Kennel Club Charitable Trust grant for Greyhound welfare charity

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust has given a grant to help Greyhound Gap based in Kidsgrove, Stoke on Trent, in the purchase of a new animal ambulance to help support the much valued work they carry out in the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of sighthounds.

Greyhound Gap has been providing a place of safety for greyhounds and lurchers at risk in death row and stray situations for the last 15 years. In 2017 alone they had 130 dogs enter their facility and successfully rehomed just short of 100. In addition they managed to place 30 dogs within other UK rescues country wide.

As an independent rescue, having an animal ambulance for Greyhound Gap to rescue dogs and to also be able to take to new homes in safety is of great importance. For many ex racing greyhounds life is very tough. For example Jainey was a racing greyhound who damaged her leg. When a failed hock repair took place her trainer gave up not feeling that any rescue centres would be interested in her. Greyhound Gap built up a relationship with the trainer and eventually was allowed to take her. They have now provided funding to give her a full fix to her hock enabling her to have a full and active life.

“We are delighted to be receiving this grant from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust for our much needed animal ambulance,” said Lisa Cartwright from Greyhound Gap. “The situation in the UK for Greyhounds and Lurchers at risk or in vulnerable circumstances seems to be worse than ever. We have around 40 to 50 dogs at any one time in our own kennels with daily demands to offer places to more at risk. We have an ongoing need for frequent local transport runs to collect dogs in danger and every dog entering our care requires veterinary examination and in several cases, ongoing treatment and special care”.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust was established in 1987, and since then has distributed grants totalling over £10 million to a wide variety of deserving causes.

The Trust has three main objectives that support its overall mission of ‘Making a difference for dogs’:

  • Science: Assisting the advancement of education and science by helping fund research into canine diseases and hereditary disorders in dogs.
  • Support : Improving the quality of life for human beings by promoting dogs as therapeutic and practical aids.
  • Welfare: Helping relieve the suffering of dogs who are in need of care and attention.

Professor Steve Dean, Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, said “We are delighted to be able to help Greyhound Gap and support the charity with its valuable work within greyhound and lurcher rescue. We were enormously impressed by the dedication and devotion the charity has to these breeds and the much value work it provides in the community.”