Over the years, the Trust has funded and worked alongside hundreds of canine charities and different research institutions. Here are some of our more recent beneficiaries and partner organisations.
Medical Detection Dogs lead the way in life-saving diagnoses
We are really proud of the partnership we’ve built with the UK charity, Medical Detection Dogs. Since 2016, The Kennel Club Charitable Trust has awarded funds to train and look after these highly skilled and hard-working dogs so that they can recognise the odours connected with disease and illness in their human counterparts.
It costs around £29,000 to train a Medical Detection Dog and a further £1,000 a year to fund its ongoing care. With your help we have been able to support this vital programme and radically change the lives of people suffering from a wide range of medical conditions. Our close relationship with the charity also means that we are kept up to date about advances being made in the fields of bio-detection and medical alert assistance; from new methods of pin-pointing bacterial infections and viruses such as COVID-19, to success stories where vulnerable individuals, struggling to manage complex, life-threatening medical conditions have had their fortunes turned around.
Help give someone peace of mind and new levels of confidence
There are thousands of families in the UK, looking after loved ones with a debilitating, worrying illness. Often, the technology that exists to support people with conditions such as diabetes, post tachyardia syndrome (PoTS) and adrenal insufficiency, isn’t precise enough to pick up minute changes in a person’s bio-chemical balance. Properly trained detection dogs, however, have the ability to sense the smallest fluctuations in an individual’s personal odour, enabling them to signal an impending medical event before it’s too late. For many people, the reliability of their medical detection dog’s incredible nose, gives them the kind of peace of mind they never thought possible. It means having the support they can trust and the ability to greet each day with new levels of confidence.
'Because she can detect sugar levels going down in the children as it happens, we feel more relaxed. Medical Detection Dogs have literally changed our lives by giving us Ally.’
Photo: Debbie, Mum to Kia, 5 and Nial, 4 - both of whom suffer from a rare genetic condition known as diabetic hypoglycaemia.
Hope Rescue - Keeping doors open to the most vulnerable dogs
We know how much the Coronavirus pandemic has negatively impacted smaller charities, who often rely heavily on local support. During 2020, Hope Rescue, based in Wales, lost 60% of its revenue when it was forced to close its charity shop and could no longer rely on other revenue streams from boarding kennels, paddock hire and fundraising events.
The Kennel Club Charitable Trust (KCCT) was quick to allocate Hope Rescue £3,000 from our emergency fund, making it possible for the Charity to keep its doors open to some of the most vulnerable dogs and pet owners in the local community. Between March and December, they helped a total of 395 dogs which is an incredible achievement, given the challenging circumstances they’ve been working In.
The KCCT award was a life-line for four dogs in particular. Belle, Brave, Ebony and Arlo might not be here today, if it wasn’t for the generosity of our friends and supporters. Amongst other things, the money we were able to give to Hope Rescue paid for an emergency caesarean section, life-saving surgery to stop infection, the repair of a broken leg and help with fostering and rehoming.
With your support, we can continue to fund small, regional charities like Hope Rescue, doing amazing work in your area. We make no distinction when it comes to breed or background and simply want to guarantee happier outcomes for all dogs.
Photo: Belle, Brave, Ebony and Arlo.
Helping dogs and people escape domestic violence
‘Refuge4Pets enabled me to leave and to keep my animals from harm.’
When we hear about domestic abuse, how many of us think of the animal lives bound up with the human suffering? Sadly, family pets are often caught in the cross-fire when relationships break down and become violent. And, in the majority of cases, the animals most at risk are dogs. That’s why we’re really proud to support Refuge4Pets who do incredible work alongside Social Services in Devon and Cornwall.
Since 2017, Refuge4Pets has existed to free both people and animals from the damaging effects of domestic violence. It recognises that all too often, victims and survivors of abuse are reluctant to seek help or leave home for fear of abandoning their family pets. Because most refuges have a strictly no animals policy, the Charity has become a lifeline to those who feel trapped, offering them outstanding foster care for their pets, for as long as it’s needed.
The impact of regular funding
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we’ve been able to award regular grants to Refuge4Pets, to fund the vital work it undertakes in finding dogs temporary, high quality foster homes. While their owners are being helped by domestic abuse services to rebuild their lives again, the Charity provides a parallel service for their four-legged friends. These grants literally save lives, enabling Refuge4Pets to remove dogs from abusive settings, matching them with dedicated foster carers and paying for whatever veterinary treatment a dog might need.
Our last grant of £5,000, made it possible to rescue no fewer than thirteen dogs, funding everything from transitional kennel fees to ear and eye infection treatments, joint operations and spiral fractures. The money we give not only alleviates animal suffering and reassures pet owners at a really difficult time, but also enables the Charity to provide peace of mind to volunteer foster carers, many of whom find that their own mental health benefits from being part of the scheme.
‘It’s a good feeling knowing we are helping people and animals.’ (Refuge4Pets foster carer)
We agree. And, with your help we can continue to offer both dogs and people a way out of abusive or violent relationships. No matter what breed, no matter what background or personal circumstances, your gift will make it possible for Refuge4Pets to bring hope and stability to dogs and their owners when they need it most.
Helping people with Autism to enjoy greater independence
'When Mark starts his sessions with support dog, Fleck, the change is immediate. After leaving, he’s a different person.'
This is how Sarah Tosh-Robb, our Support Co-ordinator at Dogs for Good, describes the transformational impact a four-legged friend can have on those living with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.
Sarah works closely with adults at the Autism at Kingwood charity, helping them to manage their symptoms and develop greater self-confidence with the assistance of a dedicated support dog. Her work, fully funded by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust (KCCT), is all about providing therapy that promotes greater independence and literally changes people’s lives.
The difference a Support Dog can make
It costs around £30,000 to train and take care of a Support Dog like Fleck. When Sarah first met Mark who has Autism, she introduced him to Fleck, an affectionate, Labrador retriever cross. Together, they developed a plan that included a range of activities designed to improve Mark’s ability to live more independently. Over time, he learned to walk Fleck on a dual lead in the local parks and shopping centres which improved his sense of personal responsibility. Mark also became less dependent on support staff, realising that he was capable of looking after his own needs as well as Fleck’s and could confidently venture out alone.
Be part of something special
With your help, we can support even more people like Mark; people who find the outside world unpredictable and often overwhelming. Your gift has the power to do something really special, enabling vulnerable individuals living with Autism to overcome their fears and experience new levels of confidence. For many, this means being able to transcend their everyday challenges and connect with opportunities that allow them to flourish. In Mark’s case, this has led him to complete an ASDAN qualification in animal care and encouraged him to think seriously about securing a volunteer role in the future.
We’re proud to be supporting this partnership with Dogs for Good and Autism at Kingwood and we would love you to be part of its continuing story. In helping us to bring experts together and provide the funding they need to do what they do best, we can all make a positive difference to adults living with the challenges of Autism.