English Springer Spaniel Welfare

English Springer Spaniel Welfare (ESSW) was set up in 1990 to care for the breed and look after dogs who were being ill-treated or were unwanted for any reason. Last year, local resident Julie Moore, the area co-ordinator for most of Devon and part of Cornwall, managed to rehome 27 dogs to caring homes. When dogs are referred to the charity by owners, vets, the police pound or Dog’s Trust, the charity’s priority at all times is the dog’s welfare. The needs of each dog are evaluated and at the same time potential homes are visited by the assessor so that Julie can match suitable dogs with suitable homes. She also often works with the other 10 area co-ordinators to cross-match pairings.

Julie has been volunteering with the charity since 2015 and is passionate about finding good homes for the dogs. There is currently a particular need for foster homes, as well as homes for older dogs. She says that ideally foster carers would spend quite a bit of time at home, would have experience of spaniels and would be able to provide plenty of exercise. If someone is willing to take on an older dog then the charity is able to help cover the cost of vet medication up to £50 per month, as medical expenses can sometimes deter people from thinking about rehoming older dogs.

ESSW is run by volunteers but on average it still costs £240 to rehome a dog. The charity depends on raising funds via donations from new and old owners, other dog-lovers, membership fees and fundraising events, such as the ESSW Dog Show in Winkleigh on 2 September. For more details please visit www.essw.co.uk or contact Julie Moore on 01822 859221.