Kennels owners ‘devastated’ after dogs die in severe flood

Four dogs died at boarding kennels in Urmston, Greater Manchester, after floods hit the area on New Year’s Day.

The pets were staying at Manchester Boarding Kennels, on Willow Farm, when the floods hit. Most of the dogs staying at the facility were rescued, but four small dogs died.

Manchester Boarding Kennels owners Naomi Ewen and Mike Sutherland told Manchester Evening News they were “devastated” by the losses and that they were given “absolutely no warning” by the Environment Agency.

They told the newspaper that a staff member checked on the dogs at around 6am on 1 January and that the kennels were “fine”. At 7am, the same staff member warned them the river’s banks were “getting high”, but by 7:30 the riverbanks had burst.

The owners needed help from a local farmer to get to the dogs but were unable to save a dog belonging to a private customer and three rescue dogs being housed at the kennels by a charity.

Sutherland said: “Absolutely broken that we lost a customer’s dog today due to flooding. So many people to thank who helped save the rest of the dogs.”

In response, the Environment Agency told the BBC that the area had been subject to a flood alert late afternoon on 31 December, with a warning issued also overnight and into the next day.

A GoFundMe set up to support the kennels has raised more than £4,300. You can donate here. https://www.gofundme.com/f/willow-farm-and-manchester-boarding-kennels