Petplan Charitable Trust awards L.A.A. £5K

Published 18th March 2024

We've recently received some fabulous news; the Petplan Charitable Trust are awarding Leicester Animal Aid a grant of £5K! This will fund a kennel renovation project which will help nervous dogs adapt to their surroundings and feel more comfortable during their time with us.    

The Trust, who are the charitable arm of the leading pet insurance company Petplan, are kindly funding weatherproof uPVC divider boards that will be attached to existing kennel, play and exercise area fencing. These screens will block the view of other dogs passing by and will help to create a calmer environment. 

Increasingly, we are finding that dogs arriving at the Centre have had limited socialisation and are wary of other dogs. Understandably, many dogs are already nervous and reactive when they first arrive. Many bark when they see other dogs walking past their kennel and this can lead other dogs to bark, too. We do have areas onsite that are quieter than others. However, because our dogs have lots of physical and mental enrichment activities throughout the day, they need to walk past other kennels to access the great outdoors. The dividers will help to prevent dogs feeling threatened and anxious by screening their view of other dogs coming and going.

The dividers will also help dogs in our exercise areas to concentrate on the activity at hand such as training, socialisation, scent work, agility or meeting a new potential owner.

Keely Short, Centre Manager says,

"I'm delighted with this award. The new screens will not only benefit new arrivals and those recovering from surgery and illness, they will help create a quieter, calmer site. Even the cats will benefit. With Petplan's help, we will be able to reduce stress and dog to dog reactivity at the Centre, too. Thanks so much to the Petplan Charitable Trust!"  

More information about Petplan is available here. 

Follow Petplan on Facebook here.

The photo above shows one of the outside exercise areas that will be transformed by the grant. 

We would also like to sincerely thank Mars Petcare who have generously donated 5K to this project.