IT is ten years to the day since Sadie the greyhound became the first abandoned dog to be taken in by a North-East animal charity.

Since then, the National Canine Defence League (NCDL), at Sadberge, near Darlington, has found loving families for more than 10,000 homeless hounds.

Sadie, who was heavily pregnant, arrived at the centre before any of the kennels had been built.

But manager Catherine Gillie, who was supervising the building of the centre and co-ordinating fundraising, refused to turn Sadie away.

She said: "I took her home, and she had her eight puppies.

"When they became too big for me to keep, they all moved into a stable at the centre.

"They all had mange, so I had to give them special washes in my sink."

The puppies were soon re-homed, but Sadie stayed at the centre for a number of years, and was eventually sent to Scotland for the NCDL there to try to find her a home.

Ms Gillie said: "She got distressed in Scotland and because she was our first dog, we were very worried about her.

"She came back, and then a lady came in and said she wanted our longest resident. She did not care that Sadie was a bit aggressive, and she looked after her until she died.

"She then returned and got another dog from us."

Thousands of dogs have followed Sadie, and the centre now cares for about 140 animals.

Some stay at the centre for years, while others are found homes within a few days.

Ms Gillie said: "We see around 1,000 dogs a year. Many are strays, others are given to us when their owners cannot cope.

"We will not put a healthy animal down, and so the centre has had to grow a lot in ten years."

When the centre had its official opening in May 1994, there were 11 staff, but now 24 dedicated animal lovers look after the dogs, including behavioural specialists and trainers.

The centre will continue to expand, with the charity now looking for volunteers to offer foster homes to dogs involved in road accidents, especially those who have lost limbs and have been badly injured.

Ms Gillie said: "We have a little Jack Russell who is blind in both eyes. The sick and injured dogs are the ones that really pull at your heart strings."

It costs £400,000 each year to run the centre, and all money comes from fundraising.

Ms Gillie said: "We are about much more than just rehoming.

"We run an education programme going into schools and talking to pupils about responsible pet ownership, and we also offer neutering and microchipping.

"The idea is not to solve the problem of unwanted pets, but to stop it at its source.

"The last ten years have been very rewarding, and we are looking forward to the next decade."

To help the NCDL, call (01325) 333114.