Dogs Trust - Newbury

Who We Help, Why We Help & the Difference It Makes

What We Do

Dogs Trust Newbury is based in a quiet area of the countryside, with beautiful views and a stunning build plot which has undergone an extensive Rebuild, we are now home to larger new cosy kennels- with underfloor heating, new kitchens and laundry rooms for each kennel block and a selection of outside compound spaces for the dogs to have off lead time and training. We have wonderful new facilities and a large reception area for our visitors and potential adopters to enjoy while they come to find their fur-ever friend, there are four kennels within our new reception area, so you are in great company while you wait to meet your new friend. We now house 37 kennels within our centre. We have a Kennel designed to house puppies as they grow with us and our specialist training block houses dogs who may need more time and training during their stay with us. Some of our dogs also get to enjoy the comfort of Foster homes while they await their fur-ever homes, we have a lovely group of people who Volunteer their time to welcome a dog into their home and help them on their journey to their new homes. We are open every day 12pm – 4pm except for Wednesdays (CLOSED) and with a late-night opening on Tuesday 12pm until 7:30pm.

Did you know our Supporter Relations Officer (SRO), Emma Wilcox, can offer free talks to community groups and organise tours of the rehoming centre? She also deals with all the local enquiries about donations in memory of a loved one, as well as answering any questions about our free Canine Care Card Scheme or legacies. She also organises the annual Fun Day and helps with the social media coverage for the rehoming centre too! If you would like any further information please don't hesitate to contact us!

Every dog coming into our care receives a veterinary check-up, vaccinations, worming treatment, tick and flea treatment - plus anything else they need, whether medical or surgical. All dogs are neutered as a matter of course, and if a dog is too young (or ill) at the point of leaving our care we invite them back to the rehoming centre to have the procedure at a later date. On arrival, all dogs are microchipped and their ownership details registered to Dogs Trust. Once that dog leaves our care to go and live with his new owner, we update the microchip database details to reflect this. Crucially, we encourage the new owner to always remember to update their dog’s microchip database details whenever they move home, as not only is it a legal requirement, but will help the chances of reunification should the dog become lost or stray. All dogs undergo a behavioural assessment by the centre’s training and behaviour advisor (TBA), who then recommends environmental enrichment or a behavioural modification programme if necessary. The TBA shares their recommendations with the dog’s assigned canine carers so that everyone knows what each individual dog requires to be comfortable during their stay, and what kind of home the carers should be looking for. There is also the option for dogs with particular behavioural needs to move into one of our two specialist rehabilitation facilities. In the case of hand-overs, we ask the owner to share as many details as possible about their dog’s likes and dislikes, when they bring them into the centre for us to find them a new home. Some dogs may struggle to settle in the rehoming centre, finding the sudden change in their surroundings too much to handle. Thankfully, we have a network of wonderful volunteer foster carers whom we call upon to take in and provide love and care for those dogs which find kennel life too stressful, through our Home from Home programme. We are currently lucky enough to have around 200 such volunteers, and in 2018 we intend to find more, as their help is invaluable, both to the dogs they care for and our rehoming centre staff. All dogs are walked, groomed and fed on a diet which best suits their physiological needs. Dogs will be given free run in the exercise areas, many of which contain water features, climbing structures and sandy zones, sometimes with other dogs to play, or with their favourite canine carers and volunteers, if that’s what they show they prefer. We ask that new owners come to a pre-adoption talk at the rehoming centre in advance of them collecting their new dog, so that we can answer any questions they may have about dog ownership in general, and what they might expect from their dog during the settling in period. We wave off each dog to their new life with a 2kg bag of the food they’ve been eating during their residency, generously provided by the VIP Club members of Pets at Home, plus four weeks’ free pet insurance from Petplan®. Finally, once a dog has left our care, centre staff are on hand for advice on caring for the dog, with behavioural support from the dog’s own TBA available on request. All of our rehoming centres offer weekly dog training classes, which new owners are encouraged to attend.

Dogs Trust Dog Schools 

In 2017, Dog Schools grew from just 12 to 26 locations around the UK, and we trained 6,866 dogs and their families through our Dog Schools. Far form being a traditional dog training class, Dog Schools focus on preparing dogs for all the things they will encounter in their everyday lives, while helping owners to develop a strong bond with their dog. We run classes specially tailored for puppies, adults and rescue dogs; children are invited to join the classes - all members of the family are welcome. Once a dog and their owner(s) complete the five week course, they receive a certificate and enjoy a mini graduation ceremony. By the end of 2018 we aim to have opened 30 Dog Schools, and earlier this year we launched our Dog School short films via our YouTube channel, so we can help even more dogs and their people develop that bond. 

Canine Care Card

The Canine Care Card is a FREE service that gives you peace of mind, knowing that Dogs Trust will care for your dog/s if you pass away before they do. If you pass away and have a Canine Care Card, we will arrange to bring your dog/s to our nearest rehoming centre. Upon arrival they will be examined by our expert vet and cared for by our dedicated, trained staff.

We will find your dog/s new owners whose lifestyle and experience match their needs. But if for any reason your dog/s cannot be rehomed, rest assured Dogs Trust never puts down a healthy dog, so we will look after them for the rest of their lives.

We treat every one of our canine residents like a beloved family pet and ensure they get all the loving care they need in our state-of-the-art facilities. Complete an application form and return it to us. Upon receipt, we will issue you with a handy wallet-sized card. It acts in a similar way to an organ donor card and notifies people of your wishes for your dog/s, should anything happen to you. We also strongly recommend that you mention the care of your dog/s in your Will. That way, there can be no confusion about your wishes. We suggest that you include the following phrase in your Will: "It is also my wish that Dogs Trust cares for or rehomes any dogs that I may own at the time of my death".

To request an application form or find out more about the Canine Care Card, please call our Supporter Relations team on 020 7837 0006 or email us. Alternatively, download the application form and post it back to us:

Freedom Project

Dogs Trust’s Freedom Project is a dog fostering service for people who are fleeing domestic abuse in in London & the Home Counties, Yorkshire & the North East of England and Mainland Scotland.

Hope Project

Dogs Trust’s Hope Project provides help with the cost of veterinary treatment for any dog whose owner is homeless. Dogs that are part of our Hope Project Veterinary Scheme are entitled to free flea and worming treatments, vaccinations, neutering and microchipping. We can also subsidise most additional treatments that a dog may need. The scheme runs in 110 towns and cities across the UK and is available to any dog owner who is rough sleeping or living in temporary accommodation such as a hostel, night shelter or temporary accommodation. We can also help dog owners who are sofa surfing or living on an unauthorised travellers site. Dog owners can apply to our scheme through any participating homelessness organisation or by applying to us directly.

Advice for owners

Please click here for helpful advice on caring for your dog

Dog training and behaviour

• Behaviour - Understanding and appreciating the behaviour of dogs underlies everything we do at Dogs Trust. As every dog lover knows, each dog is a unique individual, with their own quirks, delights and challenges! Behaviours develop through a combination of multiple elements including breed, individual personality, medical issues and prior experiences. So understanding why an individual dog develops a problem behaviour can be like a detective mystery - identifying all the different elements which tell his or her story. In our rehoming centres we are committed to caring for and rehabilitating dogs which have behaviour problems. And in Dogs Trust Dog School our mission is to work with owners to prevent problems developing in the first place!
  
• Training - Pet dogs don't need to be obedience champions, dance to music or speed round an agility course. Of course these activities can be great fun and something to aspire to, but most owners need their dog to sit when asked, walk calmly on a loose lead, come back when called on a walk, and settle down when they stop to natter to their neighbour or have a pint in the pub! And they want their dog to do these things even when there are tempting picnics around, kids running about playing football, or other dogs walking past.  The training we do at Dogs Trust is based on teaching the basic behaviours that dogs and owners need day to day in domestic life. Whether we are working with dogs in our adoption centres and preparing them to go to their forever homes, or teaching owners in Dog School classes, we are focused on doing a thorough job of training the basics! The other important principle of training at Dogs Trust is that we use reward based methods to train all our dogs. Research has shown that using reward based methods are effective, and less likely to be associated with problem behaviours. This approach also means that dogs have better welfare, enjoy their training and form a better bond with owners or carers - so why would we do anything else? 
  
• Dog School - Dogs Trust care for over 15,000 dogs in our centres every year – but we are increasingly aware that dogs are given up to us because they have developed behaviours that their owners find difficult to live with. Dogs Trust Dog School’s experienced trainers aim to provide high quality, welfare friendly advice on dog training and behaviour during our fun, educational classes. We want to help dog owners to form a life-long bond with their dogs, have a good understanding of the behaviour of their dog and avoid the common pitfalls that can lead to problem behaviours.
  
• Sound Therapy for Pets - Learn about and download this range of free sound based treatment programmes to help your dog cope with a variety of sounds and situations
  

Volunteer

Volunteering

Volunteers are an integral part of the Dogs Trust team. We are very fortunate to have over 3,500 volunteers helping us all over the UK, and we could not achieve our mission without them. Volunteers help in many aspects of our vital and lifesaving work across the whole of Dogs Trust.  whether it is raising money at our events or in charity shops, giving a dog waiting for it’s new home some extra love and attention, or ensuring our centres look welcoming and attractive to visitors and potential adopters. Every role is so important to us and our success. Over the last year we have cared for over 15,000 dogs and our volunteers gave a phenomenal total of 131,778 hours of their precious time to Dogs Trust. By volunteering at Dogs Trust you could make a real difference to a dog’s life. Please click on the links below for details of

• Rehoming Centre Vacancies
  
• Charity Shop Vacancies
• Volunteering FAQ's

Working for us

Dogs Trust is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK and Ireland, caring for over 15,000 dogs a year at our 21 rehoming centres. It is fundamental to our philosophy that we never destroy a healthy dog. We also run preventative campaigns such as neutering and microchipping initiatives, dog training and youth education programmes. We can only achieve as much as we do for dogs because of our fabulous people – currently over 1,300 staff and around 6,000 volunteers.

Staff roles at Dogs Trust are many and varied. As well as jobs at the rehoming centres we have a chain of charity shops, a dedicated national contact centre based in Manchester and Dog Schools that provide training for dog owners all across the country. We also have a diverse range of other roles including, veterinary, fundraising, campaigns and support functions - mostly based in our London head office. So whatever your location and skill set, chances are we’ll have an exciting opportunity where you can put your skills to good use, helping us continue our vital work whilst developing your career. Please search our vacancies or if there is nothing that takes your fancy sign up for job alert and we'll let you know when a suitable vacancy becomes available.

Fostering

If you could take care of a dog in your home for a period of time, we're always on the lookout for foster carers. From caring for a homeless hound until we find their forever home through our Home from Home scheme, to fostering a dog belonging to a family fleeing domestic abuse until they can be reunited through our Freedom Project - dogs across the UK need your help. Dogs Trust receive a number of dogs that just aren’t cut out for kennels – these may be puppies, older dogs, dogs with injuries/medical conditions or sometimes we just run out of space. We are looking for foster carers that are happy to take dogs into their home until we are able to find a forever home for them. Foster carers play a huge role in a rescue dog’s life and by working with Dogs Trust, you can help us save more of them from unnecessary mistreatment or destruction. All families will receive full support and advice regarding the dog in their care and we will equip you with everything you need such as food and bedding. Any veterinary treatment is covered by Dogs Trust. Like us rescue dogs come in all shapes, sizes and with different personalities so whatever your experience level, we will endeavour to place the most appropriate dog into your care. Click here to see who you should contact for more information depending on where you live.

Become a member

Join today and play a key role in helping us give thousands of dogs a second chance at happiness every year!  Not only that, your dogs will be covered by our FREE third party insurance! Benefits include:

• 3rd party public liability insurance for your dog – up to £1,000,000 per claim if your dog causes damage or injury to another person, their property or pets (an excess of £200 applies for the UK and £500 in the Republic of Ireland)
• Peace of mind with our Canine Care Card. The guarantee that Dogs Trust will take care of your dog should you pass away
• Unlimited access to VetfoneTM – a 24 hour emergency advice service from veterinary professionals*  
• Wag! Magazine three times a year – packed full of doggy news, stories and tips

For only £25 a year (or £12.50 if you're over 60) you can become a member of the UK’s largest dog welfare charity! Fill in our membership form or give us a call on 020 7837 0006 (Mon – Fri from 9.00am– 5.00pm)

Fundraising

Fundraising can be fun and a great way of getting active and involved with Dogs Trust. There are many different ways you can help us… So come and join in the fun.

Wedding Favours

Planning your big day? Is your VID attending your special day as a Best Dog or Dog of Honour? Celebrate your love for your partner and your dog in style! We ask for a suggested donation of £6 per small bandana and £8 per large bandana.

Wills & Legacies

Around a third of our income comes from gifts included in people’s Wills. So if you love dogs like we do, please consider remembering Dogs Trust in your Will. To speak to someone in confidence about leaving a gift in your Will, call our Supporter Relations Team on 0207 837 0006, email us or write to us at Dogs Trust, Clarissa Baldwin House, 17 Wakley Street, London, EC1V 7RQ.

Dogs Trust Recycling Scheme

Help us to give stray and abandoned dogs a second chance at a brighter future by recycling your empty printer cartridges and mobile phones! Read on.

Give as you Live

Did you know that you can support us every time you shop online at over 3,000 retailers without spending a penny extra? Visit Give as You Live today!

GiveaCar

GiveACar, the UK’s largest scrap car and vehicle donation service organises the free collection and recycling of any vehicle in the UK. The service organises the free collection and recycling of any car or vehicle, anywhere in the UK. Cars are either disposed of, and the value of the scrap metal donated, or placed into an auction, and the sale price donated. To donate a car to Dogs Trust, please visit our page on the GiveACar website.

Give to Dogs Trust as you shop!

There are so may ways you can support the welfare of Dogs across the UK. You can even give while you shop... We've teamed up with a number of partners that help you give as you buy.

• Amazon Smile - Grrreat news - when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the dogs in our care!
  
• Ebay -eBay for Charity is an easy way for buyers and sellers on eBay to support us! Buyers can shop for items knowing they're supporting Dogs Trust whilst doing so! As sellers, whether you're an individual or business, you can donate a percentage from any sale to a us by making Dogs Trust your charity of choice. Visit our ebay page
  

• Easy Fundraising - Have you heard of this brilliant, free service? You just shop with your favourite online stores and at no extra cost raise funds for Dogs Trust! You still shop directly with each retailer (as you would normally) but simply by using the links from the Easy Fundraising site first, each purchase you make will generate a cashback donation. It's really that easy!

Charity Shops

We currently have over 35 charity shops staffed by our many wonderful volunteers - with new shops being added all the time! Locations of all our shops, and how you can help by donating your possessions... or time!

Community Trail