RESCUED and safe, the dogs in the National Animal Welfare Trust’s centre are cared for and loved.

But being in a centre, something is missing - the stimulation of smells and treats which are part of every day life for some lucky animals.

This will not be the case for much longer as the centre in Clacton has grand plans to create a sensory garden for the dogs in their care.

The centre has up to 18 homeless and abandoned dogs some of which are with them for months at a time.

It has now launched a £1,000 appeal to create the sensory garden which will be based in paddocks at the centre’s site.

Once completed, it will feature exciting equipment with different textures like rubber, surfaces such as woodchip and varying heights to give dogs an interactive treat.

Staff will guide dogs through the sensory garden but so can potential new owners when they visit the centre.

It is hoped the garden will also feature outdoor seating areas.

Centre manager Lizzie Reffell explained how provoking all a dog’s senses can sometimes be taken for granted by dog owners.

She said: “It’s about stimulating them in the right way but most dog owners don’t necessarily think about that.

“When a dog comes into kennels, it can be barren and alien to them compared to their home environment.

“Dogs are thinkers like we are and coming through the kennel system is hard because they don’t understand where their owner went or the smells and noises.

“And after being exposed to new information, a dog will take time to process it so a sensory garden is something to help keep them calm and their brains ticking over when they’re back in their kennels.”

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Evolving - staff inside the living willow dome

The size of the sensory garden will be determined by how much is raised from the appeal.

To help boost the total, the centre is hosting a barn dance and will also use donations from the Co-op’s Community Token scheme which relies on public votes in the Clacton branches in Old Road and Coopers Lane as well as the branch in Frinton Road, Holland-on-Sea.

There is already a living willow dome on the site which once fully grown will become a natural den and complement a possible herb garden.

Lizzie said: “This is far more purposeful than letting a dog out into a barren field because you can investigate with them.

“As much as we’d like to, we can’t turn each kennel into a mini house but we can do it in different ways.”

The National Animal Welfare Trust is reliant on voluntary donations for its survival and has appealed for help towards the cost of creating a sensory garden.

An open day will be held on Sunday, May 28, to help raise awareness of its work and donations towards running costs.

Last year the total expenditure at the Clacton centre was £265,000, meaning it cost £727 a day to run.

To donate to the campaign click here.