HOMELESS hounds deserve Christmas presents too.
The Dogs Trust has been handing out warming winter jackets to homeless people in Oxford for their dogs.
On Friday trust volunteers visited the Luther Street Medical Centre to distribute the canine coats.
Nurse Robin Feast said: “The Dogs Trust very kindly donated jackets for the dogs. We have about 15 or 20 people we treat here who own dogs. The cold can get quite severe and these jackets will keep the dogs warm in the winter.
“Obviously dogs are very important to these people, as they provide companionship.”
One of the patients to benefit was Tracy Joel and her dogs Baby, a Staffordshire terrier, and Freedom, a Staffordshire cross.
Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, will be delivering a record number of hampers to homeless dogs this Christmas as it says requests from hostels have soared by 24 per cent, up from 850 last year to 1,050.
As well as jackets the charity also delivers collars, leads, treats and toys to dogs and their owners.
Project manager Clare Kivlehan said: “Everyone knows that the bond between a dog and its owner is a strong one but for homeless people their dog can sometimes be their only friend.’’
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