Schnauzerfest is a nationwide collection of walks to bring together schnauzers, their humans and other canine friends.
From small walks to larger ones, each takes place with two aims – FUN and FUNdraising!
As well as raising lots of money to benefit rescue dogs, at the heart of Schnauzerfest is a commitment to raising awareness of the cruel world of puppy farming.

Get involved
There are many ways you can get involved with Schnauzerfest, including joining a walk, making a donation or buying a gift

Mila is one of 6 schnauzers recently taken into the safe sanctuary of the Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre having been rescued from puppy farms. Mila is severely underweight, has a huge mammary tumour and will need at least one of her damaged eyes removing. It’s hoped her other can be saved and sight restored.
Konnie arrived at DBARC with an obvious fear of humans which brought out difficult behavioural issues. Having lived a life of neglect and abuse it was no surprise that she had problems adjusting to the kindness of humans. But, the DBARC team were sure there was something else going on.
Having spent her entire life neglected and abused in a puppy farm Violet had many problems. She had a long journey ahead of her when she was rescued. Tumours, eye surgery and complications meant it was some months before she went off to live with her new family.
Gertie arrived into the care of DBARC shortly before the Schnauzerfest 2018 weekend. She was one of several dogs taken in by the centre, all requiring specialist care, including cataract surgery.
Martha (aka Berry) arrived at DBARC with several other schnauzers who had been saved from puppy farms. They arrived a few weeks ahead of Schnauzerfest 2018 and all had multiple health needs and some were obviously blind.
When Penny was first assessed by the vets at the Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre it was clear that she had a number of potentially serious medical issues, including heart problems.
Only Bronwyn will truly know the horrors she endured at the puppy farm, however the evidence of what it’s left her with are seen everyday. The resistance to walk through doorways, not approaching her family if they’re stood full height; cowering if anyone gets too close; noises we all take for granted that frighten her and make her run off to her safe place.
After a chance meeting in 2015 on a Dorset beach and hearing about Schnauzerfest, Anne and Steve adopted puppy farm survivor Bella in 2018.
River arrived at DBARC with extreme problems. At one point it looked unlikely that she would survive. It took months of specialist care, diagnostics, surgery and rehabilitation for her to be well enough to go home to her new life.
When Twinklet arrived at DBARC, nobody could have guessed that the dog who had just been saved from death after being dumped in a field with dreadful injuries would become quite the starlet she eventually did. Twinklet has become iconic for the work and dedication of the DBARC team and the successful outcomes that collaboration with Schnauzerfest brings.
Schnauzerfest is all about raising money for dogs like Darla. Saved from a puppy farm, virtually blind, her life will be transformed by cataract surgery, made possible by Schnauzerfest donations.
Meme is described by her adoptive mum Kim as a little ray of sunshine. Despite coming from a rough life in a puppy farm where no love and little care would have been available, Meme from the moment she arrived at DBARC showed she had every intention of enjoying the life she now had to its fullest.
In the middle of Schnauzerfest 2016 we heard about a poor little schnauzer who’d clearly had a terrible life. She was blind and terrified. Through a great team effort involving a network of volunteers, Ginty arrived into the care of DBARC in the hope of having her sight restored.
A few weeks ago Merlin arrived at DBARC having left a life of neglect and cruelty. He had multiple physical and emotional injuries that had been inflicted during years in the breeding industry. The most obvious concern as a huge leg tumour but in addition his first dental revealed a mouth full of terribly worn down teeth, many of which needed removing.
Sitting there was a miniature schnauzer with a deep, gaping, badly infected hole in her throat about the size of a golfball. To have a wound that deep and infected meant she’d been neglected for a long time. Lacey was going to need some serious surgery and help to recover from this.
Ola, aka Ollie arrived blind at DBARC. She’d spent her life breeding puppies and many of those puppies will without doubt also lose their eyesight in future. We can only hope they are in safe and loving homes.
Daisy has suffered a tremendous amount of neglect and abuse in her life. This has left her with a terror of humans and behaviours which reflect this. She is highly averse to human interaction and while being cared for by the DBARC team would allow nobody by Janet, manager of DBARC, close to her.
In the lead up to the Schnauzerfest weekend we were contacted by someone in Scotland who wanted to know if she could do something special for Schnauzerfest. And so began a transformational few days for what has been an astonishing year for Schnauzerfest.
Anya was rescued from a puppy farm and like many dogs from that background had several issues to overcome. She’s been adopted by DBARC volunteer Carol and although she had glaucoma and had to have one eye removed, Anya hasn’t let this stop her enjoying her new home and life.
Dora and Cilla were both rescued from puppy farms and adopted together by Schnauzerfest supporters Kathleen and Mel. Cilla had double cataract surgery to restore her vision, but had a few complications in one eye and has only limited vision in it. However, this doesn’t affect her enjoyment of life with sisters Dora and Schnapps.
Two little puppies were taken in by DBARC. Both had been born with one fused back leg each (as a result of indiscriminate breeding). On the expert advice of the veterinary staff, both boys had their damaged legs amputated.
Mildred, a tiny scrap of a pup was surrendered to DBARC in the autumn of 2015. She was only around 5 or 6 weeks old and very poorly. She was lucky to be alive and the care given to her by the DBARC team and continued by her adopter Debbi was life-saving.
Dolly Dot arrived at DBARC with an obvious neurological condition. It was decided that for her best interest she would stay with a DBARC volunteer so that whatever happened in future, DBARC would be there to support her.
Tilly and Nora arrived together blind at the Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre early summer of 2015. Both stayed in the expert care of Janet and her team for a few weeks and received specialist cataract surgery before going off to live a wonderful life on the south coast of England in August that year.
George was born blind with cataracts and micropthalmia, which is tiny eyeballs. He was operated on and initially it was successful. The surgery was complicated and specialist due to the size of his eyes. He could see for the first time ever in his life and although his vision was limited it was lovely to see him play ball.
When Trixie arrived into foster care with DBARC manager Janet, she was distressingly thin, emaciated and had obviously been seriously neglected in her life.
It’s very rare that a rescued puppy farm dog arrives without multiple health problems, usually requiring extensive (and expensive) veterinary care. The most dramatic being the dogs with little or no sight but others like Martie who have serious orthopedic issues. These always require treatment before they can go on to live good lives.
When Juno arrived at DBARC for fostering with Janet, she was a miniature schnauzer with an obvious problem. She was, to put it mildly, on the large size. More precisely, she weighed in at 16.7kg.
On a chilly day late in 2013, two elderly miniature schnauzer sisters were dropped off at DBARC by a person who could no longer take care of them. She had a new baby, the weather was wet, the days were short and walks were too hard to manage. One of the dogs had started having accidents in the house.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES, NEWS AND PHOTOS!