Vikki saving dogs from death row

Jan 31 2008 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AN ANIMAL lover has set up a trust to stop dogs being sent to their death.

Vikki Golding says she has helped to rescue ten akitas from death in the past year.

But she was unable to help another ten who were put down – some because they could not be found loving homes.

Now the Upper Cumberworth woman is hoping to raise awareness of the plight of abandoned dogs.

She has four akitas and even met her husband Lee through their love of the dogs.

Vikki Golding said: “I am hoping that we can get akitas off Death Row.

“But I also want to tackle the problem of backyard breeding and the problems it can have.

“I hope I can try to educate people about akitas and encourage more people to open their homes to them.

“I also want to work with more rescue centres because they often don’t know a great deal about akitas, so we are putting some information together to help them.”

Mrs Golding has developed a close relationship with a pound in Barnsley and was able to help find homes for ten akitas.

But they were forced to put another ten down, two because they were ill, two because they had a bad temperament, but six because there was no-one to foster them.

The Volunteer Action worker added: “It upsets me a great deal that we weren’t able to help those six.

“Yorkshire does seem to be the worst for the number of akitas abandoned.

“There could be several reasons for this. One is that it is a much larger county so the statistics appear to be much higher.

“But on the other hand there is a lot of breeders in this area, especially backyard breeders, and that seems to be root of the problem.”

She formed the Friends of Akitas with two friends, Nicola Bell and Elsa Higginson, to help the dogs.

Their aim is to get as many dogs into safe kennels and good homes and save them from destruction, which can often occur within seven days.

If you can provide a home for an akita or for more information visit www.friendsofakitas.co.uk