Dogs Trust staff welcomed Mairi Gougeon MSP to West Calder Rehoming Centre last week where she met handsome hounds patiently awaiting new homes.
As well as a behind the scenes tour of the West Lothian centre, The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands and MSP for Angus North and Mearns, met with Dogs Trust staff including Veterinary Director Paula Boyden to discuss the charity’s work in Scotland.
Paula said: “It was lovely to meet Mairi at one of our rehoming centres in Scotland where she was greeted by lots of waggy tails!
“It was a great opportunity to discuss current progress around dog welfare in Scotland, including proposals to tackle puppy smuggling, and how, as the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, we will continue to work with the Scottish Government on a range of issues to improve the lives of our four-legged friends.”
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “The work undertaken by the Dogs Trust contributes significantly to safeguarding the welfare of dogs in Scotland. I want to thank the staff at the West Calder facility for taking time out of their day to introduce me to some of their resident dogs and for updating me on the vital hard work they do every day.
“Canine welfare is an issue that the Scottish Government and Dogs Trust take extremely seriously and we are fully committed to tackling the scourge of low-welfare breeding and dealing of dogs. We will continue to work together to ensure the wellbeing of dogs across Scotland.”
Susan Tonner, West Calder Rehoming Centre Manager said: “We were delighted to welcome Mairi to our rehoming centre to showcase the work we do with the dogs in our care.
“It was a pleasure to show Mairi the hard work and dedication that goes on behind the scenes to prepare our canine friends for their forever homes.”
Dogs Trust has two rehoming centres in Scotland, West Calder and Glasgow in Uddingston. On average we rehome 700 dogs a year in Scotland and have over 430,000 supporters across the country.
For more information about Dogs Trust West Calder, please call 0300 303 0292 or visit https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/our-centres/west-calder/