Stock Photo - A Wickford-based dog charity has unveiled a new puppy playground offering the youngsters in its care a safe place to have fun and frolics. The new space draws inspiration from a children’s playground, complete with bright colours, a sand pit, miniature agility equipment and tunnels, and a soft play area. As part of their development programme, the play haven will be used to help the pups become more accustomed to the big wide world, offering them an exciting and secure place to play. The first residents to trial the new playground were six French Bulldogs, two Dachshunds and a Chow Chow pup. Suspected to have been illegally smuggled into the UK from Central or Eastern Europe, the 15-week-old pups were intercepted and seized from smugglers at the borders. As part of the charity’s ongoing investigation into illegal puppy smuggling, the charity provides care and support for the seized puppies through their time in quarantine, nursing them back to health and giving them extra TLC. The puppies have been snapped up by new owners. Lisa Cooper, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust Basildon, said: “We’re really pleased with the final result of the puppy playground – it’s a great addition to the rehoming centre, thanks to a generous grant from the John Slater Foundation. I think the staff are just as excited with the puppy playground as the pups! The space will be used to integrate the pups into the outside environment, which will help teach them valuable socialisation skills, as well as offering mental and physical stimulation.” The project was funded by the John Slater Foundation, which awarded Dogs Trust Basildon with a grant for the works. Committed to reducing its carbon ‘paw-print’ by using renewable energy resources, the fencing of the puppy playground was made from Marmax, which is manufactured using 100% UK recycled plastic. Dogs Trust has campaigned for the last two years to try and put a stop to the abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme and to highlight the plight of illegally smuggled puppies and stop this unnecessary suffering. The charity urges those thinking of buying puppies to thoroughly do their research to ensure that the breeder is reputable. If you are interested in offering any homeless hounds from Dogs Trust Basildon a loving home, please call the rehoming centre on 0300 303 0292 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk for more information. The charity is situated on Nevendon Road, Wickford, SS12 0FH. Featuring: Charlotte Childs, Pudding and Albert the Chow Chows, Lucy Morgan, Vincent the French Bulldog with Samantha Davis Where: Basildon, Essex, United Kingdom When: 28 Mar 2017 Credit: Dogs Trust Basildon (Supplied by WENN)

Stock Photo: A Wickford-based dog charity has unveiled a new puppy playground offering the youngsters in its care a safe place to have fun and frolics.

Searchable keywords

  • United Kingdom
  • Health
  • Young
  • Fun
  • Back
  • Agility
  • World
  • Six
  • Child
  • Kid
  • Secure
  • New
  • Playing
  • Help
  • Care
  • Time
  • Border
  • Soft
  • Big
  • Place
  • Offer
  • Nurse
  • Dog
  • Space
  • Equipment
  • Central
  • Giving
  • Bright
  • Support
  • Exciting
  • Wide
  • 1St
  • More
  • Draw
  • Inspiration
  • Tunnel
  • Development
  • Area
  • Programme
  • Puppy
  • Pup
  • Two
  • Complete
  • Playground
  • Investigation
  • Miniature
  • Charity
  • Dachshund
  • Resident
  • Used
  • Illegal
  • Provide
  • Based
  • Haven
  • 15
  • Smuggling
  • Seize
  • Become
  • Extra
  • Frolic
  • Week-Old
  • Albert
  • Intercept
  • Smuggler
  • Chow Chow
  • Eastern Europe
  • Sand Pit
  • Suspected
  • Ongoing
  • Smuggled
  • Wickford
  • Quarantine
  • Illegally
  • Accustomed
  • Unveiled
  • French Bulldog
  • Part Of
  • Them
  • Colors
  • Safe
  • Tlc
  • Been
  • Trial
  • Has
  • Samantha Davis
  • Lisa Cooper
  • Lucy Morgan
  • Arnold A.
Choose multiple keywords