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Dog rescue centre seeks funds for new kennels

Ellen Knightin Shropshire
News imageELLEN KNIGHT/BBC Marty pictured looking into the camera and smiling slightly. She's wearing a long navy waterproof coat with a pink top on underneath, and has her long grey hair tied up out of her face. She's holding a small light brown fluffy dog, possibly a Pomeranian cross. The dog is looking towards the camera, and has a green and red Christmas elf hat on its head. They're stood outside the rescue centre, which is made up of a cluster of single-storey cream buildings. ELLEN KNIGHT/BBC
Marty Burrell, pictured here with one of the rescue centre's residents, has been running Hilbrae for more than 35 years

A dog rescue centre is hoping to raise £50,000 to install new blocks of kennels and fix paddock fencing as it meets the day to day costs of caring for more than 50 animals.

Hilbrae Rescue Kennels, near Shawbury in Shropshire, takes in dogs from across the county.

The cost of a dog's stay up to seven days is covered by Telford and Wrekin Council - but beyond that it is up to Hilbrae to cover.

The council's deputy leader said the local authority was proud to work with Hilbrae.

Marty Burrell, who runs Hilbrae with her son, said that although they had "a lot of support" from local people who "bring stuff for the dogs and make donations", the running costs of the centre make large projects difficult.

"We've never gone cap in hand to anybody," Ms Burrell added.

But now they need to raise funds in order to build two new kennel blocks and re-fence a one-acre paddock site.

"The fence has been up for 20-odd years," Ms Burrell said, adding that her team sought "somewhere that's 100% safe so the dogs can have a good run and a gallop".

News imageELLEN KNIGHT/BBC Photo of a large light brown fluffy dog with dark markings around its muzzle and eyes - believed to be a Chinook breed. The dog is looking towards the right hand side of the photo, and has its mouth slightly open. In front of the dog is metal grating, keeping him in his kennel. The kennel has a light brown floor and green painted walls, and a brown dog bed is seen in the back left corner. ELLEN KNIGHT/BBC
Hilbrae estimates it has taken in as many as 21,000 dogs from Telford alone during the years

Some of the existing kennels do not have the option for staff to shut dogs away while they clean, and the centre wants blocks that are more versatile.

"It will make life easier for the staff," Ms Burrell said, adding that while it seemed like a small change, "some of the new dogs are quite aggressive and difficult".

"The trouble with a place like this," she said, "is that we've been going so long that things just wear out, and finding the money to pay for them is the problem."

News imageELLEN KNIGHT/BBC A row of four kennels, with red floors and silver metal grates keeping the dogs inside, and a corrugated metal roof. Inside each kennel is a bed and a dog - from left, a black greyhound, a black and white lurcher, a brown Shar Pei, and another black greyhound. Beyond the kennels is a row of trees, and the sky is blue with a few clouds. ELLEN KNIGHT/BBC
Many dogs are at the centre for far longer than their council-funded, one-week stay

About 50 dogs are housed at Hilbrae at any one time, with "some of them [there] a lot longer than others", said staff member Donna Griffiths.

"They're all very unique... and they all have their own little personalities."

In a statement, Richard Overton, the deputy leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, said the local authority was "proud to be working with Hilbrae Rescue Kennels in caring for stray and abandoned dogs".

He added that the centre played "an essential role in our community", and that the council valued the "strong partnership".

"We wish them every success in their fundraising campaign and encourage residents to support this important cause."

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