Latest news with #DogoftheYear
Scotsman
01-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Dog of the Year is raising awareness of pet rehoming service
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Holyrood's Dog of the Year competition has helped to raise awareness of rehoming services in the area, local MSP Christine Grahame has said. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ms Grahame took part in the recent event to highlight the good work of local pet rescue centres. Run by Dog's Trust and the Kennel Club, it is held every Spring at the Scottish Parliament, with MSPs able to either enter their own dogs or a 'borrowed' dog from a rescue centre to be crowned Holyrood Dog of the Year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The purpose is to raise the profile of dog welfare issues in Parliament and the wider public. Chrstine Grahame, with Summer and Kim McNeil. For the first time, at the invitation of the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale MSP, a rescue dog from Borders Pet Rescue, Summer, took part in the annual celebration. Summer, a nine-year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, was used for intensive breeding for years until she could no longer breed, after which she she was cast aside and came into the centre's care. She has now been found a permanent home locally. Ms Grahame said: 'Borders Pet Rescue does such a wonderful job and Summer was lucky indeed to find a home through them. She did not win a prize in this year's contest but, better than that, she has won a loving home.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The service has been dedicated to the rescue and re-homing of domestic pets since 1988, with the twin purposes of finding suitable loving homes for abandoned and unwanted pets and to promote responsible pet ownership through education and training. Each year the charity rehomes more than 200 animals and aims to improve its capacity and facilities to better meet the needs of the local community. Kim McNeil, centre manager, said: 'Sadly, Summer's story is not unique. We are seeing far too many dogs coming into our care after being used solely for breeding, only to be discarded when they can no longer produce puppies. 'For anyone thinking of welcoming a dog into their life, I would warmly encourage you to visit Borders Pet Rescue or your local rescue centre. There are so many wonderful dogs, like Summer, just waiting for a second chance at happiness.' Further information about Borders Pet Rescue can be found at
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Greyhounds forced to undergo security checks and wear visitor passes during Holyrood visit
Holyrood sources said it was "no joke" MUTTS BE JOKING Greyhounds forced to undergo security checks and wear visitor passes during Holyrood visit Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GREYHOUNDS yesterday had visitor passes put round their necks by jobsworth security staff after they were led into Holyrood for a photocall with an MSP. Parly guards at the public entrance even put the pooches' beds through metal scanners normally reserved for items like rucksacks and handbags. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Dogs were given visitor badges 3 The move has been branded bizarre 3 Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell wants to end greyhound racing They allowed the dogs to keep their collars and coats on as they took part in their checks. But their beds were then passed through scanners. Staff at the reception then wrapped visitor passes around the necks of the hounds, which they were seen wearing throughout their visit to Holyrood. A Holyrood source said: 'Security staff were robust with the dogs. The visitor passes were no joke.' The checks were mocked by parliamentary sources, with a Scottish Tory insider joking: 'People will find this bizarre approach by Parliament staff as somewhat over the top or even barking mad. 'Here's hoping they show some common sense if dogs visit Holyrood again in support of other legislation, such as Maurice Golden's plans to crackdown on dog thefts.' The bizarre checks came despite security staff having prior knowledge of the animal's arrival to the Scottish Parliament, for an event to tie in with the launch of Mr Ruskell's member's bill. A Scottish Green spokesman told us: 'As far as we knew they were guests so they had to have passes. 'They may have gotten a lot of attention, but they were very well behaved guests.' Parly chiefs last night admitted they had searched the dogs 'like all visitors' — but insisted the visitor passes were a 'bit of fun'. However, this was disputed by our insider who said staff insisted on the dogs wearing the lanyards. A Holyrood spokesman said: 'Like all visitors, the greyhounds and their baskets were searched by our security staff. 'But the wearing of 'visitor passes' was a bit of fun initiated by the photocall organisers to help promote the Bill.' Lewis Hamilton's beloved dog Roscoe diagnosed with pneumonia as carer gives health update Some sources said they were surprised to see dogs in parliament, having believed they were not allowed in unless they were guide dogs or other working dogs. But Holyrood will welcome more mutts to the Scottish Parliament on Monday for the annual 'Dog of the Year' contest, run by the The Kennel Club and the Dogs Trust. Mr Ruskell's rescued greyhound Bert, is in the running for top dog, alongside SNP MSP David Torrance's golden retriever Buster and Scottish Tory MSP Craig Hoy's black lab Roma. Two bills around dogs are going through Holyrood, with Mr Ruskell's ban on greyhound racing being introduced to parliament on Wednesday and Scottish Tory MSP Maurice Golden's bid to make dog theft a specific criminal offence also being considered by MSPs. Nats chiefs came under fire last year as they refused to bring in a ban on XL Bullies, only to u-turn months later and follow England and Wales by making it illegal to own the dogs without a permit.
