Rescue dogs in lockdown: How time is running out for the loveable pooches struggling to find new homes because people can’t travel to collect them
- Many Tears Rescue Centre, Carmarthenshire, Wales, is struggling to home dogs
- Many of the dogs were rescued from pitiful conditions on puppy breeding farms
- Travel restrictions have made it difficult to place them with families
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Even at the best of times, the soulful gaze of a dog at a rescue centre awaiting a loving owner is a sight to melt the heart.
But for these pooches in lockdown for the coronavirus crisis, the hopeful wait for a new home is much more poignant.
Travel restrictions have made it difficult to place them with families and there are fears for their future as a number of those looking after them have self-isolated.
Many of the dogs were rescued from pitiful conditions on puppy breeding farms once they were no longer wanted for breeding and all are now being cared for at the Many Tears Rescue Centre near Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.
Kina the three-year-old collie arrived at the rescue centre with seven of her puppies, who have all already been rehomed. Many Tears staff say she gets on well with other dogs and is ‘full of love’
Its co-founder Sylvia Van Atta, 62, said last night: ‘We never put dogs to sleep but God knows what would happen if we all got coronavirus here.
‘It’s a nightmare. We have more than 100 dogs and 52 staff. Nine have already decided to self-isolate and others are wanting to self-isolate.
‘So we have fewer staff and fewer dogs being rehomed because of the restrictions on travel. We are under huge pressure.’
Dedicated: Many Tears staff with some of the dogs they are trying to find homes for
A group of bichon frise puppies cuddle up together as they wait for a new home
She added: ‘We home around 75 dogs a week but that has dropped to less than half. Dogs are still coming in. We are stretched to the limits and sadly many of these dogs face a bleak future.
‘We are doing all we can and will keep working till our last breath to find them homes.’
Many Tears usually runs a weekly service taking dogs to motorway service station car parks where they are united with new owners but this has had to be scaled back.
Rescue centre worker Geri Lloyd with Sid the sprollie – a springer spaniel-border collie cross. The one-year-old pooch is described as being a ‘super intelligent boy who would love a busy lifestyle’
Boris the two-year-old foxhound was described as being ‘very worried’ when he arrived at the Many Tears centre. Now staff say he is ‘full of life’ and would make a ‘fab friend to any loving, active home where he’d get plenty of exercise
The centre is funded by donations and income from Mrs Van Atta’s husband Bill’s boarding kennels but £30,000 of bookings have recently been cancelled.
Mrs van Atta said: ‘We won’t give up on these dogs but I don’t know how long we can survive.’
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Cross-breed boxers Aiden and Alison play with rubber toys at the centre. The pair arrived from a breeding home in Ireland recently and while initially scared of humans are ‘slowly settling’