A local rescue dog from Frome has been chosen as one of 12 four-legged stars to feature in the 2020 Kennel Club Breed Rescue calendar.
Compiled from professional ‘pawtraits’, the calendar includes stories of dogs that have overcome the odds and are now settled into their new homes, with sales of the calendar raising funds for the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, one of the largest charities dedicated to dog health and welfare in the UK.
Ralphie, a three-year-old Cocker Spaniel, ended up in Buddy’s Rural Animal Rescue after his owners welcomed a new baby and could no longer dedicate enough time to him. They knew that Ralphie needed to continue his training and required a lot of attention so made the difficult decision to put him up for adoption.
Luckily, Ralphie was matched with his new owners, Karen and Alan Taylor from Frome, and is now happily settled into his new home.
“Ralphie is very intelligent,” said Karen. “He picks up on words, plays with dental stick chews by throwing them up in the air and then burying them. He likes the pack – having the whole family together.
“You hear so much about rescue dogs and there are so many that need rescuing. It is a great thing to rescue a dog and actually I think the bonus is that many of them are not puppies, which means they are often trained and well-socialised, making it easier for people to take them in. It’s great that Ralphie has become a star in the Kennel Club Breed Rescue calendar. All my family can expect calendars for Christmas this year!”
Buddy’s Rural Animal Rescue, which rescued Ralphie, works mainly with Cocker Spaniels and Labradors. Judy Bowden, representative of Buddy’s Rural Animal Rescue said, “We are all very much hands-on with all the dogs we take in and able to give an honest character description of each dog. We become emotionally attached to every dog and it’s always hard letting them go, but the knowledge they go forward to a fabulous life is reward in itself.
“The number of dogs we work with is increasing each year. We’ve already rehomed 78 dogs this year and we are expecting the numbers to go close to 100 before the end of the year. We are very proud of every dog we’ve worked with and the dogs we have yet to meet.”
Each of the rescue organisations featured in the calendar receive a donation from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, and Buddy’s Rural Animal Rescue plans to put the funding towards veterinary treatments to ensure that dogs are heading to their new homes in full health.
Professor Steve Dean, chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust said, “The welfare organisations work so hard to find these dogs their forever homes and give them a second chance at life. The rehoming stories in the calendar highlight the importance of having a breed that matches your lifestyle as well as the fulfilling nature of providing a home for a dog in need.
“It is so important that when buying a dog, owners do their research thoroughly in order to ensure they are buying the right dog for their lifestyle to help prevent high numbers of dogs ending up in rescue.”
The Kennel Club Breed Rescue calendar is now available at the Kennel Club online shop for £5.
