Dogs Trust's new appeal to find homes for dogs ahead of the festive season

Dogs Trust Snetterton is currently home to 56 dogs, and the charity is on a mission to find homes for as many of them as possible ahead of the festive season.

This comes as Dogs Trust reveals it has received over 32,000 handover enquiries so far this year from owners no longer able to care for their dogs. Thankfully, in 2024 so far, the charity has also found new homes for more than 6,000 dogs across the UK.

One of those dogs hoping for a new home ahead of the festive season is five-year-old Trigger the Patterdale Terrier who is looking for the Christmas gift of a lifetime – a loving home.

Trigger, who has been in the care of Dogs Trust since August 2023, is very independent, and like so many of us, she is looking for a relaxed, calm home to call her own. Being a terrier, Trigger likes to go for walks, having an explore and a big old sniff. She can be shy and nervous when meeting new people, but once she finds a loving home, she will quickly settle and bond with new owners.

Kelly Smith, Manager at Dogs Trust Snetterton, said: “Christmas is fast approaching, and we are hoping to find forever homes for as many dogs as possible ahead of the festive season. While the Dogs Trust team will make sure that the dogs in our care over Christmas are well looked after, with festive treats and gifts galore, we all know there’s nowhere quite like home.

“We are certain that there is a fantastic forever home for each and every one of our dogs, and we’d like to see as many as possible settled in their new happy places ahead of Christmas.

“One of these dogs is our lovely, independent, Trigger the Terrier, who loves her food and treats, and is happy to show off the skills she learns in training to get them! Trigger has spent over 440 days with us, and as much as we love her company, we don’t want her to spend a second Christmas in our care. She is more than ready to head home for the holidays and beyond.”

For almost 50 years, Dogs Trust has been linked to Christmas thanks to the famous phrase “A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas”, penned by the charity’s team in 1978 in response to the large number of puppies bought as Christmas gifts and then abandoned in January. Since then, it has gone on to find homes for thousands of dogs each year.

While the charity no longer sees a large number of pet-shop-bought puppies handed over in January, the last three years have been some of the busiest on record for Dogs Trust. In 2022, it received over 50,000 handover requests, with a further 45,000 last year, and over 32,000 so far this year.

Kellycontinued: “Welcoming a dog into your home is a wonderful experience, but it requires commitment, both in terms of time and money.

“We work closely with prospective adopters to ensure they’re fully prepared to welcome one of our dogs into their home, and our team carefully matches each dog with a family and home that suits them best.

“And our care doesn’t stop at rehoming – we offer ongoing support and guidance to owners throughout their dog's life. At Dogs Trust, our dogs are part of the family for life, not just for Christmas."

For more information about Trigger and the other dogs in the care of Dogs Trust Snetterton, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/snetterton .