National Dog Day
On National dog day, we celebrate each and every one our furry friends. It is a day which was established in 2004 by animal advocate and pet and family lifestyle expert Coleen Paige, and has since been celebrated on the 26th August of each year. The aim of this day is, of course, to celebrate dogs of all different shapes and sizes, but more importantly it strives to raise awareness for the number of dogs in rescue homes across the UK, as well as to encourage their adoption.
Millions of dogs go without homes each year due to being unwanted, or because their owners are simply unable to care for them. National Dog Day encourages people to rescue dogs from shelters or rescue organisations such as Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home, which is local to us here at Stocky & Dee.
The 26th of August is significant to Colleen because it is the day her family adopted her first family dog, Sheltie, when she was 10 years old. Since then, the holiday has grown significantly and although it originated in the United States, it quickly gained international recognition and is now widely celebrated across the UK. Here are some ideas for how you can participate in National Dog Day this year:
1. Social media. One way is to simply share a social media post of your dog using the hashtag #NationalDogDay to celebrate all our beautiful dogs in all their varying forms.
2. Spending quality time outdoors with your pup. There are many dog-friendly parks across the UK such as Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath, or Greenwich Park in London. Many gardens, like Chatsworth House in Derbyshire and Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire, also welcome dogs on leads.
3. Fundraising. Alternatively, you could fundraise for animal charities by taking part in a sponsored fun run or setting up a bake sale, for example. There are many charities across the UK, such as The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), which have long encouraged pet adoption and responsible ownership, values which have always aligned with the objectives of National Dog Day.
4. Donating. Finally, you could donate blankets, pet food, or dog toys to your local animal shelter. Read more to find out how we have been supporting rescue dogs here at Stocky & Dee.
The Rainbow Collection and Pup-Cycle Initiative
Throughout the year, we have been supporting dogs in need via our rainbow collection and pup-cycle initiative. With the pandemic and cost of living crisis causing a rise in the number of dogs being surrendered, many dog homes across the UK have been under a lot of strain, which means it’s especially important to support our local dog shelters in any way we can. As a result, we developed the Rainbow Collection, taking inspiration from the NHS Rainbow symbol created through the first lockdown, and have been donating our profits from any sale of the Rainbow Collection to different dog charities across the UK. We have also been helping dogs through our pup-cycle initiative, through which we encourage customers to return their outgrown puppy collars to us instead of throwing them away. We take the metals from outgrown collars so we can reuse them, and replace the collar’s material, if required, with offcuts to make whole new collars. This month’s donation went to the residents of ‘Love Under Dogs’, a Romanian Dog Rescue centre based in Essex helping to support some of the most unwanted, abused, neglected, and voiceless dogs. This helps both to reduce waste and support dogs in need, a win-win!
Which charities have we supported?
Edinburgh Dog and Cat home. From opening their doors in1884 at Comely Bank Gardens, to the present day at Seafield Road East, the Home has continued to expand and help thousands of dogs and cats in need.
Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society. Formed in 1985, PADS is a well-loved, long-established local dog rescue.
Murray’s Dog & Cat Home in Aberdeen, which was founded in 1889 by Mrs Susan Murray as a place of refuge and shelter for stray and abandoned dogs and cats in the city and county of Aberdeen, helping around 1000 animals each year.
Give A Dog A Bone, providing funds for the over 60s who struggle tocare for their current dogs/are looking to rehome their dogs from a shelter.
Save Our Spaniels. This is a UK based charity who helps spaniels and bretons who have been abandoned, dumped, or relinquished to perreras (kill stations) and shelters across the world, helping them find loving homes.
Pro Dogs Direct, which became a registered charity in 2006. Their vision is to rehome dogs directly from foster homes to permanent homes without going intokennels. Pro Dogs Direct rehomes dogs in the South East of England and provides homes for any breed, currently caring for over 50 dogs.
How have these donations helped pups in need?
These figures from the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home really puts into perspective the importance of our donations:-
Food a day for a day = 80p
1 hour of training = £11
Entry vaccinations per dog = £16.56
Refuel foodbank van = £50
Heat the kennels = £900 a month
Annual Running Cost = £2,000,000
National Dog Day is something we feel very passionately about here at Stocky & Dee. We believe every dog deserves a second chance, including disabled and abused dogs. We implement our charity initiatives all year round, but it’s especially important to raise awareness for our furry friends in need on Saturday 26th August.
