Notts and Yorkshire Boxer Rescue is a registered charity and we rely solely on donations received from sponsored events or other fundraising activities which we hold throughout the year. Last year we re-homed 56 Boxer dogs and have others in kennels, with long and short-term foster carers and an ever growing list of dogs waiting to come into Rescue
Below are reports on our recent activities and a list of upcoming events which we will be attending. Please feel free to come along and join us. We would love to meet you and your four legged babes.
Sorry, but...
We are closed for Xmas.
As always, the Rescue is closed for non-emergencies from 17th December. We will reopen on Monday 9th January when our team will be back with all our normal services.
That said, the dogs in kennels and in foster will enjoy being spoilt by us over Christmas. Please keep in touch and update us with all your happy festive dog tails.
Santa Paws 2023
The social event of the year is upon us again.
In Rescue, we believe every dog deserves a safe and happy Christmas and a chance to visit Santa; there should be no dog on the ‘naughty list’.
We are thrilled to be hosting another Santa Paws event at the Arkwright Centre on Sunday 26th November and we would love to see you there, its free entry so please come along and join the fun. We are always looking for raffle prizes, tombola items and gifts so please have a look at things that may be cluttering up your space; they will be most appreciated.
Every penny we raise goes straight into rescue, helping dogs in need; without your kindness and generosity, we simply couldn’t continue our work into 2024 and beyond. Who knows what next year will bring but hopefully we can help more dogs and make this world just a little better for the dogs we haven’t perhaps met yet.
See you there..!
Event Calendar
Marathon Man
Hi I'm Andy,
I have been lucky enough to get a place in this years London Marathon on Sunday 23rd April so I thought I should put it to good use and try to fund raise for NAYBR. You may recall I did this in 2021 and between us we raised £1170 for NAYBR. That is a fantastic amount but lets try and beat it. Last time I did this I crossed the finish line in 4hours 20 minutes 46 seconds, I am going to
try and beat that, I am going to try and knock off 1 minute for every mile of the race so I have to finish in 3 hours 54 minutes or less. If I can beat my previous time can you guys beat the previous fundraising amount?
I have been training hard through the winter to prepare for this event and have to say there have been some jolly cold days, i'm hoping race day is kinder to us all. I will be wearing my NAYBR orange running vest again with the rescue logo on the front so I will stand out on the telly, look out for me.
NAYBR cannot survive without the support of the many followers it has and hopefully you will all read this and dig deep to support me with this challenge to raise much needed funds. The last 3 years or so have been tough for NAYBR due to covid, we did manage to get some fundraising events in last year but still not as many as we used to.
We have to continue to financially support all of our dogs in foster care, kennel fees have to be paid and every new dog coming in has to be checked over by the vet, its surprising how the costs mount up. I want to do what I can for NAYBR with your help
Please click on the donate button even if you can only offer a small amount, every little helps and it all goes towards helping Boxers in need. The volunteers within NAYBR receive nothing and do it all for the love of the dogs. If you are a UK taxpayer please confirm you can also "gift aid" your donation, this allows NAYBR to claim back the tax from the government.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
Every time you get your VIP's essentials, treatments or treats, you raise Lifelines for an animal charity of your choice. Pets At Home will send you quarterly updates to let you know how much you've raised - to date, members have helped raise over £10 million!
When you sign up you'll et 10% off in your welcome email, within 24 hours of joining. Then you'll get a 10% off in-store voucher in your welcome pack within 28 days.
As a bonus you get to be a member of your pet-finding community. Find My VIP gives you peace of mind that your Very Important Pet stands the best chance of being found. Send a Lost Pet Alert to VIP members in the lost area – be it near home, away or on holiday with a sitter, directly from the VIP club app. And help look out for others’ missing pets, too.
Read all about Rosie on our Dog Tales page. Lifelines can buy dogs like Rosie special renal food, toys, beds or anything they might need to help them live a happy life.
The 2022 "New Start Edition" newsletter
This year's newsletter is now flying off the presses. It's 30 pages of packed information about the Rescue, its dogs and our amazing members.
This year's highlights include:
Space, the final frontier
Bryan asked our team "Imagine you have just met an alien..."
They have been studying humans for a while, but have never met a dog and don’t know anything about them. Explain to them how they make you feel and why humans like having them around.
Fostering Good Relations
Read our little tail about why fostering is such important part of NAYBR.
Chris is currently looking after TWO Boxers, even though she already has 5 other dogs
How To Photo Your Dog
I'm sure you've all tried to take a photo of your beloved hound, but how did they come out?
Bryan’s little-known hobby is photography. As he’s obviously an expert on doggies, he’s decided to combine the two and put together some tips & tricks for taking pictures of your 4-legged friends.
Our Hounds Are Very, Very, Very, Fine Hounds...
Meet Betsy, Caesar and Hugo
Betsy slipped when she was about 4 months old and broke her left front leg in two places. She didn't have an operation and, as a result, her legs sticks out and she has a bad limp.
Meet Kim, Our Dog Behaviourist
Dogs come to NAYBR for all sorts of reasons and some of their stories sadly include neglect, poor treatment or abandonment.
Luckily my pals have the support of a grrrrreat dog behaviourist. Her name is Kim Hunt. Find out me about how she works..
And much more...
Get your copy by clicking one of the links below.
New for 2022 is a flipbook version of our newsletter. You can just read it on screen without downloading anything. Please be aware you're better doing this on a larger screen, as the pages will be quite small on your phone. See the flipbook here
You might enjoy letting off fireworks and looking at the pretty lights and laughing at the loud bangs. Unfortunately they can be very scary for some dogs. Have a look at our suggestions for making Bonfire Night and other occasions, less of an ordeal for our four legged friends.
1. Think about the best time to take your dog for its evening walkies. Take them out early, while it’s still fairly light and then again after the fireworks have finished.
2. Make a safe space in your house. If your dog is used to being in a crate, think about putting a blanket over it. This will muffle the sound and blank out the flashes. Don’t lock the cage door as your dog needs to know it can come and go as it likes. Dogs may be the most relaxed in their usual spot rather than being made to stay somewhere that’s not in their routine. Let them wonder
around to find the best spot for them.
3. Keep the TV or radio on. The noise can mask the sudden bangs. It’s known that classical music can help to calm dogs, so even if it’s not your type of music, trying picking a suitable radio station.
4. Draw your curtains. Like keeping the radio on, it will mask the sound of the fireworks and reduce the impact of the sudden flashes. This also helps keep your house nice and warm on an autumn night. Keeping the lights on will also make the fireworks less obvious
5. Keep your dog distracted. Long lasting chews and their favourite toys are very useful. A new puzzle toy may be useful for keeping their attention inside rather than the noise outside.
6. Make sure your dog can’t get out of your house or garden. If you are having a firework party, people will be coming in and out of your house. Make sure they know to keep doors and gates shut when not in use.
7. Try not to be scared for your dog. Even if you like fireworks, your dog will pick up that you are being nervous about something. This inevitably makes your dog worried. The more you change your behaviour the more confused your dog is likely to be.
These are all short-term fixes for nights when people are likely to be setting off firework. A better solution might be to gradually desensitise your dog to loud noises over a period of time. Try to associate the bangs with something positive, rather than something to be scared of. This approach is likely to work well with gun dog breeds.
If your dog is really frightened by fireworks, it might be necessary to consult your vet. They might be able to provide medicine to help calm your dog, but this should be considered a last resort.
Finally, make sure your dog’s microchip details are up to date. If the worst should happen, and your dog runs off after being startled, then you are more likely to be reunited.
I would just like to add my bestest Boxer snogs to all the Virtual Walkers that have arrived in John O'Groats and all the supporters; I wuff you all. My Uncle Andrew Britton deserves a big thanks for organising this fantastic effort to get all my pals together, sharing photos and stories and keeping us all fit and healthy.
But it doesn't end here...
My Auntie Heather Benson is clocking her individual miles to John O'Groats and has set up a JustGiving page to raise more funds for my pals in Rescue; how greeeeaaat is that. Her page can be found here so pleeeeaaaase donate if you can and let's cheer her on all the way:
It can be really difficult for people at this time, so sharing kind thoughts and supporting each other is really important. Just message or phone a friend and say Hi, it will make their day.
I love you all dear friends,
Bryan. xxx
Text to Donate
We've introduced a new and easy way to donate, straight from your mobile phone; it's our new 'Text to Donate' service. Hopefully the flyer tells you what you need to know but if you have any questions, never hesitate to contact us at: Info@nayboxerrescue.co.uk
Text BOXER to 70480 to donate £2 per month. (Texts cost £2 plus two standard messages)
Text NAYBR to 70470 to donate £5. (Texts cost £5 plus one standard message)
Text KENNEL followed by a number between 1 and 20 to 70490 to donate your chosen amount (£1 to £20). For example KENNEL1 donates £1, KENNEL20 donates £20. (Texts cost donation plus one standard message)
You will receive a receipt message every time you donate. The message also tells you how to cancel your donation should you wish. This is done by texting STOP to 70085 at any time
We will not contact you with marketing material by using this service. Information is only sent to you upon request or as part of out "Opt In" members list
Thanks so much for your support, Bryan
Amazon Smile
Did you know you can donate to Rescue with no cost or inconvenience to you?
Many of us shop with Amazon and at this particular time especially, it’s a quick and safe way to get the things we want from the comfort of our own homes.
Amazon Smile allows you to shop as normal with your Amazon account but we can receive donations as your chosen charity; it’s as simple as that..!
The first time you log in you will be asked to select a charity, just search for Notts and Yorkshire Boxer Rescue. If you don’t see the prompt, you can simply select “Change your Charity” in “Your Account” at any time.
Need to know more?
Simply go to their questions page for everything you need to know:
Firstly, the Team here hope you and your families are all safe and well during these difficult times; hopefully normal life will return soon.
We are doing what we can to support each other and continuing Rescue tasks but observing all social distancing advice. That said we should always keep in touch with each other and we are here for help, advice and remote support should you need it.
Our AGM went ahead on Sunday 29th March via video conferencing and the minutes will be publicly available in due course. One thing that was apparent was the positivity in the Team and determination to look to the future and move onwards and upwards beyond our restrictions due to Coronavirus.
We have decided to reschedule our Funday in order to ensure we are all safe and we will announce the proposed new date soon.
We are aware that vital fundraising events have or may be cancelled / rescheduled, but we can only look at what we know today as advice is changing constantly. We are in no doubt that funds will be affected and as such we must prioritise where these are directed. As always, our current Foster dogs are top of the list and we will do whatever we can to help them.
Sadly, this is a big unknown and vet bills, kennel bills and running costs need to be paid. Now the plea…….if you can possibly find it in your heart to donate it would be massively appreciated. The Team here are all volunteers and trying to look after their families and jobs just like you. Our JustGiving link is here if
you need it or please speak to one of the Team.
We will keep you all updated with Rescue news but in the meantime, look after each other and keep smiling.
Please...Stay at Home
Best wishes, Bryan
A big Boxer "thank you" to Burns Pet Nutrition.
During these uncertain times due to Coronavirus, we are especially grateful for the support we get all year round. We also take time to reflect on past events and share happy memories whilst we wait for the chance to be out again and having fun.
Our Santa Paws event is something we all enjoy every year and the 2019 Fun Dog Show held on Sunday 2nd December, was sponsored by Burns Pet Nutrition. Their kind donation of food, treats and merchandise meant we had plenty of well-deserved prizes for our four-legged entrants. Whether they were a Christmas Cracker, a Mince Pie Catcher, a Best Dressed Festive Family or enjoying our
Christmas Carol Musical Sits, they all had a great time and raised valuable funds to help our Rescue into 2020.
We are looking forward to getting out and about again when we can and want to thank Burns for their continued kindness and support. Thanks so much guys from all the dogs at NAYBR..!
NAYBR are proud to have been profiled by Wunderdog Magazine
Written by Susie Kearley on February 12, 2020, the article begins...
In our ongoing series of Wunderwednesday profiles of dog-rescue charities, Susie Kearley profiles the boxer rescue charity in the North of England (but fear not, they are happy to rehome their dogs nationwide)
Matthew McDonnell is the Chair of Notts and Yorkshire Boxer Rescue, a charity founded in 2010 to find new homes for boxers who’ve been given up by their owners. “We rehome countrywide,” he says, so you don’t have to be local to adopt a boxer from the charity.
“The founders started the rescue because they loved boxers,” he explains. “They were passionate about the breed and wanted to do things differently to other rescues. Bringing their own values and ethics into a new rescue, they wanted to lead by example, so they set up the organisation, then applied to become a registered charity with transparency and ethics at the core of all their
work. They hoped to inspire others to follow.”
An article written by Mark Foster for the Irish Newborn Screening newsletter
It’s a bit of a busman’s holiday but these pups are our world
I am an Audiologist and work with children diagnosing and treating deafness, I work in Ireland as an Audiologist (and have done for 29 years now). So audiology and supporting the parents and their children is in my blood. But I also have a deep love for Boxer dogs and in my spare time volunteer for Notts and Yorkshire Boxer rescue over here in England.
I have 3 boxer dogs, Mollie, Kendal and Ollie (all rescues) so let me tell you a bit about them and how special they are.
Collectively known by all my friends as “the Three Amigo’s”, they all get on really well these days. However Mollie and Ollie are both profoundly deaf. Kendal is the ears of the gang and very much leader of his pack.
It works really well having a hearing dog, as they will follow his lead. All three are able to be off lead (in safe spaces of course) and Mollie and Ollie will always check back visually or follow their leader Kendal, if we call him in
How can you tell if your dog is deaf?
Obviously you may suspect that they are deaf but the only conclusive proof is by taking your dog to a specialist…….and you’ve guessed it they will perform an Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test, just the same as we do to diagnose our deaf children!
How do you train the deaf ones?
Easy...we use sign language.
They are both very clever and rely on eye contact to communicate. With lots of positive reinforcement they now know 10-20 different signs. We don’t use normal sign language, but have our own signs. The key is to be consistent. They also rely on Kendal to tell them things, such as the doorbell, people arriving or that treats may be happening
In fact I’d say that Mollie and Ollie have been easier to train than Kendal!
It’s hard work but it’s a real privilege to have these pups in our lives
So there you have it
Mark, Gaby and the pups
Now hear this...
For many years NAYBR has relied on borrowing whatever PA equipment it could at the many events and shows we attend.
At a good number of these events it would have been almost impossible without some form of broadcast equipment to make announcements or play music. At the Aztec shows, where we manage the fun dog shows, we relied on the event organisers loaning PA equipment. For the annual fun day Andy Sumner very generously allowed us to borrow his PA equipment.
Sometimes though, even with all of this generosity, it was a struggle. Something which Heather Brennan noticed at one particular event last year. For those of you who haven't heard, Heather is a musician and performer, so knows a thing or two about speakers and amplifiers.
This year all of our previous problems have been solved, thanks to a very generous donation from Heather. At the Santa Paws event in December Heather presented NAYBR with its very own fully portable PA equipment comprising 2 self-contained wireless powered speakers with cordless microphones and professional stands.
A huge thank-you has to go out to Heather. We always try to give a professional image at the shows and events we attend, however this new PA equipment is going to give our events and shows an even greater professionalism.
Thanks Heather..!
Nothing but the best for our dogs…
We are massively proud and huge (and well deserved) congratulations must go to C FOUR PAWS luxury dog boarding kennels for being the first UK boarding kennels to achieve the independent SAI Global Gold certification.
Think of this as us staying in a 5 star hotel, for our dogs it means they are being looked after in the leading premier boarding kennel in the country.
We really do believe the dogs that come into the care of NAYBR should receive the very best accommodation and support and that is why we entrust them to the wonderful people of C FOUR PAWS whilst they are with us.
It is vital that any dog that comes to us goes into a calm and understanding environment, with dedicated people that genuinely care and understand their needs.
“Help needed” is the cry. ”Help needed” so the start of another rescue show year was fast approaching.
Scanned the diary, yep I was around...mmm needed Friday/Saturday and Sunday...well the weekend is fine...and I can probably get annual leave (or work the extra hours to make up the time)…..and Gabby is here and I really want to help…..all went through my mind.
Great, I’ll shout out to see if I can help, thinking maybe it would already be covered (pigs might fly), but then it hit me... so I made the offer
Show weekend
Friday 4pm The lovely Jules and Andy offered to drive me down with them and the very handsome Barclay. At least I knew 2 people and a dog! Who else was going?
Jules gave me a run down: 10 bodies for 2 days (one of those a show virgin) and all the dog shows to run and judge, the rescue stall to run and also the amazing new “Dog Obstacle Tombola”. Forgot to mention that setting up all the stalls and obstacle course and laying out all the stock is also the responsibility of the same people.
7:00 PMarrive Newbury...dump stuff and head to pub for dinner, beer and a chat with my travel companions.
Oh my god, it’s 1 AM.....SLEEP
Saturday 8 AM And we are off (Oh god what had I done) During the previous evenings conviviality I had been told that, not only was I helping with the dog show, but I was JUDGING too.
9:00 AM The public start arriving...loadsa pups and their humans and it seems like they’ve all made a beeline to the dog show registration where my team mates were showing me the ropes.
12:30 First of the dog shows...such fun, walking around, fussing pups, talking to their owners and children.
15:45 Last show of the day...the end is in sight, pups have won, lots of chatting, rosettes have been given and now it’s time to start winding down.
17:00 Back to the Travelodge, shower, power nap relax….. for some a few beers and a laugh over dinner.
Day 2 is a repeat except the stall has to be broken down, vans loaded and a drive home.
My thoughts... It would be so much easier if the day could be split up into teams/sessions, but that needs US, the supporters of the rescue and our fabulous Boxer pups, to step up to the plate and offer our time and bodies.
WOULD I DO IT ALL AGAIN.....hell yes! I was made to feel so welcome, I left Newbury feeling part of a fabulous team, had a fabulous time with all the pups and laughed a lot.
Mark’s full storey and more photos will soon be available in this year’s newsletter; fancy joining us..?
