DoggySnaps.com is a new website, from Dogs Trust, for uploading and sharing your dog pictures! There’s a forum to chat with other dog lovers and even charts, showing the oldest dog, most viewed pictures, most common names, and more.

Visit now, upload your photos and meet other dog fans at DoggySnaps.

The Vanguard Building, well known to commuters stuck in traffic jams on the A40, is now home to the enormous black and white mutt. The trust’s intention is to raise awareness of its new Harefield Rehoming Centre and is accompanied by television advertising.

The centre has been designed to provide a far better experience for both dogs and visitors, than seen before. Set in 16 acres of farmland, seventy-five glass-fronted kennels, featuring underfloor heating, will be home to around 1,600 dogs each year. Specially positioned sniffer-holes enable the dogs to interact with potential owners, while the glass fronts help reduce noise and stress.

Facilities even include a real life behaviour suite, with one way glass viewing, helping with behavioural assessments and a grooming suite with tiered shower stations. A healthy lifestyle is assured, thanks to a dedicated vetinary facility and open exercise paddocks. One of the centre’s main innovations has to be its special puppy block, which allows mothers and pups to learn and exercise in safety.

Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust Chief Executive, said:

“Such care and attention has been paid to every aspect of the centre, from the heated, glass fronted kennels, to fantastic visitor facilities, to the real life rooms and puppy play areas. By changing the way people view rescue centres and providing the best possible facilities for the dogs, visitors and staff alike, we can hopefully rehome more dogs.”

In keeping with its commitment to responsible dog ownership, Dogs Trust has worked to ensure that wildlife living in the area is protected. Special bat-friendly roof tiles accommodate the local pipistrelle bats and numerous owl and sparrow boxes make the new centre a great home for birds, as well as the resident dogs.

Although their path to Harefield may be filled with sad stories, the dogs that make it to the centre are the lucky ones. Last year, local authorities killed 8,000 stray dogs; equivalent to 150 dogs each week. Dogs Trust is working hard to ensure dogs are free of the threat of unnecessary destruction. Find out how you can support Dogs Trust on their How to Help page.

PS: We’re creating a “What to do when you find a stray dog” guide. If you’ve got any tips, advice or comments, let us know!

Photo: Gary Trotter.

Blankets are an important commodity for any dog rehoming centre, as explained on the Battersea website:

“We use over 1,000 blankets a day, as they are changed twice a day, sometimes more if required, to keep the dogs warm and comfortable. Some of the dogs use their blankets as playtime toys so sadly we do have to dispose of the blankets once they become ripped.”

They’re looking for dense woven blankets, rather than knitted or duvets. If you’ve got any spare blankets, in good condition, send them to:

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
E-xtra Blanket Appeal
Freepost SW5 153
4 Battersea Park Road
London
SW8 4YY

To save Battersea the postage costs, simply knock off the “Freepost” line and add your own stamps. Alternatively, the home will gladly accept donations in person, but ask that blankets are properly parcelled and labelled.

You can find out more in the Batersea E-Extra newsletter.

Part of Birmingham Dogs Home, Sunnyside take a different approach to some other dog charities, such as the Dogs Trust, over the Christmas period. They remain open for rehoming right up to Christmas Eve, with General Manager Simon Price making the point that they continue to take stray dogs right throughout the year.

It’s something of a dillema for dog shelters: do they aim to discourage people giving dogs as Christmas presents, by closing for rehoming and by taking in no new dogs, or do they continue rehoming in order to make room for other dogs? Sunnyside’s Simon Price makes a convincing argument that their home check procedures and

The UK charity trains dogs that help disabled people live life more independently. Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen, one of the artists, explained why he was keen to get involved:

My mother suffered with MS for 40 years. She was a wheelchair user and as my father was an orthopaedic surgeon, I grew up seeing the effects of disability. So I love Dogs for the Disabled. These dogs can open and close doors, help a person undress, switch lights on and off. I just love the charity.

The pictures are currently being exhibited at The Kennel Club Gallery from November 21st to 25th but will be on sale through Ebay from the 1st December.

More information can be found on at www.dogsforthedisabled.org.

Featuring photos of Sam going about his life, including two at the piano, the calendar is a great Christmas gift for all Sam fans and will help the Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society.

www.lulu.com/samdog

One of the main aims of the tour is to encourage people to give time to activities not directly related to animal care. Web designers, photographers, IT experts and financial types can all make a valuable contribution through their professional skills.

Of course, there are plenty of opportunities to work with animals, including:

• cat socialisation
• small wild mammal monitoring
• finding falcons on farms
• dog and dog walker transportation
• shop and reception work
• rabbit massage
• puppy fostering
• horse whispering
• pets as therapy
• guide dog training.

You can find out more at www.yearofthevolunteer.org or visit your local event:

• London Victoria Station: Thurs 1 December, 1300 – 2030
• Dolphin Shopping Centre, Poole: Mon 5 December, 0900 – 1730
• Bristol Temple Meads Train Station: Wed 7 December, 1000 – 2000
• Birmingham New Street Station: Sun 11 December, 1000 – 2000
• Leicester Train Station: Mon 12 December, 1000 – 2030
• Leeds Train Station: Thurs th December, 1000 – 2030
• Metro Centre, Gateshead: Sat 17th December, 0900 – 1900