Dog rehoming hub opens in pilot scheme
SuppliedA community hub aiming to help dogs find a forever home has opened its doors as part of a pilot scheme.
The facility in Penrith, Cumbria, has a foodbank and offers advice on rehoming dogs, as well as support with behaviour issues.
Lisa Spence, centre manager for Dogs Trust Cumbria, which is behind the trial, said the hub was a place for dog lovers to come together.
It is hoped more hubs will open in other places if the scheme is successful.
Although the charity has a transfer centre just outiside Penrith and runs a foster-based rehoming programme, it does not have a rehoming centre in the town.
Spence said between 1,500 and 2,000 dogs came through to the Lazonby centre via the trust's ambulance service.
Supplied"Now a lot of those dogs will go on to our network of rehoming centres across the UK," she said.
"Some will stay with us in foster care but we also support the local strays within Cumbria and beyond so there's a real need for that.
"Without having a local Dogs Trust rehoming centre, this project allows us to reach communities that don't have that on their doorstep."
The hub opens officially on Saturday, but has been running for several weeks and a dog has already been rehomed through it.
"We're really looking to reach as many dogs as possible and this is a fantastic opportunity to bring that service to areas that maybe don't have access to rehoming centres," Spence added.
