Barking news! Tails wagging as Dogs Trust Cardiff welcome first doggy residents

Dogs Trust Cardiff has officially welcomed its first doggy residents who were given a very warm and waggy welcome by staff at the charity’s brand new rehoming centre.

Some of the first dogs through the doors and hoping to soon be on their way to their forever homes include:

·       Alaska

Gentle giant Alaska is a seven-year-old Great Dane cross who loves people. She’s looking for a quiet, calm home environment with owners who will give her plenty of love and affection. Once she knows you, she loves a fuss and could live with another dog and children aged 11 plus.

·       Buddy

Buddy is always on the go and one of his favourite things is to play fetch with a ball. He’s a five-year-old Jack Russell Terrier looking for an active home that will keep him on his toes! He could live with children aged 11 and above.

·       Mila

One-year-old Cockerpoo Mila is full of beans! She’s a sweet girl who is shy at first but soon comes around after a gentle approach and tasty treats. She enjoys meeting dogs when out and about but would need to be the only pet in the home. She could live with sensible children aged 11 and above.

The new arrivals, along with all of the dogs that will come into the care of Dogs Trust Cardiff, will be able to take advantage of the brand new facilities, which include comfortable, spacious and underfloor heated kennels, dedicated play areas and all-weather exercise paddocks set within eight acres just a stone’s throw from Cardiff Bay.

The state-of-the-art rehoming centre based near the City Centre on Nettlefold Road, has been in the making for over two years, but the team can now start welcoming dogs who find themselves in need of a new home.

As well as rehoming dogs to loving new families, Dogs Trust goes to huge lengths to help stray and abandoned dogs and rehabilitate those dogs in need of a little extra help, and the Cardiff Rehoming Centre will be no different. With a dedicated Training and Behaviour team, a full veterinary suite, and even a hydrotherapy suite, dogs of all shapes and sizes will be offered all the help they need in order to find a new home.

Dogs Trust Cardiff will also be a base for other teams who help to promote responsible dog ownership across South Wales, including Education Officers who provide dog safety workshops and resources to schools, and Dog School South Wales who provide dog and puppy training classes.

Angela Wetherall, Manager at Dogs Trust Cardiff, said: 

“The wait is finally over and we couldn’t be more excited to bring Dogs Trust to Cardiff and we are absolutely delighted to finally welcome the first doggy residents to our site, giving them all the care and attention they need until they find their forever homes.

“Dogs Trust Cardiff will complement the amazing work done by our other South Wales-based rehoming centre in Bridgend, and together we hope to be able to help even more dogs and dog owners across the region and beyond.

“Bringing a rehoming centre to Cardiff was the dream of our late Chief Executive and patriotic Welshman Adrian Burder, and we are proud to be continuing his dream by turning it into reality.”

The full facilities include: 

• 74 glass fronted kennels – with underfloor heating so that our dogs can be cosy or cool all year round.
• Full veterinary suite as well as  hydrotherapy and physiotherapy rooms
• A specialist puppy rearing suite, with two large puppy kennels and whelping rooms for any pregnant doggy mums
• 20 exercise paddocks and runs – with a specially landscaped area for practising lead walking
• Training Hall – to help teach dogs new tricks
• Grooming suite

The arrival of the first dogs marks the start of a phased opening of Dogs Trust Cardiff, and at full capacity will be able to care for and rehome around 1,000 dogs each year.

If you are interested in adopting a dog from Dogs Trust Cardiff, please visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming to start the adoption process. As with all Dogs Trust rehoming centres, rehoming is currently by appointment only, and Dogs Trust Cardiff is not open for walk-in visits.

In the near future, Dogs Trust Cardiff will also be holding Information Days on pre-arranged dates where members of the public can have a quiet look around the centre and meet the team. Visit www.dogstrust.org.uk for details.

If you are struggling and are thinking of giving up your dog for adoption, please visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/giving-up-your-dog or call 0300 303 2188 and we’ll do everything we can to help.