Kennels boost specialist canine facilities

Writtle University College has further enhanced its specialist canine facilities by building day-boarding kennels on-campus.

The University College, near Chelmsford, has invested £85k in the 16 single and four double kennels in support of its newly-launched Canine Therapy degree* and its canine-related courses in Veterinary Physiotherapy and Veterinary Nursing.

The kennels are located next to its Canine Therapy Centre, which includes a hydrotherapy pool, an underwater treadmill, and a Teckscan gait analysis system among its state-of-the-art equipment and was unveiled last April.

The kennels comprise of a central corridor with sleeping compartments leading to covered outside runs surrounded by a safety corridor. They are constructed from plastic polyethylene for cleanliness and edged with aluminium for strength. There is a separate fenced grassed exercise area for the dogs to have some outside play time.

The four double kennels have been constructed to Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) standard as the University College works in close partnership with Clarks Farm, a local Greyhound rescue centre.

Philip Adams, Course Leader for Canine Therapy, said: "Due to the increasing popularity of our canine-related courses, the University College has invested in a new facility designed to support teaching by allowing students to have access to a wide variety of dogs for their practical sessions, supplied either by other students or staff members."

*The new Canine Therapy degree, which is subject to validation, enables students to gain the skills needed to provide rehabilitation for a wide range of dogs. To find out more, visit http://www.writtle.ac.uk/Canine-Therapy










The kennels at Writtle University College (Credit: Designer Kennels)