Volunteers are in the doghouse

Leigh Ashton from Homeless Hounds with dog Brock. Leigh is taking part in a sponsored sleepover with the dogs in kennels.

Eighteen members of staff from Homeless Hounds will be having a sponsored sleepover on May 27 at the kennels in River Road, Thornton  Cleveleys.

They will be sharing a kennel each with a dog available for adoption, and plan to undertake sponsored trials to be screened live on Facebook.

Organiser Chloe Horner said: “We’re always looking for new ways of raising funds and getting more people involved.

“Last year one of our volunteers did a sponsored camp out with one of the dogs and  we thought we could do  something similar this year and make it fun.”

The charity currently needs £5,000 to £6,000 each month to keep running, with approximately £2,000 on vets bills, as well as kennel rent, food and transportation costs.

The charity, which takes in dogs from 12 local authority areas across Lancashire, is under more strain this year after an increase in the number of dogs needing rehoming.

Chloe said: “It’s a difficult time, people are splitting up from partners, being made homeless or moving where they can’t take dogs.”

She added: “We’re going to bring in sleeping bags and have one volunteer per dog.

“I think the dogs will really enjoy it, they’re so friendly, they’ll probably end up in bed with us.

“To raise extra money we’ll also be doing some sponsored trials too, just as someone will eat a dog biscuit for £5, and that will be screened for everyone to see online.

“We’ve got some crazy ideas for that, but there will be sleeping going on - there are neighbours and people living in the house where the kennels are.”

To donate, visit: https://mydonate.bt.com/events/imahhrescuedog/437303