Kent Greyhound Rescue is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this year and we have big plans for our next stage of growth as we continue to be committed to rescuing and rehoming greyhounds, lurchers and other sighthounds in Kent, across the UK and abroad.
In our previous blog, we talked about our journey so far, our philosophy, and our vision for the future of KGR. And our vision is to save even more dog lives and provide them with the best chance to find a loving home. We rescue around 200 dogs a year but we want the numbers to grow. We are seeing an increase in abandoned dogs post-Covid and due to the cost of living crisis, and we want to be there for every hound that needs our help.
To be able to do this we need more space to accmmodate the dogs when they come into KGR. We have been renting kennel spaces across various locations in Kent but we feel the time has now come for KGR to own kennels of its own.
The importance of kennels
Kennels are a vital part of the KGR operations. This is where our rescue dogs first arrive when they come into KGR. Each dog gets its own kennel space – it is very important that the dog feels safe and comfortable from the moment it becomes a KGR rescue. Every kennel space is clean, equipped with all the essentials, such as bedding, heating, food and drink, spacious and fully secure, and looked after by professional staff.
It costs on average £500 a month for one dog in a rented kennel. It is expensive, but it is not something we can compromise on. It’s simply essential.
The dog needs time to settle in, and to be health checked and assessed. And this needs to be done in a dedicated environment that is a kennel.
A lot of our dogs arrive from the dog pounds in Ireland, so it’s a long and tiring journey! Many dogs are found homeless, so they need time to settle in and get used to the environment. And many are the cases of neglect and cruelty, so they also need time to feel calm and safe. Some dogs can be poorly and with contagious afflictions, so they need to be temporary isolated and treated so they can recover and not infect others.
For so many of our rescue dogs the world was a scary and unsafe place until they came to us… but the moment they arrive in the KGR kennels it all changes! We provide them with a completely safe environment and they can begin their journey of becoming a much loved pet.
Once the dogs are checked and ready for being fostered or adopted, the KGR team moves them to foster homes and/or advertises them for adoption on the KGR website (click here to view the dogs we currently have). The kennels are the base where prospective adopters meet the dogs and our onsite team who is happy to answer the questions and provide guidance.
It is also a hub where volunteers can walk the dogs, help with chores and get involved with various KGR activities. We curently have a small range of individual and group volunteer activites avaialble but we would be able to do so much more once we have the bigger, permanent operations base.
Help us find dream kennels
The more kennel spaces we have, the more dogs we can rescue and accommodate. We are on a mission save as many hound lives as possible and never turn a dog away. Having our own kennels lays the foundation for this ambition.
We are now in the process of researching the kennel market in Kent (as we continue with our Kent-based operations) and looking for a suitable opportunity. Owning kennels will remove the rental availability restrictions, reduce costs, improve the way KGR operates, and help the charity grow.
We’ll be publishing regular updates on our blog on the progress of this exciting venture.
We have embarked on a fundraising campaign to help us with this goal. Every penny raised goes towards KGR – we are a fully-compliant, registered charity so all the money is always accounted for.