Birkenhead Kennels to receive thousands of pounds of investment thanks to community campaign highlighted by the News in May


Sep 29 2010 by Matt Hurst, Birkenhead News BIRKENHEAD Kennels will receive thousands of pounds of investment just five months after Wirral News highlighted the efforts of a community group seeking to improve conditions. In May this year, the News reported on the fledgling Friends of Birkenhead Kennels organisation, borne out of a visit to the facility by residents including Gillian Westerman and Karen Mills. They saw the effort being made by staff but were concerned that conditions made life difficult for them, and the dogs in their care. At the time of the report, the group had collected just 150 signatures on a petition created to press Wirral Council for funding.

And now £5,845 has been secured from area forums across Wirral, after 4,000 supporters’ names were presented to council chiefs by the Friends of Birkenhead Kennels. The money will be used to repaint internal walls and make improvements to the flooring in both the main kennels block, and the smaller isolation kennel. Meetings have been held between the Friends and council representatives, with discussions about the possibility of creating a community partnership to look into the possibility of building new kennel facilities ongoing. Cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Gill Gardiner said: “The recent meetings we have had with the friends group have been very positive and it is good to see that there is such positive and proactive support for our kennel staff and the animals they try to re- home. “The support from each area forum I think confirms that the wider community does value this service and I am pleased to see such a positive expression of acknowledgement for the friends group’s activities.” Other ideas presented as part of the petition aspire to the creation of a run where dogs can be exercised, the fitting of new gates to allow dogs to feel less isolated, the installation of windows in the roof of the kennels to let in natural light, an increase in the availability of warm bedding to protect the dogs from the cold floor, and the development of a regular spot in the local press to advertise dogs looking for new homes. All these items will be considered by council chiefs as discussions progress. And to top a good week, the kennels was awarded the RSPCA Stray Dog Gold Footprint - one of only 33 nationwide.


http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-news/local-wirral-news/2010/09/29/birkenhead-kennels-to-receive-thousands-of-pounds-of-investment-thanks-to-community-campaign-highlighted-by-the-news-in-may-80491-27357147/

Karen!!!! you are a star great result

Great work Karen.

Karen

Well done honey

Well Done Karen

way to go Karen

WOOP go you!!!

well done

Thanks Sue

Karen what fantastic news.... WEll done !!!!!!

Thank you Suze