Rescue Co-ordinator
Mrs Lesley Thorne
Telephone: 07747 794736
Assistant Breed Rescue Co-ordinator
Carolyn Snowdon
Telephone: 0770 416 8512
Our philosophy is that every Schipperke must always come first regardless of age, health condition or circumstances.
We depend on donations from those who love Schipperkes and value the work we do. Donations are used towards vets bills, most commonly neutering and dental expenses. We are always grateful for donations and thank everyone for their ongoing support.
We organise the Rescue from our homes like most breed Rescues, but unlike larger Rescues such as RSPCA and Dogs Trust who have kennel facilities.
We have a lot of experience with Schipperkes but we are not qualified behaviourists or trainers. However, we can offer advice albeit limited. If you are having problems you may be advised to seek professional support.
Over the past few years we have experienced on average 2 Schipperkes requiring our help each year. There is a larger demand from those wishing to offer a home to a deserving dog. Therefore, the wait can be long. However, if you think you would be a suitable home you can request to be put on our waiting list. Please contact us.
Most Rescue Schipperkes find themselves needing a new home because:
We endeavour to find a good match between Schipperke and new owner. We will have assessed the dog to the best of our ability and taken time with you to ensure you are suitable.
However, we always allow a trial period whereby the Schipperke must be returned to us if difficulties arise.
We also appreciate the companionship older dogs can bring to older people and offer special support in these circumstances.
Left to right is Karen Green from Agria, Diane Forknall – Chair, Melanie Reed Peck – Secretary, Linda Fellows – Treasurer and me (Lesley Thorne). The star was one of our Rescues – Buddy.
BY LESLEY THORNE
Schipperkes are not a common breed and nowadays we average at two per year needing the help of our rescue team – this figure didn’t change during the pandemic. Most of the Schipperkes that come to us are older dogs with changes in circumstances, particularly if their owners have passed away or have gone into care homes.
We are often alerted about a dog in need of our help through relatives of the owner, and Schipperkes found in other general rescue organisations come to our attention through our vigilant club members. We would like to encourage rescue centres to contact us as soon as they have a Schipperke in their care as we can help find suitable homes quite quickly.
Enquiries from those wanting to give a home to a rescue Schipperke are put on a waiting list but they can sometimes be waiting a long time as the demand far outweighs the availability.
Occasionally, very elderly Schipperkes find their way to us and we often keep these in our care, providing them with a comfortable retirement. One such little lady is Naomi. She came to us at 16 years old after her previous owner passed away. When Naomi arrived she needed urgent dental care as, sadly, all her teeth had to be removed. She lived with us until she passed away recently at the grand age of 19-and-a-half years old.
Chip was found in a general rescue centre by a club member where he had been for about nine months. He was 11 years old and his previous owner had passed away. The centre found him a home but, sadly, he was returned two weeks later. I found him the perfect home with an older lady who had experience with Schipperkes. They quickly became inseparable, but Chip developed ealth problems after six months. He was diagnosed with cancer that had spread and, sadly, passed away. They both enjoyed the time they had together, and he had a happy last few months with her.
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This article first appeared in the Kennel Gazette June 2022.
Copyright The Kennel Club Ltd.
Reproduced with their permission.