St Francis Dogs Home unveils major new upgrade

Sunday, 18 January 2026 13:35

St Francis Dogs Home threw open its doors on Saturday, welcoming the public to its newly redeveloped rescue centre in Newquay.

The dog rescue charity hosted a public open day at its Trevelgue site, giving visitors the chance to see the rebuilt kennels and learn more about its long-established fostering and rehoming work.

The upgraded facilities include ten replacement kennels and two isolation kennels, each with dedicated food preparation areas. Designed to meet DEFRA standards, the new kennels feature insulated modular buildings, solar panels and low-energy heating, with a focus on improving sustainability and animal welfare.

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

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

Throughout the day, visitors were able to take part in fundraising activities, browse charity sale items, buy raffle tickets, bid in a silent auction, and dedicate plaques on the charity’s memory wall. The event also aimed to recruit new volunteers and foster carers, while promoting the charity’s message to “adopt, don’t shop”.

St Francis Dogs Home says demand for dog rescue remains high, with two or three calls a day from people looking to surrender dogs. By combining kennels with fostering, the charity hopes to better meet that ongoing need.

Established in 1955, St Francis Dogs Home is the longest-running dog rescue centre in Cornwall, rehoming dogs locally so it can provide lifelong support. Since 2022, the charity has cared for 240 dogs and successfully rehomed 216.

Bronte successfully rehomed two dogs through St Francis. PRESS PLAY TO HEAR MORE...

Click below to see images of the day captured by Newquay photographer Michelle Johnson.

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St Francis Dogs Home Open Day - Credit: Michelle Johnson

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