Doggie Diner set to hold dog adoption day to find homes for strays

The Doggie Diner cafe in Middle Street, Blackhall are (front) Kirsty McInnes with Pippin and David with Buster and Sue Nelson.

The Doggie Diner, in Middle Street, Blackhall, is getting set to hold a dog adoption day which aims to find loving owners for pups in need.

The diner, which opened a year ago as the first franchise of a brand Doggie Diner Franchise, offers a unique experience for dog owners and their canine companions by allowing the four-legged friends to eat from a special hound menu and socialise with their friends.

Stray Aid will be bringing a variety of dogs to the Doggie Diner in Blackhall to be adopted.

It is owned by husband and wife team Sue and David Nelson from Sulgrave in Washington, who are supported by brand owners Adrienne Dickson and Amanda Wilkinson, from Boldon.

The adoption event is set to take place on Saturday, March 3, from 11am to 2pm, and will see the diner link up with North East dog charity Stray Aid, which will bring five dogs in need of a home from their Coxhoe kennels to the diner.

The charity rescues, re-unites or rehomes dogs found on the streets in the North East, including Hartlepool and East Durham.

It has a charity shop based right next to the Blackhall diner which has helped build links between the two organisations.

Around five dogs are looking for someone to give them a loving home.

Mrs Nelson, 58, said she believes the day will be a success and hopes to make it a regular event. She said: “We have a lot of customers who re-home dogs, so we think it is likely that the dogs will all find new homes.

“We also have customers who come in without a dog to interact with them and see if they are suitable for one, as well as those who have lost dogs who come in because they want to spend time with dogs.”

Adrienne Dickson, the director of the Doggie Diner Franchise, said: “I approached Stray Aid and they thought it was a fantastic idea.

“On the day will be about five dogs from the Stray Aid kennels in the diner who are in need of a home. “We are inviting people to come down and meet the dogs and see if they would be OK to live with them.”

The dogs will be brought from the Stay Aid kennels to the diner in Blackhall for the event.

The original Doggie Diner, in Sea Road, Fulwell, opened in 2015, and the brand also has a second franchise in Durham.

The Blackhall diner will be celebrating its first birthday on Sunday, February 25, from 11am to 4pm with a party for all its canine customers and their owners.

Since opening the diner has taken part in charity events for the likes of Happier Days for Strays as well as holding regular online competitions, free craft sessions for kids and a weekly community dog walk.

Looking back on the last year, Sue added: “It has been great and we are really enjoying it. “We have lots of people who come in all the time and we all know each other well, it’s quite a social place.”

Details of how to adopt the dog will be available on the day and more information can be found on the Doggie Diner Blackhall Facebook page.