pioneering founder Mary Tealby, are inspired by the needs of, and our love for, our animals. Battersea has worked tirelessly to provide shelter to three million stray and unwanted dogs since first opening its doors in 1860 and our mission remains the same today as it was then – to aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of our help.”

The new kennels will replace noisy and out-dated Victorian facilities that were closed in 2012 after providing a home to around one million dogs over the centuries.

Designed by Battersea and award-winning architects Jonathan Clark Associates, the new block will provide accommodation for 56 dogs. With a focus on providing a quiet, calming environment for the home's most vulnerable dogs, each kennel has built-in speakers to play calming music and an external run area. Adjoining paddocks have paddling pools, climbing mounds, play equipment, and plants to awaken and interest dogs' senses.

It is hoped that the new kennels will help Battersea to respond to an all-time high demand for its services. In the past three years, the charity has noted an 84 per cent increase in calls from owners wanting to give up their dogs to the centre.

Image (C) Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.