Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home

The Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home is just one of the dog shelters we have in Manchester. In this article we highlight the work they do and how we can help them care for unwanted dogs.

Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home – History

The Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home can trace its history back to 1893. Founded by a group of businessmen who were concerned about the stray dogs in the city, it was originally known as Manchester and District Home for Lost Dogs.

Manchester as a city grew over the years and they expanded when they opened the Cheshire Dogs home. Expansion included buying additional land which has proved ideal for dogs who don’t cope in traditional kennels. The facilities, both for the resident dogs and for human visitors looking to adopt a dog are of a high standard.

How They Raise Money

Most dog shelters rely on fundraising in one form or another. It’s fair to say that the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home have virtually every fundraising method you could think of covered. These include:

• Sponsor a kennel. You can sponsor a kennel which will help towards costs like food, water and bedding. Their website suggests a £5.00 monthly donation.
• Charity shop. Yes they even have a charity shop in Harpurhey which is open limited hours, 6 days a week. The website states that people can drop off unwanted items at the shop but it’s not clear if they mean unwanted pet related items or just unwanted items generally that they can then sell in the shop. Perhaps someone who has visited the charity shop can leave a comment with more information.
• Monetary donations. The Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home receives donations in a varied number of ways. People are free to both give a single off-off donation or setup a standing order for a regular monthly amount. They can also give collection boxes which you can leave within your local shop or within your workplace. For those who want to organise a fundraising event to support them, they will assist where they can with things like fundraising packs. Two other ways they raise funds is through legacies (people leaving them money in their will) and via an Amazon Wishlist. Both the Manchester and Cheshire branches have an Amazon wishlist that you can visit. You can buy anything on the wishlist and it will be sent directly to the dogs home.

For those who can’t afford to donate financially there is the chance to support them by volunteering some of your free time. This mostly entails helping walk the dogs in their care. It should be noted that due to their insurance they can only accept volunteers over 18 years of age. They also point out that both centres are not well served by public transport so volunteering is probably best suited to car owners.

Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home – Services Offered

As well as accepting unwanted dogs and finding new homes for them, the charity also offers a few services which may be of interest to any local dog owner. Indeed for those on a tight budget these services do seem to be cheaper than equivalents offered by most local vets. These services include:

• Neutering. The price for this service is dependent on the weight and sex of the dog. Male neutering ranges from £42.00 to £72.00. Female neutering ranges from £69.00 to £99.00.
• Micro-chipping . They will microchip all dogs for just £5.00.
• Pet crematorium. Not a subject any of us dog owners want to think about but when the time comes they offer such a service that includes collection and a range of caskets. Prices for this service are on request.

Summary

It does seem that the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home is very well organised. They have a long history in the city and their facilities seem to be of a high standard. Fundraising options are many and varied and even looking at the quality of their website you don’t get the impression that they are running on a shoestring budget.

If you want to find out more about the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home you can visit their website here. Whether you want to share your home with a rescue dog or want to give your time or money to help out in some way I’m sure they will be delighted to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment if you have had any dealings with them. Is your dog a rescue from them? Do you volunteer there or perhaps you are a regular at their charity shop, whatever it is I’d like to hear your thoughts.