We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a Battersea Animal Partnership Grant! This development grant will further progress our ability to effectively home dogs that have never before encountered a home environment.
Many rescued dogs that come into Forever Hounds Trust care have poor welfare backgrounds, and will not have been shown love, attention or seen the inside of a normal home before.
Most behavioural problems that new homers come across could be avoided if these dogs could first experience household items and distractions.
To achieve this, we asked for funding to enable us to purchase and equip a portable modular building, furnished as a room in a normal house. This will allow us to ensure that ‘home based’ aspects of the welfare of a dog in our care are identified and prioritised.
The unit will be furnished with sofas, table, chairs, a TV, a kitchen unit with kettle, rugs, washing machine, vacuum, a ‘staircase’, and a door to the outside world. In this safe and secure ‘home room’, dogs requiring specific training and introduction to home life can spend time with our expert homing, kennelling and welfare volunteers and staff.
The indoor web cam with motion sensor will enable our Senior Behaviour Advisor to judge how a dog is progressing in a home environment with all the distractions that entails. In addition, rescued dogs that have been unwell or are recovering from veterinary treatments will benefit from this environment of calm, which will greatly help their physical and mental well-being. The room could also provide a safe haven for dogs who may struggle initially with the kennel environment, enabling them to relax and sleep.
The home room will provide a place of rest, and will enable us to assess the dogs’ behaviour and readiness to go to their forever homes, and to provide a plan for the home they are matched to.
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