Three animal welfare charities are celebrating having secured backing from the charitable arm of one of the UK’s biggest and most successful independent pet food companies.

The three charities are: The Forever Hounds Trust, which matches greyhounds and lurchers to happy homes; the UK German Shepherd Rescue, which rescues and rehomes German Shepherd dogs; and Dogs for the Disabled, an Irish charity that trains assistance dogs to assist physically disabled children and adults to carry out a range of practical tasks.

The Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation has run the Burns’ Charity of the Year since 2015 in addition to other community schemes including Burns in the Community and Burns by Your Side, a scheme that helps school children improve their literacy and communication skills with the aid of trained volunteers and their reading dogs.

The chosen charities will receive free, healthy pet food which has been developed by Veterinary Surgeon, John Burns and has been feeding happy and healthy pets since 1993. The charities will also receive expert advice from Burns’ team of in-house nutritionists, joint promotional opportunities, and in some cases, financial donations.

These new charities will replace the two charities it supported this year: the National Animal Welfare Trust (NAWT) and Appaws for Autism.

John Burns, Veterinary Surgeon and founder of Burns Pet Nutrition, said: “Myself and the Burns Pet Nutrition team are extremely passionate about supporting and giving back to the community in any way, shape or form possible – and the same goes for charities in need of the support they aren’t currently receiving.

“We are looking forward to working with the selected charities throughout 2018 and, hopefully, they will feel the benefit of the support Burns Pet Nutrition can offer. We’re proud to be entering our third year of running Burns’ Charities of the Year, and we look forward to the years to follow.”

Jan Lake, chair of trustees at Forever Hounds, said: “We’re delighted to have been chosen as one of Burns’ Charities of the Year, and look forward to working together. We have many mouths to feed at Forever Hounds Trust and are very grateful to Burns for their support of our vital rescue work for Greyhounds and Lurchers throughout England.”

Suzanne Syers, founder of UK German Shepherd Rescue, added: “UK German Shepherd Rescue are thrilled to be chosen as one of Burns’ Charities of the Year for 2018, and are grateful for the package of support from Burns which will help us immensely. We are looking forward to developing a strong partnership with everyone at Burns and also to benefit from the nutritional advice and support that they can bring to help improve the quality of diet (and overall wellbeing) of the dogs in our care.”

Jennifer Dowler founder of the Irish Dogs for the Disabled, said: “Burns is an exceptional food and all our dogs are fed on it and have been for the last seven years. We could not ask for a better diet for our very important dogs, from young puppies to our adult working dogs, they all seem to thrive on Burns. Getting chosen for Burns Charity of the Year 2018 is just the icing on the cake for Dogs for the Disabled. The funding will support three litters of puppies enabling us to help many more children and adults living with physical disabilities.”

About the Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation

Set up in 2009 by Veterinary Surgeon John Burns, the Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation aims to make a difference to communities and lives of animals, young people and people from diverse backgrounds.

The foundation also delivers the Burns by Your Side scheme, which helps school children improve their literacy and communication skills with the aid of trained volunteers and their reading dogs.

For further information on the Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation or Burns by Your Side, please visit:

Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation: http://burnspet.co.uk/burns-in-the-community/

Burns by Your Side scheme: http://burnspet.co.uk/burns-by-your-side.html or contact Carol Lincoln: Carol@burnspet.co.uk

Forever Hounds Trust: http://foreverhoundstrust.org/

UK German Shepherd Rescue: http://www.ukgermanshepherdrescue.co.uk/

Dogs for the Disabled:  https://dogsfordisabled.ie/