With less than 10 weeks until Christmas, Dogs Trust Kenilworth is on a mission to find the dogs in its care a home for life.  

Dogs Trust Kenilworth is currently home to 144 dogs, and the charity is on a mission to find homes for as many of them as possible ahead of the festive season.

This comes as Dogs Trust reveals it has received over 32,000 handover enquiries so far this year from owners no longer able to care for their dogs.

In 2024 so far, the charity has also found new homes for more than 6,000 dogs across the UK.

One of the dogs hoping for a new home ahead of the festive season is Ben the Jack Russell Terrier.

Ben may be approaching ten years old, but he is "still full of beans and loves his long walks, sniffing around, and exploring as much as possible".

Ben has been in the care of Dogs Trust for almost two years, and is looking for a calm, adult-only home where he can settle in at his own pace.

Emma-Jane Thomas, manager at Dogs Trust Kenilworth, said: "Christmas is fast approaching, and we are hoping to find forever homes for as many dogs as possible ahead of the festive season.

"While the Dogs Trust team will make sure that the dogs in our care over Christmas are well looked after, with festive treats and gifts galore, we all know there's nowhere quite like home. 

"We are certain that there is a fantastic forever home for each and every one of our dogs, and we'd like to see as many as possible settled in their new happy places ahead of Christmas.

"One of these dogs is our gorgeous Ben the Jack Russell Terrier, who has been with us for coming up to two years. Ben can be a sensitive boy, but once you form a bond, you'll be rewarded with a loving, loyal companion.

"Ben was with us last Christmas, and we would love it if he was in his forever home for the festive season this year."

For almost fifty years, Dogs Trust has been linked to Christmas thanks to the famous phrase "A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas", penned by the charity's team in 1978 in response to the large number of puppies bought as Christmas gifts and then abandoned in January.

Since then, it has gone on to find homes for thousands of dogs each year. 

While the charity no longer sees a large number of pet-shop bought puppies handed over in January, the last three years have been some of the busiest on record for Dogs Trust. 

In 2022 it received over 50,000 handover requests, with a further 45,000 last year, and over 32,000 so far this year.

Emma-Jane continued to say: "Welcoming a dog into your home is a wonderful experience, but it requires commitment, both in terms of time and money. We work closely with prospective adopters to ensure they're fully prepared to welcome one of our dogs into their home, and our team carefully matches each dog with a family and home that suits them best. 

"And our care doesn't stop at rehoming – we offer ongoing support and guidance to owners throughout their dog's life. At Dogs Trust, our dogs are part of the family for life, not just for Christmas."  

For more information about Ben or the other dogs in the care of Dogs Trust Kenilworth, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/kenilworth.