St Columb’s Venton Centre Turns 30 as Kennel Work Begins

In 1994, before Cornwall had a rescue centre of its own, 233 dogs and 638 cats came into the care of the county’s RSPCA. There was nowhere permanent to put them, only private boarding kennels and foster homes. Thirty years on, the centre built to solve that problem is marking three decades of work, and it is about to change.

Thirty years of second chances

This year marks 30 years since the first animals arrived at the Venton Centre near St Columb. RSPCA Cornwall Branch is using the anniversary to look back at three decades of rescue work and to start the next chapter. Work to refurbish the centre’s original kennel blocks begins this September and is expected to take around three months.

The charity is clear that this is not a repair job. It is a response to how much the understanding of animal welfare has shifted since the centre opened.

Why the kennels are changing

Rescue animals today often stay in care longer than they once did. Many need specialist behavioural support, enrichment, positive training and environments designed to help them recover from trauma before they move to a new home. Modern thinking on canine welfare puts weight on reducing stress, giving animals choice, adding mental stimulation and building spaces that support emotional wellbeing alongside physical health.

The work on the original kennel blocks is meant to bring the Venton Centre in line with those standards and keep it there.

Leanne Bawden, Community and Fundraising Manager at RSPCA Cornwall Branch, said: “When people visit the Venton Centre today, they see happy dogs being walked, cats relaxing in warm beds and a dedicated team providing excellent care every single day. That’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”

She added: “This refurbishment isn’t about fixing something that’s broken. It’s about recognising how much we’ve learned about animal welfare over the last 30 years and making sure our facilities continue to reflect the very best standards of care. We owe that to every animal that comes through our doors.”

How Cornwall built its own rescue centre

The centre exists because of a decision made in 1993. Four separate RSPCA branches merged that year to form one county-wide charity, with a shared aim of giving Cornwall its first dedicated rescue and rehoming centre.

Higher Quoit Farm near St Columb was bought in 1994 for its central position, within reach of communities across the county. The first animals arrived in 1996. The remaining phases were completed after a large donation from Patricia Venton, given in memory of her husband William. The centre took the Venton name in recognition of that gift.

Since then the self-funded charity has helped thousands of animals find safety, rehabilitation and new homes. It now cares for more than 70 animals at the centre at any one time, with more supported through foster homes and community services.

The next 30 years

To mark the anniversary, the branch has launched a campaign called The Next 30 Starts Here, built around the people, animals and stories tied to the centre since 1996. Alongside it sits a fundraising appeal, The Tree That Cornwall Grew, which invites supporters to join a permanent recognition display while helping pay for the kennel refurbishment and future improvements.

The money matters because the charity runs entirely on local support. It now costs more than £1 million a year to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals and carry out its wider welfare work across Cornwall.

“This anniversary is also a chance to celebrate the incredible community that made the Venton Centre possible,” Leanne Bawden said. “From the volunteers and fundraisers who helped build it in the 1990s to the supporters who continue to stand beside us today, this has always been Cornwall’s rescue centre.”

Details of both the campaign and the appeal are on the RSPCA Cornwall 30 years page.