![[logo]](alog.gif)
Meet The Dogs
Meet The Team
How to Help
News
Archive News
Official Opening
Events
Success Stories
Rehoming Procedure
Services + Products
Lost or Found a Pet
Links
Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished visitors,
We have now arrived at the reason for today's celebrations - the official opening of the Worcestershire Animal Rescue Shelter.
But before I ask our principal guest of honour to perform this
ceremony, I crave your indulgence for a few moments to review the
events leading up to today.
W.A.R.S.
as we call it, came into being in 1983 following a public meeting held
in Worcester, to discuss the problem of stray and unwanted animals in
the county. A small committee was formed with the aim of raising funds
to build and maintain an animal rescue shelter in Worcestershire.
The speaker at that public meeting was the then supervisor of the
Birmingham Dogs' Home, and he predicted that an enormous mountain would
have to be climbed to set up such a shelter. Ignorance, they say, is
bliss, for I feel sure that had any of us known it would take us 18
years, and a lot of disappointments and setbacks (such as when the site
was invaded by travellers in 1997), we would not have embarked on the
venture! However, we did.
We stuck at it, overcame our difficulties, and have now reached the
lower slopes of the mountain. We are proud of, but not complacent
about, our achievements, for there is much yet to be done.
Future plans include
an exercise compound, fencing all around the site, a permanent building
to accommodate the Site Manager, Veterinerary and Reception facilities,
plus more animal housing. As you can see, our shelter at present can
only house dogs.
To provide safe shelter for any animal needing it.
To seek out new homes, carefully monitored.
To provide educational visits for both adults and children, and people with various kinds of difficulties.
To provide a service to the community by taking in dogs from the Dog Warden.
To provide temporary and permanent homes for the pets of people having to go into homes or hospitals.
To offer hospital visiting with pet animals.
This will entail much more hard work for some time to come!
We have a dedicated committee, several of whom have been with us almost from the beginning, and to whom I pay tribute for their stamina and tenacity. Sadly, one early member, who we had hoped would be with us today, our first secretary Wendy Yates, recently died without seeing the results of her work - so this happy occasion is tinged with sorrow for us. Wendy did so much to get us off to a good start, and gave support and advice in later years. She will be sorely missed. Her successor, Janet Arpad, has taken on a very difficult job, and she does it extremely well.
We also have many other helpers. The staff : Alex, Sally and Abi do a marvellous job with the dogs. We have a good number of volunteers, and we also have benefactors and supporters. It would be impossible to mention everyone who has helped us, whether with money, goods, services or advice, but all are much appreciated.
One benefactor, without whom we would not be where we are today, is Mrs Jean Sainsbury, of the Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust. Since 1989 she has always been there for us when we most needed help. It gives me great pleasure, therefore, to welcome her, and to ask her officially to open the Worcestershire Animal Rescue Shelter.