PET Watch is a new campaign run by The Northern Echo, which is aimed at helping to rehome unwanted and abandoned animals.

The newspaper has teamed up with the National Animal Sanctuary Support League, in Darlington, to highlight the plight of unwanted pets needing homes.

The first featured animal is Lady, an eight-month-old whippet-cross found ill and abandoned in Bishop Auckland a few months ago.

Since then, the puppy has been looked after by the league and is now ready to be rehomed.

Pauline Wilson, of the charity, said: "Lady was very, very ill with a type of virus. We thought she was going to die, because she was like a little bag of feathers.

"But she's come on in leaps and bounds, she's a very sweet little dog. She needs someone with plenty of time to spend with her and it would be lovely if she could go to a home with another dog."

Lady's story is similar to many of the 250 dogs the charity takes in each year.

In the run-up to Christmas, it is especially hard to find homes for the sanctuary's cats and dogs.

Pauline explained that after December 12, rehoming is halted in a bid to avoid the all-too-familiar problem of pets being given as Christmas presents, only to be rejected in the New Year.

"Just before Christmas people have other things on their mind, so it's not a good time to rehome animals, it's best to wait until things quieten down so they can be rehomed in more settled surroundings.

"Sadly, people also often like to tidy loose ends up before Christmas and we often find it is a time when people give pets up."

Anyone interested in re-homing a pet at the league is welcome to have a look round the sanctuary in the run-up to Christmas, but after next week they will have to wait until the New Year to rehome a pet.

The charity carries out home checks and all adult cats and dogs are neutered and vaccinated.

Anyone interested in rehoming Lady should contact Pauline Wilson on (01325) 321855 or 07748 268822.

We often find it is a time when people give pets up

Pauline Wilson, of the National Animal Sanctuary Support League