The owner of Greater Manchester‘s leading dog rescue centre has called it the “most depressing place on earth” at the moment after being overwhelmed with abandoned pets due to the rising cost of living crisis.
Dogs 4 Rescue – a semi-rural independent dog sanctuary based on Barton Moss Road – is known for its unique “cage free” approach to animal welfare, and carries out vital work across Greater Manchester to ensure all rescued dogs are socialised in a healthy, relaxed and happy foster home environment, while waiting for their forever families.
But recently, the shelter says its phone line has been ringing all day every day with people trying to leave their dogs due to worries about the cost of living.
Owner Emma Sheraton has called the current situation in the rescue world “unprecedented”.
Because of the rescue centre’s current capacity, Emma admits she ends most of her days in tears because she is having to turn so away dogs knowing their fate when she puts down the phone.
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“In the last month, we have seen six dogs returned after we have homed them as people are worrying more about the cost following the puppy boom during COVID, but previously, this level of return would only have happened across two or three years,” Emma explained.
“It has never been like this.”
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She continued: “I love my job but this is the most depressing place on earth at the moment.
“It is utterly soul-destroying because we know that we are having to turn away dogs that are going to be killed because there is nowhere for them to go, and I have to be honest, I broke the other day as we had to turn away a four-month-old puppy who I know would ordinarily be picked up soon.
“The reality is, I know that little boys’ fate – and I feel like I am failing them.”
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Dogs 4 Rescue currently has 50 places at its original state-of-the-art centre, but sadly, all of these are full, and despite the charity soon to open a new site – which followed a successful public fundraiser back in mid-2021 – with an additional 80 places for pups, staff are struggling to find time to set this up due to the main centre over-capacity.
This is why they are now pleading with local Greater Manchester residents to lend a hand and foster their dogs – with all costs and vet bills covered.
Emma continued: “Because nobody is taking any of our current dogs, we haven’t got the capacity to get in and make [the new site] ready, so we are pleading with everyone in the area to consider fostering our dogs.”
Emma says that dogs are social creatures which are better fostered in twos or threes to help keep each other busy, and she explained that all dogs come with leads saying “adopt me”, as well as information packs to help them “find their forever homes in communities more easily”.
The charity hopes the foster scheme will prove successful enough to allow the staff to get into the new site and open up more spaces for more dogs.
Find more information about fostering on the Dogs 4 Rescue website here.
You can also keep up to date with Dogs 4 Rescue day-to-day on social media – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
PrettyLittleThing founder marries model in star-studded £20m wedding
Daisy Jackson
The founder of Manchester fashion brand PrettyLittleThing, Umar Kamani, has married his model love in a lavish four-day wedding celebration.
The entrepreneur married Nada Adelle in the south of France in a glittering event reportedly costing £20m.
Among the guests were a-listers like Naomi Campbell, Anthony Joshua, and Rio Ferdinand, with performances from Mariah Carey and Ronan Keating.
Umar, originally from Manchester, also invited fellow Mancs like all three Thomas brothers Ryan, Scott and Adam, and fellow entrepreneur Steven Bartlett.
The stunning wedding took place three years after the happy couple announced their engagement (he proposed with a diamond ring worth £1.45m).
Umar, 36, co-founded online fashion giant PrettyLittleThing with his brother Adam. His bride Nada, 31, is a model.
And while he’s famed for creating affordable fashion, this wedding leaned the other way – Nada wore an haute couture Dior gown designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri, which took 540 hours to make.
The PrettyLittleThing founder’s wedding kicked off with a poolside welcome party where all guests dressed in white.
Then came a black tie wedding celebration, where Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli sang The Prayer as Nada walked down the aisle.
The reception that followed took place inside a huge ballroom, where Mariah Carey sang several of her biggest hits to delighted guests.
On the third day of the wedding, it was time for the traditional Indian wedding celebration, Nada this time dressed in a sparkling gown in contrast to her more simple Dior dress.
And guests were treated to a barbecue on Sunday before heading home from France.
Mariah Carey performing at the Kamani wedding. Credit: Instagram, Lucy MecklenburghScott Thomas shared a glimpse into the lavish black tie wedding reception of PrettyLittleThing founder Umar KamaniAndrea Bocelli performing at the Kamani wedding. Credit: Instagram, Ryan ThomasAdam Kamani’s sweet message to his brother and PrettyLittleThing co-founder Umar on his wedding day
Many of the celebrity guests have been sharing snaps from the big day(s), including Scott Thomas, who wrote: “There is nothing quite like a Kamani Wedding. Congratulations @umarkamani @nadakamani. Memories for a lifetime…”
Umar’s brother and PrettyLittleThing co-founder Adam also shared a sweet message from the wedding, writing: “Walking down the aisle to see you at the end of it stood there so handsome and strong before you got married. A feeling i can’t describe. I really am so proud of you. Love you so much @umarkamani.”
Naomi Campbell posted: “My chosen family ! Would not want to be anywhere else than with you on this day , TO WITNESS THIS BEAUTIFUL UNION OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE MR&MRSKAMANI WE LOVE YOU !!”
The supermodel icon also described it as a ‘divine weekend of love’.
The player celebrations from Stockport County’s League Two trophy presentation are glorious
Danny Jones
If you’re a Stockport County fan, you’ve had a very good year as the Hatters have just been crowned League Two champions and will be back in the English third tier next season – safe to say they’ve been making most of the trophy celebrations.
Players and staff very much included.
Edgeley was filled with flares and even people climbing on rooftops when they officially secured promotion back to League One for the first time in 12 years – the second time they’ve managed to go up in three seasons – and there was a great attendance in Stockport town centre for the bus parade.
But it was last week’s trophy presentation back at the stadium that produced some of the most memorable scenes, with County topping off a season of impressive and often high-scoring performances on the pitch with plenty more pageantry. Cue the music.
— Stockport (C)ounty (@StockportCounty) May 3, 2024
No one ever takes those pitch invasion ‘warnings’ seriously – not even the players.
We still haven’t stopped laughing at Kyle Knoyle.
From bringing Isaac Olaofe’s ‘Tanto’s on fire!’ chant to life to hammering home puns on names like Fraser Horsfall, no matter how obvious, these are the kind of deeply unserious celebrations we expect from a trophy presentation.
County fan or not, you’ve got to admit it looks like a good party.
It’s moments like these that players, fans and staff work hard all season for; to prat around like muppets in front of their adoring supporters. They even got assistant coach, Clint Hill, in the mix and, as it turns out, he proved to be one of the biggest ring-leaders.
We sincerely hope the Hatters keep trickling out more of these party scenes as we know there’s plenty more that fans would love to watch back.
We’re still yet to see captain Paddy Madden, who won Player of the Month for April, and the gaffer himself, Dave Challinor, who has comfortably secured his legacy as one of the club’s all-time greats.
Challinor and the club have made no secret of seriously eyeing up the Championship and who knows what else at County’s momentum continues to build, especially with a huge stadium redevelopment kicking off soon.
What do you reckon, Hatters – do you reckon a third promotion could be on the cards?