Dogs brought to the Animal Centre have often been abused or neglected for most of their lives. They then enter an unfamiliar and confined environment, with different food and bedding. They'll be exposed to a barrage of other dogs' scents, constant barking and lots of strange people. So not only do they have to overcome their earlier experiences, they also have kennel stress to contend with.

The Animal Centre in Southport is an independent branch of the RSPCA, which deals with some of the most serious cases of animal cruelty and neglect in the country. Since volunteering here, some of the stories I've heard have broken my heart, and some of the animals I've cared for have stolen it.

Whilst the Animal Centre operates under the frameworks of the national RSPCA, it is actually a separately registered charity (under no. 232258). This means that it needs to raise its own funds to keep the centre going and care for the animals brought to them by RSPCA investigators. Right now, funds are pretty tight.

The centre is currently in the middle of constructing a sensory garden, so that the dogs in care have somewhere to explore and play in comfort...but due to the lack of funding, progress has come to disappointing halt. This is why we’re asking for your help!

A sensory garden is a purpose built space made up of numerous different smells, textures and sounds, and is designed to tantalise all the senses and provide physical/mental challenges to tackle kennel stress. This is vital in the rehabilitation of rescued animals, as studies show that the longer that dogs are in kennels, the more stressed and anxious it becomes, and thus the harder it is to rehome it. In short, sensory gardens can significantly contribute to the happiness, temperament and disposition of a dog, massively enhancing its chances of adoption (and with it a lifetime of happiness).

In an ideal world, we’d be asking each person reading this to adopt a rescue animal and give them a second chance at life, but we know not everybody can do that. However, most of you can give a small donation to help us raise the funds to complete the garden. These dogs really do deserve to be given the best chance of finding their forever home!

Thank you!