Centre wins prestigious award
30/01/2008 The Coventry RSPCA is celebrating after winning the RSPCA Marina Arnsby Award. The annual award is presented the RSPCA centre that has shown the most innovative methods in encouraging dog rehoming.

The centre beat off stiff competition from other RSPCA Centre’s to become this years’ winner and was presented with the award by the Director General of the RSPCA, Jackie Ballard.
The award is a bronze statue of 3 rough collies that will be inscribed with the name Coventry Animal Centre and displayed at the RSPCA headquarters in Horsham, West Sussex. The centre was presented with a framed photo of the statue and a certificate.
It was the first time Jackie Ballard visited the centre and staff were keen to show off their centre.

The award refers to the outstanding dog rehoming numbers that the centre achieved in 2006; with an increase of over 15%. A total of 319 dogs found new homes in 2006 with the average stay being just 28 days. This was achieved by a number of methods including a new structured dog socialisation scheme, a comprehensive approach to dog assessments and the re-evaluation of existing kennel procedure with the introduction of new systems and initiatives.

Centre Manager Nikki Smith says “We are overjoyed at winning this award as everyone has worked extremely hard over the past 18 months to make this centre a success. It shows that despite the poor state of the centre, with many kennels out of action; we have still found new homes for many of our animals and we would like to thank the people of Coventry and Warwickshire for choosing to adopt a pet from us.”

The centre is in the middle of a rebuild appeal as the kennels are over 25 years old and deteriorating rapidly. The centre has also been hit this year by a nationwide decrease in animal rehoming.