Dog rescue charity opens doors to showcase new kennels in Newquay

A dog rescue charity is reopening its doors this weekend to showcase newly rebuilt kennels at its rescue centre.

St Francis Dogs Home will mark the opening with a public open day at its centre on Trevelgue on Saturday (17 January), running from 10am to 3pm.

The charity says dog lovers from across Cornwall are invited to visit the redeveloped site and view the new kennels, which complement its long-established fostering programme. Since 2022, the charity has cared for 240 dogs and successfully rehomed 216 of them.

The expanded facilities include 10 replacement kennels and two isolation kennels, with each block featuring its own food preparation area. The kennels have been designed to meet DEFRA standards and include insulated modular buildings, solar panels and low-energy heating, with the aim of improving sustainability and welfare.

The charity says the new kennels will be particularly valuable in emergency situations, when dogs have no other immediate place to go, and will help increase the number of animals it can rescue, rehabilitate and rehome.

The official opening will be announced by the town crier at midday, followed by short speeches from Anthony Kinder, chair of the trustees, and Beverly Dobson, centre manager. A ceremonial ribbon cutting will then be carried out by Jeremy Varcoe, the nephew of the charity’s founder, Nancy Bates.

The open day will include fundraising activities throughout, with a refreshments van on site. Visitors will be able to browse charity sale items, buy raffle tickets, bid in a silent auction, pick up a free car sticker and dedicate a plaque on the charity’s memory wall.

St Francis Dogs Home says it is also hoping to use the event to recruit more volunteers and foster carers, encourage donations and promote its message of “adopt, don’t shop”.

The charity says demand for dog rescue and rehoming remains high, with two or three calls a day from people looking to surrender dogs. By combining kennels with fostering, it hopes to better meet that demand.

Established in 1955, St Francis Dogs Home is the longest-running dog rescue centre in Cornwall. Its policy is to care for dogs from within the county and rehome them locally, allowing the charity to provide ongoing support throughout each dog’s life.