Dogs Trust Leeds is preparing for an influx of new arrivals during the coronavirus crisis.
The charity realises some owners may be finding it difficult to look after their dogs during the lockdown, especially if they become ill, and they could see many more pooches arrive in the coming weeks.
Staff are ready to take in more dogs, but the ones who are currently living at the Leeds centre in Woodlands Farm cannot be matched with a new families until the restrictions are relaxed.
Catherine Gillie, regional manager for Dogs Trust in Leeds: “We have been fortunate that there hasn’t yet been an increase in the number of people wanting to hand their dogs into the rehoming centre, although we do expect this is likely to change in the coming weeks and we are putting plans in place to help these dogs where at all possible.
"We are asking anyone who needs urgent help regarding giving up their dog, to contact us immediately and we will offer you as much advice and support as we can.
“We’d like to reassure you that our wonderful staff will continue to provide the best possible care for our dogs, while avoiding any close interaction with each other.
“Whilst many families are keen to adopt a new canine companion, we have temporarily paused rehoming dogs to new families, in line with Government guidelines, with plans in place to resume rehoming as soon as possible.
“Our staff are busy looking after our dogs behind the scenes, while limiting interaction with each other, and we are finding temporary foster homes for as many dogs as we can until we can find them a forever home.
"We are very grateful to the families that have volunteered help in this way, and we ask that you bear with us while we process the fostering applications we’ve already received.”
More than, 5,200 people in Yorkshire, including 734 in Leeds, have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 682 people have died in the county after being diagnosed with the virus.
