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School children, scouts and a number of different companies are pulling together to help improve the facilities for the dogs at Borders Pet Rescue and create a space for the local community to use.
The charity, which is based in Earlston, Scotland, is holding a ‘Plant a Tree Day’ on 2nd April with the aim of enhancing a 10-acre fenced area used for exercising and training dogs.
One of the companies that responded to the charity’s cry for help was Tilhill Forestry. Borders Pet Rescue needed trees and tree shelters to allow the charity to plant some small woodland areas in the fields and make them more interesting for the dogs.
Tilhill Forestry District Manager Eddie Addis agreed to supply the tree shelters and asked parent company BSW to supply the tree stakes. Alba Trees, which regularly supplies Tilhill Forestry, offered to provide the trees at no cost. There are approximately 1,300 trees to be planted.
Members of the local community of all ages are going to be involved in the ‘Plant A Tree Day’. On the day people will be given their own patch to plant and boards will be put up after the event to acknowledge the contribution of the companies and groups involved.
Borders Pet Rescue’s primary purpose is to find a secure and loving home for each animal that comes into its care. Each year the charity re-homes in excess of 200 animals and aims to improve its capacity and facilities so it can better meet the needs of the local community.
Spokesperson Laura Aitken explains: “We take in unwanted, abandoned and lost animals including cats, dogs and all kinds of small furry things. Where necessary, we provide veterinary care and behavioural training to give our animals the best chance of finding a new home. And, through our re-homing process, we strive to ensure that each new home best suits the needs of each individual animal.
“The trees being donated and planted will form a vital element in the development of a fantastic resource for the charity and the local community and will add significantly to the biodiversity of this former grazing land. Everyone has been very generous including supplying temporary toilets for the event. We need help to plant all of the trees so we are appealing to everyone who lives nearby to bring a spade and help us out.”
Eddie Addis said: “We were contacted by local resident David Kennedy, who works as a woodland officer for the Forestry Commission and asked if we could help. We got in touch with our parent company, BSW and Alba Trees and, with their help, we are able to supply everything that is needed. All we need is some labour to help plant the trees. Borders Pet Rescue does some amazing work and we are delighted to be helping out in this way.”