Centre revamp reduces stress in dogs

The Blue Cross animal centre in Bromsgrove in Worcestershire has officially reopened -with vastly improved living conditions for unwanted dogs awaiting new homes.

Following a long-awaited million pound refurbishment the centre, in Wildmoor Lane, Catshill, now has modern, bright kennels, covered exercise runs, improved security, more staff and even an environmentally-friendly policy.

Centre manager Neil Edwards said that the new kennels would provide the best possible environment for the physical health and mental wellbeing of the dogs in his care.

He said: “As soon as some of the dogs were moved into the first kennel block last year the staff noticed a dramatic improvement in their behaviour. Their stress levels went down considerably as they didn’t feel the need to bark all day, pace up and down their kennels and chew their blankets.”

And he added: “We have also been rehoming dogs more quickly than in the previous kennels which is undoubtedly due to the fact that they are presented in better conditions and are less stressed.”

Nowadays visitors to the centre are shown around a modern, bright centre that is a far cry from the old dilapidated kennels that used to house the dogs.
Previously, the inside kennels were dark, cold and noisy. The outside exercise runs were open to the elements and generally in a run-down state.

Nowadays the dogs have kennels with windows which are bright and easy to see out of, calming music is piped to their kennels and they can be exercised in covered runs when the weather is bad.

But none of this would have been possible without generous donations from Blue Cross supporters which raised a massive £1.3 million, half a million through a local appeal. The first kennel block was opened last year and the centre was finally completed in March 2003.

In addition to the two new kennel blocks, holding 40 dogs, and covered exercise runs, the centre now has three holding pens, a veterinary room and grooming room. It also has a large reception area where videos of animals needing new homes are shown and an animal admissions room, where people giving up animals can talk in private. The whole site is environmentally-friendly, capturing its own rainwater to clean the kennels.

Neil Edwards said: “We have come a long way since The Blue Cross set up this centre in Bromsgrove in 1986. Thanks to the kind donations from supporters we have a modern centre providing staff, the public and most importantly the dogs with the best possible facilities available to them.”

www.bluecross.org.uk

Email info@bluecross.org.uk

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