Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and insurer LV= have teamed up in 2015 to celebrate the country's most talented rescue dogs. The insurer is sponsoring Battersea's Rescue Dog Agility team, showing off the finest canine athletes, all champions in their own right.
Throughout the year the skilful hounds will demonstrate their speed, pooch precision, and fido-finesse at events around the country, entertaining huge audiences and proving that rescue dogs can overcome any adversity and stay ahead of the pack.
The Battersea agility team was formed nine years ago and its canine stars include eight year old Spitz Woody who accompanies the team’s youngest handler, 13 year old Amy Challis and six year old Staffie Squirt who’s an unstoppable sprinting whirlwind around the ring. There’s also chatterbox Oakley, a five year old Cocker Spaniel who always has something to say, three year old Belgian Shepherd Dusk who competes with a smile, and three year old Chihuahua Betty, the smallest member of the team who loves to perform her trick of jumping over team member Squirt.
The world-famous team are easily identifiable by their bright blue LV= dog coats as they fly through the air and leap over hurdles and regularly take on the famed agility runs of Crufts (Birmingham NEC) and Discover Dogs (ExCel, London).
Ali Taylor, Head of Canine Welfare Training at Battersea heads up the charity's rescue dog agility team. She says:
"Our rescue dogs always put on a spectacular display and they're all the more remarkable because they have all at some time in their life found themselves abandoned or unwanted. Battersea has restored their health and confidence and now there's no stopping them! With the support of LV= we look forward to showing off our agility champions and encouraging more people to give a second chance to a rescue dog."
Selwyn Fernandes, Managing Director at LV=, said: “We’re delighted to be renewing our sponsorship with The Battersea Agility team. The team does excellent work and helps show people that even dogs that have been abandoned by their owners have the potential to perform at leading dog shows. Every dog in the team is a real star and we fully support the work that Battersea is doing with them.”