DOGS Trust Evesham has received three wooden benches, hand-crafted by men at HMP Long Lartin giving dogs the chance to sit and get to know their canine carers and new families whilst they wait to be adopted.
The benches were created after one of the Rehoming Centres volunteers noticed that some of the existing benches were becoming old and run down and put in a request to the prison’s Governor, Clare Pearson, to donate some new ones.
The men on the Long Lartin Woodcraft training course got to work and began making three benches which have now been placed outside reception, in the Garden of Rest and outside the vet suite and are already proving valuable spots whilst dogs are out of kennels, meeting their new families, or when they just want some quiet time sat with their canine carers.
Clare Pearson, Governor of HMP Long Lartin, said: “We offer a vocational training programme in woodcraft for men which is designed to offer some meaningful activity for those serving lengthy sentences.
“We are always happy to help organisations and groups in our local community and we particularly admire the work undertaken by Dogs Trust given that we have a large group of working dogs at our establishment undertaking roles such as security, patrol, drug and alcohol detection as well as two Pets As Therapy dogs.”
Tracey Spiers, Rehoming Centre Assistant Manager at Dogs Trust Evesham, added: “The benches are a beautiful addition to our Rehoming Centre and have been placed in key areas where we know the dogs would really benefit from them.
“I quite often walk around the grounds and see them enjoying some fuss, or eagerly meeting their new families before they are taken home.
“It’s a really lovely gesture from HMP Long Lartin and a great example of a local organisation helping our dogs during their time here,” she added.
