Dogs know who to trust as work on new £11m home starts

Staff, guests and celebrity supporters celebrated breaking the ground with Dogs Trust as work begins on a two-phase rebuild of the rehoming centre - boosting the charity's efforts in helping dogs across Scotland.

- ROSS THOMSON

The £11.3m rebuild is expected to be complete by May 2027.

The new facilities will include a new rehoming building and reception area with glass-fronted viewing kennels, quieter, dedicated kennels for new arrivals and dogs with more complex behavioural needs, and a purpose-built mum and puppy unit.

There will also be 10 new runs for dogs to play in with varied enrichment, a larger veterinary consult room, and improved laundry and hygiene facilities, all designed sustainably with pioneering energy-efficient features.

There were celebrations and hard hats all round as Dogs Trust CEO Owen Sharp and Susan Tonner, manager at Dogs Trust Calder, broke the ground, ably assisted by 11-year-old crossbreed, Snowy, who is currently looking for his forever home.