Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, visits the happy hounds at Dogs Trust Leeds
The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, was welcomed to Dogs Trust Leeds last week to meet the happy hounds in the charity's care and talk to the team about many issues facing animal welfare across Yorkshire and the UK.
Tracy was given a tour of the rehoming centre by the Dogs Trust team, and met Doris, a pregnant Jack Russell Terrier who had been found as a stray, and Daisy the Lurcher, who has sadly been in the charity's care for just under a year.
Alongside meeting some of the dogs, Tracy was keen to hear from the team about their role in the community, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on dog behaviour, and the need for more pet-friendly housing across West Yorkshire and the UK. They also discussed the recent passing of the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets Bill) in the House of Commons, and the positive impact this will have on animal welfare in the UK.
During her time as the MP for Batley and Spen, Tracy supported Dogs Trust’s work on puppy smuggling and entered Westminster Dog of the Year, winning the competition with her Labrador, Rocky, before becoming Mayor of West Yorkshire in 2021.
Following her visit, Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “It was great to visit Dog’s Trust last week and see the important work they do in rehoming our furry friends.
“I’m a dog lover myself so it’s wonderful to see these dogs cared for so well until they find their forever home.”
Claire Wilson-Leary, Public Affairs Manager at Dogs Trust, said: "We were so delighted to welcome the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin to Dogs Trust Leeds to show her what we do for the dogs in our care, and to discuss important topics like the need for pet friendly housing across West Yorkshire and beyond, the impact of Covid-19 on animal welfare and the passing of the Animal Welfare Bill in the House of Commons.
"It is wonderful that, like us, Tracy cares about animal welfare, and this visit was an excellent opportunity to show her the hard work and dedication at the rehoming centre, to prepare dogs for their forever homes across Yorkshire and the Humber."
For more information about Dogs Trust Leeds, including the dogs currently available for rehoming, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/leeds.