What are we Doing?

A group of 5 cyclists (all with different cycling discipline experience) will ride nearly 450km on 4 bikes, to raise money for dogs in need. Keith, Jess, Lara, Maz and Helena are taking on this challenge to save dog's lives and for the love of 2 wheels. You may have figured out that one of the bikes will be a tandem, which will be ridden by Keith and Jess. Just to add a little extra challenge in! We will also have a support team of 3 1/2 people (little baby Oakley will be cheering us along!)

Why this Charity?

As a group of animal lovers, Barking Mad Dog Rescue means a lot to our team, especially Keith and Jess, who, after traveling through Europe in their campervan last year, realised the dia situation for dogs once they reached Romania. There are stray dogs on every street corner, struggling to survive, dodge traffic, fend off abuse, suffering from injuries and disease and worst of all trying to avoid the public kill shelter dog catchers.

They could not ignore the problem any longer when they came across a sandy coloured stray dog hanging outside a bar. She looked just like Jess's childhood dog Sasha, but seemed like she had poop on her head, however, when this friendly girl came over for a stroke, they could see it was actually a huge dark scar. More worryingly, there was also a large growth on the side of her head. They soon found out from the bar manager that this dog had been abandoned around a year ago. They decided to help this sweet girl, as they realised no-one else was going to. But how?

After a bit of research online, they came across Barking Mad Dog Rescue, a UK registered charity, and contacted them for help. They were amazing, offered their vet, to look after her in their shelter, and find her a forever home in the UK or Germany. Keith and Jess just had to get the dog to the shelter. By this time they had named her Chooky (after the beer, Ciucas, they were drinking when they met her).

The day and a half journey across Romania to get her to the Barking Mad Dog Rescue shelter was quite an experience with an untrained, but friendly dog. This duration of getting to know Chooky, gaining her trust, trying to get a collar on, (somewhat) lead training her, sleeping with her in their campervan, and sharing tons of cuddles and strokes, they fell in love with the dreadlocked matted furball. 3 months later Chooky came to the UK to live with them in her forever home. She has had the lump removed and has taken over the best sofa in the house. She deserves it.

About the Charity:

Barking Mad Dog Rescue is a UK registered charity with their own shelter for 450 rescued dogs in Constanta, who support another 400 dogs in various shelters in the area. In the shelters, abandoned and neglected dogs find safe haven from some of the most unimaginable abuse, as well as the dogs they take from the local public dog shelter (which means dogs are no longer killed there). They operate via a dedicated UK team of volunteers who facilitate adoptions, admin, fundraising, and promotion. Their dogs need your help for this vital, life-saving work to continue. Thank you.