Rescue Dog Days Of Summer
Rescue Dog Days Of Summer is a great art project that my creative friend and collaborator, Annabel Wilson has launched. Throughout August, each day she’s drawing a rescue dog to highlight the plight of the world’s homeless dogs. Those languishing in shelters, or worse, waiting for people to adopt them. Summer months are particularly busy for rescues with people abandoning or surrendering pets during the holidays. The RSPCA says that animals are abandoned during the summer at a rate of approximately one an hour. This dismal reality has been one of Annabel’s inspirations for using her art to highlight that behind the bald statistics are real dogs who deserve better.
Dogs like Percy who was chosen as Annabel’s dog No.3 shortly after he arrived in rescue with the Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre.
DBARC holds a special place in Annabel’s mind, as it’s the rescue that first got her interested in pet adoption and puppy farming awareness. This came from reading Susie-Belle’s story and the role DBARC played in her life.
I asked her to share more about her Rescue Dog Days of Summer idea:
I’ve been drawn to use art to promote awareness of rescue however I can. Through Twinklets and Saving Maya I’m always trying to think of ways to use drawing to encourage pet adoption and make people aware of the horrors of puppy farming. I know I’m a small piece of the puzzle, but I’m so driven by it. I’m also passionate about drawing and dogs and trying to make a difference to some dog somewhere.
For Percy, #rescuedogdaysofsummer no.3 the difference is huge. Shortly after his drawing was published, he was offered his new home. We don’t know what part, if any, Annabel’s art played in Percy’s adoption, that’s not really the point, what matters is that for one surrendered dog in rescue, his life this summer changed for the better. His image could be that of many millions of dogs in the world today not so lucky.
The summer peak of pet surrendering and abandonment is a behaviour common in many countries unfortunately. The French Fondation 30 Million D’Amis this year launched a hardhitting video to highlight the problem. It’s had over 15 million views worldwide. Human attitudes to our animal companions is depressingly heartless to those of us who cannot imagine acting in this way. It can all begin to seem overwhelmingly bad. But, through projects like Annabel’s Rescue Dog Days of Summer differences can be made. Art touches people. It changes human perception and behaviour.
Celebrating dogs like Polly might just show people how normal dogs in rescue are. That they’re homeless, often nothing more complicated than this. Too often people dismiss rescues fearing they’ll come with all kinds of problems. This misperception must change and seeing dogs like Polly, adopted from Blue Cross, Hertfordshire by Mandy, now enjoying regular travel on their European walking holidays will go a good way towards doing this.

Photo Credit: Annabel Wilson
Enjoying and sharing Annabel’s Rescue Dog Days of Summer project might just help some dogs be adopted and counter the dismal swell of those being given up.
You can see – and if you have a rescue dog take part in – the whole unfolding Rescue Dog Days Of Summer project, day by day on these links: