Welfare organisation Dogs Trust rehomed more than 10,000 pets during 2022, the charity has revealed.
A total of 10,151 dogs were given a new home thanks to the organisation, with cross-breeds being the most adopted dogs, and Jack Russells, lurchers, collies and Staffies also featuring regularly.
Dogs Trust reports that demand for its services are at an all-time high, with the charity receiving handover enquiries from more than 50,000 struggling owners. With around 1,750 dogs in its care at any one time, across a network of 21 rehoming centres in the UK and one in Dublin, the organisation estimates that its Canine Carers racked up over two billion steps looking after pets throughout 2022.
In 2022, Dogs Trust canine lodgers stayed with the charity for an average of 46 days, with the longest-stay resident, Tucker the German Shepherd cross, adopted in 2022 after first arriving at Dogs Trust Shrewsbury in April 2015 and being cared for by the charity for 2,542 days.
The charity has provided training to 14,304 dogs and their owners through Dog School and Dogs Trust Education Workshops, and 13 dogs were rehomed as working dogs, to bodies including the police and prison services, with six dogs rescued by Dogs Trust graduating as assistance dogs.
In addition, Coco Chanel, a Chihuahua taken in as a stray by Dogs Trust Leeds has begun a career in the entertainment industry. She was adopted soon after coming into the rehoming centre, and earlier this year went on to play the role of Bruiser Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Theatre Royal in Wakefield.
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, said: “This year has seen a greater demand for our services than ever before. But alongside the difficult decisions we’ve seen dog owners forced to make, there’s been some real moments of joy too.
“Thanks to the amazing work of staff at our 21 rehoming centres, supported by a team of hard-working volunteers and foster carers, we have helped over 10,000 dogs to find new homes. Some of them have gone on to be family pets, some have found retirement homes. And others have gone on to find new carers as support dogs, police dogs and even theatre stars!”
