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Appledown Rescue is a boarding Kennel and Rescue/Re-homing centre in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire, run by Julie Shelton and her staff.
Appledown takes in the strays from the surrounding villages that have been picked up by the dog warden or bought in by members of the public. They some times have space for dogs that can no longer be kept by their owners but are usually full to capacity with strays or abuse cases. Appledown also runs a grooming facility.
I volunteer at Appledown and work with some of the more difficult dogs.
You may see me walking through the Dunstable town centre with a dog or two wearing their re-homing jackets! Appledown works with the local councils and takes in their strays. If you lose your dog it will no longer get taken to the Police Station. The dog warden will collect the dog and take it to Appledown.
You can contact them on 01525 220383.
If your dog is picked up and you cannot be immediately traced you will have to pay a fine. The fine increases daily. If you do not claim your dog within 8 days it will either be re-homed or put to sleep at the request of the Council. Appledown do NOT put to sleep healthy NON aggressive dogs. If a dog is deemed dangerous to the public, i.e. aggressive to people or extreme aggression to other dogs it will not be re-homed.
By law your dog should be wearing a collar and tag that states it's owners details. Name. Address. Contact Telephone Number. Your dog will also find it's way back to you quicker if it is micro chipped. Appledown offer a microchipping service for a small price of £15.
If your dog is not wearing VISIBLE identification you can be fined up to £5000!
Wearing this identification will also prevent your dog being re-homed to someone else if you loose it or being destroyed if it shows aggression at the kennels. As much as ALL rescue centres would like to guarantee a space for every dog regardless of it's temperament this is just not reasonably practicable. There is never enough space at kennels and with 10 - 30 strays being picked up each week roughly only 60% get claimed. By law you can only re-home dogs that are considered safe. With the dangerous dogs act we are at risk enough with our companions without outwardly aggressive dogs being put back into society. Before volunteering for Rescue I often thought how sad it was that so many dogs were put to sleep but when you see the harsh reality of how many dogs are literally dumped or abandoned by their owners, some half starved and near death, some so severely covered with mange or similar skin diseases and some so obviously not socialised or abused that they are untrustworthy you realise why over 23,000 dogs each year are euthanized!
If you can't adopt a dog because of your circumstances but love their company you can volunteer as a dog walker.
If you are on Facebook, please join the group APPLEDOWN RESCUE EATON BRAY, thanks for reading and hopefully yo'll consider a dog for adoption.
If you're considering buying a puppy, please make sure you do so from a reputable breeder, click here to look at the heartbreaking reality of puppy farming!!!