Starlight Barking making a difference for stray dogs
Wendy Lyotier, along with the Starlight Barking Trust, is on a mission to address the global stray dog crisis and provide support to shelters worldwide.
With an estimated 600 million stray dogs around the world, Wendy and her team are dedicated to promoting responsible dog rescue and creating lasting change. And we at TLD are the lucky team helping to bring that message out there, through websites, print design, and more.
An enormous thank you to Tamlyn for turning all my dreams for the dogs into a reality. We’re still a small charity but our website , thanks to Tam, is up there with the biggest and best rescues and, tiny as we are, has earned the trust from would-be adopters.
When we started out I had no idea how we could fundraise, create a support network and most importantly find the dogs good homes.
Every month I would throw all my ideas at Tamlyn and a week or so later back would come not only the most beautiful artwork, but also a logical and simple plan to make the next stage of the our mission workable.
It wasn’t just a website – it was a route into people’s hearts. And Tamlyn isn’t just a designer she’s also a genius with a huge heart.
The result is honestly all my dreams have come true and the best bit is we have a totally “Wendy-proof “ website that people love and I can easily keep fresh and updated myself, and even add new pages, as I’ve learnt from the best.
Thank you Team TLD – you really are one in a million!
Wendy Lyotier, Starlight Barking Trust
How we’re helping:
Tam has been working closely with Wendy on the Starlight Barking website, which we created for Wendy as part of her TLD Loyalty Club membership, which was also set to take care of Snowbizz. Initially Wendy started to use it for help with the marketing, followed by the website, for Snowbizz, the family ski company. This began to bring in new customers and positive engagement for Snowbizz. And so Wendy was able to turn her mind and heart to her other dream – Starlight Barking.
Wendy’s dream
At Starlight Barking, and the sister entity, Travel Chest, the dream is for travel companies to acknowledge the stray dog crisis and support shelters in the destinations they operate in. By partnering with travel sponsors, Wendy aims to provide long-term support to small shelters and improve the lives of shelter dogs. This includes setting up neutering and spaying clinics to humanely reduce the population of stray dogs.
Making a difference, one shelter at a time
Starlight Barking may be a small charity, but its impact is significant. Through their incredible support network, they have successfully re-homed over 1000 dogs and refurbished the Lemnos shelter in Greece. Additionally, they have paved the way for the establishment of spay and neuter clinics, ensuring a better future for abandoned dogs.
Lemnos Shelter: A beacon of hope
Wendy and her team started their journey in Greece, adopting the Lemnos Municipal Dog Shelter. This shelter, once home to over 60 abandoned and abused dogs, now serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and support. With the help of their dedicated supporters, Starlight Barking has transformed the shelter, providing socialisation and improved living conditions for the dogs.
Extending a helping paw
Starlight Barking’s impact goes beyond Greece. Through their extensive rescue network, they have re-homed 259 dogs so far.
Wendy says “Our aim is to re-home responsibly 50 a year. It would be easy to re-home more. But if you go for big numbers you can end up having lots that are unsuitable matches and they come back which is awful.”
Together we can make a difference
Wendy emphasises that it is the collective efforts of individuals and organisations that bring about lasting change. With each small step, Starlight Barking is making a significant impact on the lives of stray dogs. Wendy draws inspiration from the rescue dogs themselves, who display unwavering devotion. She takes that same devotion, and it’s inspirational.
“Thank you Tamlyn for the way she tunes into all my dreams and turns them into a beautiful, sympathetic, digital reality. Best of all the website is “Wendy-proof” and I feel so proud now that with Tamlyn’s patience I have learnt so much and can update the pages myself. I just love it and love you all – thank you!!!”
A true superstar
Wendy and Starlight Barking’s mission to address the global stray dog crisis is driven by their passion and determination. Through their tireless efforts, they are not only re-homing dogs and improving shelters but also raising awareness and inspiring others to take action. With Wendy at the helm, Starlight Barking is creating a brighter future for stray dogs, one step at a time.