Double Donations Week – 1 week to go!
We are getting closer to Double Donations Week, as we are now only 1 week away! From the 29th of November until the 5th of December, all your donations will be DOUBLED to help towards keeping our animals warm, happy, and healthy this Christmas.
For the past 50 years, our NAWT Bedfordshire centre, has been a lifeline to thousands of homeless dogs who would otherwise have faced an uncertain future frightened, vulnerable, and alone.
Sadly, the current kennel block at NAWT Bedfordshire is falling apart and becoming unsalvageable. Without significant investment to install a new unit, the centre will very soon reach a point where it is no longer able to help abandoned and unwanted dogs.
What’s more, due to the poor condition of our existing kennels, we can only responsibly care for a maximum of four dogs at any one time. The new kennel block we hope to install, with your help, will have ten purpose-built kennels. These kennels will meet appropriate welfare standards, and hold double the capacity, to start helping some of the 55 dogs currently on our waiting list.
With so many homeless dogs waiting, it is imperative that we build new kennels to house them as soon as possible. And that waiting list is only going to grow over the coming months as the cost-of-living crisis impacts on pet owners. Currently, it’s the number one reason given by people relinquishing their pets, and that’s not likely to change any time soon.
Despite this concerning situation, there’s good news too. A large sum of money has been pledged to the centre by a group of funders to create a matched funding campaign, which aims to raise £100,000 towards a brand-new kennel block. This money can be used to DOUBLE EVERY DONATION the charity receives between 29th November and 5th December 2022. For example, if you donate £5 during this Double Donations Week it will be worth £10 at no extra cost to you.
This is your opportunity to ensure that homeless dogs will be kept warm, happy, and healthy this Christmas and for the next 50 years to come. Dogs like Yorkshire Terrier, Tulip.
Tulip was found dirty and cowering in a crate at the side of a road by a driver passing by who kindly brought her to our Bedfordshire centre. She was severely underweight, her coat matted, eyes and ears were dirty, and she had lumps all over her.
As soon as she came into our care, Tulip was thoroughly examined by a vet and given a good clean. The lumps were removed, tested and the results came back clear which was wonderful news. She was prescribed drops for her eyes and ears to clear up the infections and put on a nutritious diet to help her gain weight. She also had successful treatment for a bulging disc in her back.
Very little is known about Tulip’s past, but the dreadful condition she was found in made it obvious she had lived her life cramped and uncomfortable. After being confined to just this small crate, this had an enormous detrimental effect on her posture and health. Meanwhile, she had clearly been used as a breeding machine, and likely forced to breed litter after litter.
Carley, Manager at our Bedfordshire centre, recalls how very nervous Tulip was when she arrived – “Tulip was shut down and wouldn't approach people, she was often found in the corner of her kennel too afraid to come over.”
Thankfully, with time and a lot of love, she slowly built-up confidence around people, and is now a cherished family member in her forever home.
Please give what you can to ensure that our much-needed Bedfordshire centre remains a part of the community, so dogs like Tulip are warm and safe this Christmas.
Whilst the organisational focus for this year's matched funding campaign is a new kennel block at our Bedfordshire centre, our Berkshire, Cornwall, Essex, and Hertfordshire centres also have their own campaigns you can support during Double Donations Week. Should you wish to support your local centre, please follow their individual Facebook pages for more information.
Don’t forget, any donation you make between 29th November and 5th December will be DOUBLED, at no extra cost to you. It’s heart-warming to know, that by donating during Double Donations Week, your money will go even further and have DOUBLE the impact.