A DOG rescue charity is full of waggy tails after scooping £5,000 in a race for votes.

Southern Counties German Shepherd Rescue, which is run by Alison Mills from her home in Linwood, takes in 70 dogs a year.

Many have to have vet’s treatment before being rehomed and lots have to be housed in kennels, costing the charity about £2,500 a month.

SCGSR was one of four animal charities with a chance to win the cash in a contest run a Facebook page called Feel Good Park by Animal Friends.

The insurance company donates £1 to animal welfare charities for every ‘like’ it gets, and runs a contest monthly to find the most popular of four charities.

Supporters of SCGSR voted and badgered their friends and voting was tense right until the end, with the charity neck and neck with another.

But when the voting closed it had nearly 700 votes, and this clinched the prize.

Mrs Mills said: “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, watching the votes and hoping to win.

“It’s a lot of money, which will probably be used for kennel bills.

“We have 24 dogs at the moment, of which ten are in kennels and others are in foster homes. The dogs in kennels cost about £200 a month each, and that’s with a large discount.

“We’re also now seeing the start of the Christmas rush, when people realise they can’t have their dogs for various reasons, mainly that it’s a busy social time and the dogs won’t be welcome.

“We see the same thing at the start of the summer holidays.

“We’re getting a lot of requests to take dogs in and lots of other rescues have already stopped taking dogs.”

Anyone who would like to help SCGSR, by fundraising, walking the dogs, fostering or helping out on the charity’s regular stall at Pets at Home, should contact Mrs Mills on 01425 473907.

The charity is holding a Christmas craft fair at the High Corner Inn at Linwood this Saturday from 11am until 4pm.