Located in the depths of Eighton Banks, over looking the Angel Of The North, Brysons animal shelter cares for all animals. Day in and day out the shelter rescues and gives animals a temporary home. The shelter was founded in 1947 by Bill Bryson, he had a passion for horses and noticed in his local area there was lots of neglect and cruelty directed towards horses and he knew he had to do something, so he created Brysons. After he had rescued many horses and became well known in the area people started to bring other animals, including cats and dogs. People often wonder, why adopt? As did I, so I spoke to Tracey Holmes and found out the answer.

 

After the pandemic, shelters began to overflow again. During the pandemic they were empty, dogs became a precious commodity and were selling for thousands of pounds. Shelters across the UK are inundated because people have realised now that they’re not working from home as much, how big of a commitment pets are and they can't take care of them as well as they previously could. 

 

People often assume that after Christmas is the busiest time for a shelter, however at Brysons this has never been the case. Tracey explained it is often heading into summer and spring.  Puppies people got for Christmas aren't as cute and are harder work so owners want to give them up. Also as people start to go on holiday around this time they don't want to pay to put their dogs in a boarding kennel and would rather give them to a shelter. 

Although they have the capacity for 22 dogs, they currently have 14 in their possession. Although to most this may seem small but any amount of dogs in a shelter is concerning not only for the staff but also for the dogs themselves. I was informed that Orla, an excitable crossbreed, has been there since July 2022. This is an awfully long time for a dog to have to be sheltered. She hasn't had the easiest start but is still a happy energetic dog. She is a large strong dog and people are put off by this - Orla needs a forever home with no other pets and requires lots of love, time and patience.    

 

 

I asked Tracey if there was a certain breed they see a lot of.  She told me they have seen a large amount of Lurchers recently. They think this is because during the pandemic people wanted dogs. Some sold for thousands as they became so desirable and people were desperate for them. Lurchers were one of the cheaper breeds so people leaned towards them, now they're giving them to shelters as they're a large commitment and requires lots of exercise and attention. 

For anymore reading this and wanting to help here is how you can. You could consider giving a rescue animal a home, donate your time by getting to know the animals or even taking the dogs on walks. Brysons also appreciate pet food, treats, toys and other pet products. If this is not possible you can donate money, as you may or may not know shelters are sadly not government funded so have to provide for themselves. This is a high expense, I was informed that Brysons vet bills alone are around £5000 a month. 


 

In conclusion, these are just some of the many reasons to adopt a furry friend and help the shelters. If you are looking to adopt and are local to Brysons please consider them, they are a lovely shelter and really care about the safety of the animals and want them to find their “furever” home.