The Cost of Caring

Since this article was published in the Summer 2022 edition of Dogsbody we have sadly passed the point of having to turns dogs in need away - we need your help to fix that that!

The Cost of Caring

As already mentioned, we are the busiest we’ve ever been since our inception in 1975, and as every dog owner knows, dogs can be expensive to care for. Especially if they have complicated needs as some of ours do.

We use commercial kennels as they provide us with flexibility and a certain level of scalability. Not surprisingly this is usually the single biggest monthly bill we receive. Kennels are more than roofs over the dogs’ heads. Many of our rescues arrive at the kennels frightened, distressed, and in poor physical shape and dealt with in the same manner and care as our own dogs. The kennels are great, and have always responded with the utmost diligence. As well as their excellent level of care, they also aid in their rehabilitation, and so are situated within a reasonable distance of our volunteers working with the dogs.

The cost for that service has reached £20,000 per month, and that’s with Debbie and Rose providing kennels. It does include special diets, and some of the enrichment. We do receive donations for enrichment, as well as making or purchasing items as needed.

Dogs will sometimes arrive sick, or become unwell, and so require veterinary support. This forms our second largest expense of around £2,200 per month, although it can vary considerably from month to month. This includes the costs of ongoing medical needs for dogs in our long-term or permanent resident dogs. Around 20% of our dogs aren’t suitable for rehoming because of behavioural and/or health complications, and we won’t put a dog down because it can’t be rehomed, so they are kept in our care.

And of course, the biggest cost of caring is the fear that at some stage we have to turn a dog away because we don’t have the space, or the resources to take them in.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2022 edition of Dogsbody, the exclusive newsletter for our members. To become a member from as little as £10 per year visit: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/2022/06/become-gsd-welfare-fund-member.html