A DOG lover will walk the length of the country to raise awareness and funds as part of the fight against the controversial dog meat trade and festivals of Asia.

Animal healer and massage therapist Robert Donkers founded Walking To Save Dogs, which he hopes will soon gain charitable status, to campaign against cruelty and support animal welfare charities across the globe.

Mr Donkers, from Close House, near Bishop Auckland, and his seven dogs raise money through long treks for charities and rescue organisations in Indonesia, Egypt, Korea and China.

This summer, the 55-year-old and four of his canine companions are walking 1,034 miles between Lands’ End to John O’Groats in a bid to help end the suffering of dogs in the Far East which he so despises.

Mr Donkers said he was compelled to act after seeing a YouTube clip of the 'terrible cruelty inflicted on those dogs destined to be eaten'.

He recalls with a shudder how, as a child in Indonesia, he heard about family pets being sold or stolen for meat.

He said: “My shih tzus Madeleine, Ronan, Wilbur and my chihuahua Hannah will be the voice of millions of less fortunate dogs."

Mr Donkers, who began the trek on July 9 and expects to complete it on September 18, is wearing a GPS device so people can track his progress on the website walkingtosavedogs.com. He urges supporters to join him along the route.

Mr Donkers is particularly motivated by festivals such as The Lychee and Dog Meat festival in the Chinese city of Yulin.

The annual event celebrates the torture and consumption of dogs as participants believe that inflicting pain, such as skinning and boiling dogs alive, makes their flesh tastier and more tender and helps those who eat it to cope with hot weather.

He said it is a sad fact that the Yulin dog eating festival only represents less than 0.01 per cent of the Chinese dog meat trade and similar practice extends across South-East Asia, with pet dogs often stolen, trafficked, tortured and killed.

Sponsorship money will go to shelters and projects which rescue dogs and campaign for an end to the dog meat trade through education, lobbying for a ban and providing the dog meat traders with alternative means to support their families.

For details of how to support Mr Donkers and follow him on social media visit walkingtosavedogs.com