Axminster woman calls for help to save unwanted pets.

Cathy Lane dedicates her time to a dog-rescuing mission through her charity, Once Loved Dog Rescue.

Pounds tend to destroy dogs after seven days if they are not reclaimed and last year 11,000 dogs were put down - up 11 per cent since 2007.

Cathy said: “There’s nothing wrong with them. These are healthy animals.”

She set up a website called Pound Dog Rescue Link in 2007, listing dogs on death row in UK pounds. In June 2009 she launched her charity – with dogs brought to Axminster by volunteer drivers.

She said: “A lot of hard work goes in to transport,” said Cathy, “It can involve co-ordinating up to five volunteer drivers. There’s a huge network of people involved.

“But I just don’t have enough people. The more people who foster, the more dogs I can save.”

The dogs are placed in boarding kennels for a two-week isolation period, where they get a general health check. The issue is lack of foster carers.

Potential carers need experience with dogs and Cathy doesn’t put dogs in homes with children under eight.

Each dog costs �250 upwards to feed and care for. The flat-rate adoption fee the new owners pay is �150. If you would like to become a foster carer contact cathy@oncelovedrescue.org.uk or call 07847297058.