UK’s first ever national dog adoption month hailed overwhelming success.
The UK national dog adoption service DogsBlog.com is celebrating an incredible August as the site reports a staggering rise in the number of dogs adopted during the first ever national dog adoption month.
The website, which set up National Dog Adoption Month partnered with animal health company CEVA, has also reported:
- 227% month on month increase in number of dogs rehomed
- 282 dogs successfully placed in new, permanent homes
- 473 homing enquiries received during August, an increase of 194% on average months
- A ten-fold increase in the number of rescues applying to list their dogs on the site
- An 85% increase in the number of people prepared to accept professional advice for their dogs rather than give the animals up (preventing 36 dogs from entering the rescue system)
- Relieving the animal welfare sector of £684,484* of financial burden
There was more good news as the National Dog Adoption Month main campaign message of ‘not broke, doesn’t need fixing’ which was aiming to educate would-be dog owners that most rescue dogs are not damaged goods or problematic pets, reached more than 6m people in the UK thanks to a concerted media campaign.
DogsBlog.com and National Dog Adoption Month co-founder Ryan O’Meara was overwhelmed by the success of the inaugural event, “It’s fair to say National Dog Adoption Month has been a roaring success. So many people got behind the event and its key message. The most rewarding thing to any event or awareness campaign of this nature is not that the message was well delivered, but that the message actually worked!
Now there at least 282 dogs in new, permanent homes and who knows how many other people have felt encouraged to consider adopting a dog as a result of this campaign. We couldn’t be more pleased and only hope the message will stay with people that adopting a dog is not a second best or runner up method of acquiring a dog, it’s actually, for many people, the best way to get a dog.”
Adopting a dog is also attracting a number of celebrity dog owners. Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ producer Mark Ronson has recently adopted and UK artist Lilly Allen is about to adopt a dog from Battersea dogs home, George Michael, John Barrowman, Geri Haliwell and Drew Barrymore are just some of the other stars who have enjoyed the enormous advantages of adopting a dog. Even US presidential candidate Barack Obama is being encouraged to adopt having promised his family a new dog regardless of whether he wins the presidential race or not.
Martin Clunes, who has just completed a book following the successful ITV documentary ‘One Man and His Dogs’ is another famous face happy to hear of the positive effect of National Dog Adoption Month, “Long may it continue, I’m all for animal adoption!”
Sky News presenter Charlotte Hawkins is also keen to emphasise the joy of adopting a dog, “My dog Bailey was in a dog pound and faced being destroyed if she hadn’t been rescued by a charity. I can’t imagine life without her now, she’s one of the family. I’m a big supporter of National Dog Adoption Month, and I’m really hoping it will help find homes for the many special dogs out there. Adopting a dog makes such a difference to their life, and in return you’ll get a loyal friend. They’ll make you fitter, happier, and healthier, and will give you lots of laughs along the way.”.
* According to annual kenneling costs of £6.65 per day per dog published by RSPCA in January 2008
Hear what National Dog Adoption Month is all about:
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