I am a proud owner of one very sweet, very pampered greyhound - he's currently called Dave but…read moreprior to that he used to race at Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium, under the moniker 'Magical Climate'. He was actually quite good - although this is a bit of a surprise to me and my Mom, as he now spends his retirement loafing about on the sofa, begging for tripe sticks and being tickled under the chin. We got Dave from Daybreaks Kennels which is home to the Perry Barr Retired Greyhound Trust and which is run by an amazing woman called Ruth Boswell. Dave was a bit of a state when we first laid eyes on him - without wanting to lay on the schmaltz too much years of racing had rendered him threadbare of tail, gammy of tooth and with what one could only describe as a 'lean and hungry look'. However, with Ruth's care - and lashings of tripe sticks, Dave made really good progress and although I'm obviously biased I think its fair to say he is a really handsome, jolly dog now. As for Daybreaks itself - the kennels are open daily and you can arrange a viewing by phoning ahead. If you're feeling particularly soppy you can also check out their website where you will be greeted by photos of dogs who need a home. This is a brilliant place run by a dedicated, extremely lovely team - they are always happy to offer advice on homing procedure, guidance on the right sort of dog for you and will happily talk to you after you've taken your dog home. As well as the kennels there's a shop that sells collars, leads, beds, food, toys and well...all sorts really.

Lovely people, great facilities, doing a wonderful jobread more

A great charity which treats pets whose owners can't afford veterinary care and treatment. They…read morealso find homes for unwanted animals around the country, from small pets including cats and dogs, even to horses on occasion. There are speakers available to visit schools and other groups to talk about looking after pets properly. They run many fund raising events too and it's good to get involved and help in various ways. I have supported their work for years and have one of their stickers in the back of my car!

My experience of RSPCA Burton is of the public dog-walking opportunity they give on a Saturday…read moremorning. You have to fill in a form (for insurance reasons I presume?) then they give you a dog and tell you a bit of information about it (like 'keep him away from other dogs' or 'he's recovering from an operation so bring him back in half an hour') then you take the dog off for a walk over the fields, down the canal, or wherever you like really (within reason). I think this is a really good idea because the dogs are always so excited to go for walks and it is a massive favour to the staff there. It is also good experience if you are thinking about getting a dog yourself. My friend did try to adopt a dog from there but didn't manage to pass the (very strict!!) criteria which was a shame :-(

we had our dog lucy (was katie) from here when she was 12 weeks old and she is now 15 years old!!…read morethe staff were brilliant especially yvonne who runs it!! the place is always tidy and well equipped and the cats and dogs always look happy and are well looked after! the dog walking scheme on a saturday is a very good idea as it takes the presure off the staff and the dogs are always estatic to be taken out!! a definate must go to if you are considering getting a dog or cat!! keep up the good work!!

Not a nice place at all avoid at all cost here is why there communication skills are absolutely…read moreatrocious, and when you want to adopt a pet they won't let it happen it really weird and odd. So I would avoid because all they did to me was mess me about.

In the Victorian times a nice day out for a family would be to go to a lunatic asylum to look at…read morethe patients, wallowing in their own distorted worlds. Thankfully Mankind has moved on since then, but people's attitude's towards animals seems to have remained static. Visiting Birmingham dogs home for me is what I imagine to be a similar experience. Birmingham Dogs Home tries to re home unwanted dogs. Perhaps dogs that were bought as a fashion item, only for the owner to realise that it takes a lot of effort to look after a beautiful animal. I cried when I walked around to look at the dogs. I thought I would be happy to see lots of beautiful animals, but all I saw was pain, desperation and misery. It is not the fault of the staff, they try their hardest and do a phenomenal job. However in this day and age we should understand that animals have rights and to keep them in a cage is a travesty to the innate beauty of life.

4 stars for the service that Bham Dogs home provides to unwanted pooches. They do a great job and…read moredo a hell of a lot for these animals. If you are thinking of getting a dog then I would recommend and suggest that you go here to help rehome a poor, unwanted mutt. If you are going to Brum dogs home to get a dog then here are a few things to consider... 1) This is dog jail. If you like dogs it will break your heart and can be quite upsetting, so bear this in mind if you are taking kids (or big kids). It also means that it is VERY hard to make a choice, let alone the right choice, because almost every dog you see will give you those sad eyes and you'll want to take him or her home. So, I'd recommend that you bear the emotional strain in mind before you go and think about what kind of dog you want - this will help you narrow down your search 2) You can take home dogs there and then, but they (quite rightly) have certain checks and measure in place to ensure that you can provide the right environment for the dog. If you live in rented accommodation you will need a letter of consent from your landlord and if you have a garden you will need a 6 foot fence that fully encloses it.

They look after dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, farm animals and numerous varieties of small domestic…read moreanimals at any one time we could be caring for over 200 animals. We have re-homed a cat that they rescued and the care and attention they take is very good. They also have dogs and a variety of small animals for adoption, along with some basic pet supplies at surprisingly reasonable prices.