As some of you know, Holly came to live with me last year after a pretty rotten life, having been used as a breeding machine, kept in a cage too small for her and in general not cared for properly.

When I took her on she was a very poorly pooch.  She weighed 10 stone, could barely put one paw in front of the other, had a skin condition, pressure sores from her weight and an undiagnosed thyroid problem.

After numerous visits to the vets and doggy weightwatchers she is now on the long road to recovery.  She has lost 2 stone and is on proper medication for her  thyroid and skin and now at least has enough energy to chase the odd cat, even if it's only a token gesture before she needs to have a sit down!

The vet has given her the go ahead to do the shorter of the sponsored walks (2.5 miles) for Animals Asia Foundation Walk for Freedom in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh on 17th May to help end the terrible suffering of Moon Bears used in bear bile farms and we would love it if you could support her efforts to return to full fitness and at the same time, help the bears.

In bear farms the Moon Bears are kept imprisoned in coffin-sized cages and 'milked' daily for their bile causing unimaginable suffering. Animals Asia Foundation have so far managed to rescue 260 bears from bile farms in China, which is more than half the 500 originally agreed with the Chinese government in 2000. Please see www.animalsasia.org for more on the amazing work of this charity.

Holly may not be able to do the full 2 1/2 miles but she is determined to walk as far as she can to help animals less fortunate than herself!  We would love it if you could sponsor her for what she can manage.

Read more about Holly's story at our blog at www.fatfortyandredundant.blogspot.com

Thank you to those of you who have already sponsored Her Ladyship!

Lesley x