AN animal charity is urging County Durham people to dig into their pockets to help it save stray and abandoned dogs.

The Durham and district Branch of the RSPCA is seeking more people to join its sponsor a kennel scheme to help with the cost of keeping rescued animals in private kennels. The branch saves about 100 dogs a year, some of which have been ill-treated, and finds new homes for them.

It wants to increase the number of dogs it can help but needs more money to pay for extra kennels.

The scheme proved popular with animal lovers when it was launched three years ago but now donations are dropping off. The branch fears that instead of expanding its service it may have to cut back the help it can provide.

The branch, which covers the Durham, Wear Valley and Derwentside areas, pays for four kennels at the moment.

Chairman Audrey Parkinson said: "We have to rent kennel space because we don't have our own home at the moment.

"We can afford to rent four kennels which costs more than £4,000 a year. It works out at £12 a night for the four, which is very cheap.

"We also have the cost of all the vets' bills because any dog that comes into our care needs treatments and is vaccinated and micro-chipped before it goes out. It is very rewarding to be able to re-home a dog.

"It is a very expensive business. We are hoping to increase the number of kennels to six.

"If we could do that it would increase the number of dogs we save each year by 50 per cent.

"At the moment, we are getting about £1,000 a year from the sponsorship scheme.

"The branch has to raise the rest. We had a change of bank and a lot of people did not renew their sponsorship.

"If more people joined the scheme we could give many more dogs a chance of a happy future."

"Regular donations of as little as £3 a month will go a long way to saving a dog's life."

Anyone who wants to help can find out more about the scheme by calling 0191-386 5421 or (01388) 745980.