Bellway hosts dog walking day at Fradley development and donates £350 to rescue and rehoming centre
Dogs in need of homes took part in a dog walking event at Bellway’s Sheasby Park development in Fradley near Lichfield.
The dogs were brought to the development by dog rescue and rehoming centre the Max and George Trust.
The organisation, based in Curborough on the outskirts of Lichfield, was also given a £350 donation by the homebuilder on the day, with the money to go towards vets’ bills for rescued dogs.
Residents at the development were invited to come along for a coffee and bring their dogs for a stroll as well. Many of them brought donations for the centre, including blankets, towels, and dog food.
Nicola Adamson, trustee at the Max and George Trust, said: “An unprecedented number of pet owners are surrendering or abandoning their dogs right now for a number of heart-breaking reasons.
“On average we are answering 80 calls a week from the public asking us to take in their dogs. We also support our local dog wardens, police and vets when they require our assistance too. These dogs in need often require urgent veterinary attention, which is extremely costly, particularly outside of standard practice hours.
“Monetary donations like this ensure we can continue saying ‘yes’ to those who have nowhere else to go.
“We are thrilled that Bellway has chosen to support our cause. As we all know, dogs often turn a house into a home, which is obviously at the centre of Bellway’s ethos when creating communities and beautiful housing, so we feel we are a fitting choice.”
The trust’s work includes taking in dogs from people who need to surrender their pet because they can no longer care for them, rescuing dogs who would otherwise be put down by other shelters, or are in dire living conditions, searching for lost dogs, and overseeing the adoption of dogs in need of a good home. It takes dogs to provide enrichment at care homes and visits local schools to raise awareness about dog care and the work the trust does.
Nicola welcomed the donations from residents that were brought during the dog walking event. She said: “More four-legged residents means more mouths to feed. At the moment we are getting through approximately 100 tins of wet dog food a day.
“Donations of wet food, towels, blankets and Blitz pet shampoo contribute towards keeping the dogs warm, clean and fed, which is all every dog ever wants. Thankfully love is free, and we give them that in spades.”
Bellway West Midlands Sales Manager Rachel Marner said: “The dog walking day at Sheasby Park was a perfect opportunity for new residents to get together and get to know each other. Walking a dog is a great way to meet the community and our faithful friends can be such good ice breakers when getting to know new people.
“The Max and George Trust has been doing an important job locally for many years caring for sick, abandoned and homeless dogs and finding them new homes. Centres like this are costly to run as they need to feed and look after the animals as well as paying vets bills too, so we were happy to support them with a £350 donation.”
The Sheasby Park development has been designed with open space, wildlife habitats and footpaths.
It is the second dog walking day organised by Bellway at Sheasby Park as it held an event last year to give new residents there a chance to meet, enjoy some refreshments and take their dogs for a walk together.
To find out more about the Max and George Trust, visit maxandgeorgetrust.org.uk.
