DOZENS of abandoned dogs have been re-homed following a campaign to find new owners launched by the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard. The campaign, launched in conjunction with Fenland District Council, has helped nearly 40 dogs find new homes. It s be

DOZENS of abandoned dogs have been re-homed following a campaign to find new owners launched by the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard.

The campaign, launched in conjunction with Fenland District Council, has helped nearly 40 dogs find new homes.

"It's been a phenomenal success," said Mark Rotchell who runs the Tejaycey Kennels in Wisbech where the dogs have been sent by Fenland Council.

The kennels have a contract with the council but earlier this summer they were struggling to cope with the large numbers of dogs that had been abandoned.

However within hours of a full page feature in the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard, the phones at the kennels started to ring and within days nearly all of the dogs looking for new homes had found them.

Mr Rotchell runs the kennels with his wife Michelle and they took it over in January. The kennels have operated from Wisbech for many years and Mr Rotchell says during some refurbishments they found an old newspaper article from the mid 1960s.

"Since your article the phone hardly stopped," he said. "People have been popping by and taking the dogs out of their kennels and for a walk in the orchard. Sometimes people buy a dog as a puppy and think its doing to stay a puppy. They almost expect it to sit in a corner like a China doll."

Mr Rotchell said he and his wife have been keen to talk to prospective new owners and try and help them match the dog to their expectations- and often the owners end up with a different dog to the one they came looking for.

"We chat with people and let them walk the dogs and often they find the one they want is totally different to the one they thought they would like," he said.

n Abandoned dogs come into the kennels on a regular basis and if you are interested in becoming owning one please phone 01945 583177 or pop by between 11am and 3pm any day.