A birthday milestone and a triumph for the staff and volunteers behind the successful Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre was celebrated at the weekend.
It is 20 years since the charity opened its facility at Dovecotewells near Glencaple after taking over from the NCDL (now Dogs Trust) which controversially announced they were leaving the centre after 25 years.
Anger and concern from residents led to the Standard’s Keep The Kennels campaign with a group of volunteers forming a new charity, Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue.
With support of the landowner and the Caerlaverock Estate, they set about establishing a new facility at Dovecotewells. And the centre, which has since had many improvements over the years, with the addition of a new kennel block and hospital, continues to provide a care and rehoming centre for unwanted, abandoned and ill-treated dogs.
It has saved close to 5,000 dogs and to mark the anniversary many of the owners who got their pet from the centre posted pictures and birthday messages on its Facebook page.
It still relies on public support to keep going and the weekend celebration welcomed in visitors of all ages keen to look around the facilities with guided tours.
There was also a host of activities and stalls, along with refreshments and cake and competitions to raise funds.
The dogs wore party hats as well as handmade bow ties donated by Stonehouse Pet Care.
The centre takes dogs from across the region and, when space permits, from England and Northern Ireland.
They also take in welfare cases, on referral from the social services department and other agencies to provide temporary care for pets during a time of personal difficulty for their owners.
