Without the help of a national television programme, the amount of support that pet owners and their animals can access in one part of Cambridgeshire may not be as well-documented.
Woodgreen Animal Centre in Godmanchester continues to play host to Channel 4’s The Dog House, and is currently filming its sixth series since it first aired in 2019.
The programme aims to showcase the work that pet carers, training specialists and volunteers do to give homeless pets another chance of finding the right owners.
Lucie Berridge, rehoming and relations manager at Woodgreen, has been in her current role since last summer.
“We talk to the public about what they are looking for, and it makes me proud of the work we’re doing and the show is heartwarming,” she said.
“The cost of living in terms of bills can be difficult [to deal with]; some people might feel lonely, and we know we’ve added to that family’s life and enriched that pet’s life, too.”
On my visit to Woodgreen, which has rehomed 1,615 pets in the last year, I saw some of the places where The Dog House is filmed, inside and outdoors.
READ MORE: Woodgreen : Can you give one of these dogs a forever home?
As well as meeting cats, I spent some time at the centre’s dog section, home to around 55-60 dogs and managed by Ciara Pollen.
And having seen some dogs stay for long periods of time, including Bella the lurcher who stayed at Woodgreen for more than a year, Ciara enjoys the moment they find a new home.
“You have to have an understanding on what they want physically but emotionally and get to the bottom of each individual who will best match that dog,” she said.
“It’s about [The Dog House] showcasing our work to a wider audience, which allows people to recognise we are a source of support they can tap into.”
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