Help Appledown rescue and rehome, abused, neglected and stray dogs.

Appledown Rescue & Rehoming Kennels have been taking in stray dogs from Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire area for nearly 20 years and providing them with food, shelter, medical help, care and love until the right new owner can be found.

They always have about 50 dogs in their care, but sadly with dog abandonment, neglect and abuse on the rise, more and more dogs, arrive everyday.

Covid and its aftermath has had a huge negative effect on Appledown.

The rescue like all other places shut, with only essential staff caring for the rescue dogs. Rehoming had to be stopped and so did all shows and fundraising events. Strays arriving did not stop, nor did the food, utilities and vet bills.

Lockdown saw a huge increase in backstreet breeding and an increased demand for puppy sales. Families welcomed newly purchased dogs into their homes, whilst rescue rehoming was still forbidden.

Since then Appledown has opened its doors to untrained puppies, dogs thrown out after their families returned to work, sick neglected and ill dogs that had been used for breeding in awful conditions. Numerous litters of puppies no longer saleable, or a product of bad or unhealthy breeding.

March 2023 - Appledown currently have a record number of 96 dogs.

Ongoing fundraising ensures that every dog is given the best chance. Appledown never put a dog to sleep unless for medical or extreme psychological reasons, which means that any dog suitable for adoption, has a home for as long as it takes for the right new owner to find them.

Appledown take on cases that some rescues simply would not, and the cost of the medical work never decides the fate of a dog. The rescue and their volunteers work so hard to ensure this is always the case.

However, this massive influx of dogs needing rehabilitation and medical assistance before they can be rehomed means large vet bills and ongoing, indefinite costs.

We need your help!

Vet bills each month are around £7,000 and we are hoping this fundraiser will raise enough money for 3 months care.

Meet some current Appledown dogs below:

Meet Mulan:

Below is a before and after photo of Mulan, who is just one of the dogs currently recovering at Appledown.

Mulan is just ONE YEAR OLD. To be in this state at such a young age means that since the moment of her birth, she would have had absolutely no care; she has been severely neglected every single day of her short life.

With your help, Appledown will ensure once well enough, Mulan will have the perfect home that she deserves.

Meet Phantom

Phantom has Palatoschsis, more commonly known as a cleft palate. For now, it means he is prone to nasal infections, and he snores like a train.

He will have to wait until he is older when he will have extensive and expensive surgery to repair. This is why he was dropped off as a “stray” with a vet.

Meet Ursula.

Ursula had her first visit to the vets as soon as she was found. Her nails had been left to grow and had curled round into her pads. The only way to ease her pain was to have them cut under aesthetic.

Unfortunately, Ursula’s medical needs don’t end there. She is going to need Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) surgery.

Many brachycephalic breeds like pugs, bulldogs etc. need this surgery on their soft palates to help them breathe. Ursula will probably need nostril widening surgery as well.

Appledown has had a rough estimate of cost at approximately £2,200.

Even after all the neglect, Ursula still loves nothing more than a good cuddle. Because Appledown are here to take care of all her needs, the time will come when she will be someone’s much loved pet.

Meet Tommy

Tommy is a nearly 6-month-old Mastiff cross. He was a Luton stray with an unregistered chip.

He is confident and lovely but has awful cherry eyes and a currently mild heart murmur.

Tommy needs corrective surgery on his eyes and will probably need medication for them for life. His heart hopefully will not affect him for many years.

Dogs like Mulan, Phantom, Ursula & Tommy arrive with Appledown every day.

This tiny rescue works incredibly hard, and every single penny raised will help an Appledown dog.

Please donate if you can, and share with your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours.

Thank you xx