He never thought he would follow in the paw prints of those famous space dogs.

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The existing centre on Felixstowe's High Street had space for 12 dogs and 18 cats.

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Other primates and mice followed, and the Soviet Union a few years later joining the animal space race when nine dogs went skyward aboard rockets.

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The USSR began sending dogs into space in 1951, and a Russian mutt named Laika became the first (non-microbial) Earth-born animal to enter orbit on aboard Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957.

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This time, with a larger exhibition space along the Hudson River during the day, more dogs were allowed.

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The charity, founded in 1892, looks after about 4, 500 stray dogs each year across the two sites and general manager Simon Price said a lack of space was the reason behind the proposed move from Digbeth.

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