I was lucky enough to grow up with horses, dogs and cats and about 10 years ago got my first dog as an adult - Duke - a greyhound rescued from the Walthamstow track after breaking his shoulder and becoming 'surplus to requirement'. Duke's never done stairs, he hates wooden floor, he has a seriously sensitive tummy which has lead to more than a handful of embarrassing moments, not to mention all the special recipes and cooking for HRH, and last but not least he cries - all the time, it's is way of communicating. Regardless, he is my special boy and I love him to the moon and back. Thankfully he's still with me, whining to get me out of bed every morning at 5.30am.

It was Duke who got me into Greyhounds. I started volunteering at Wimbledon Greyhound Welfare at the weekends and in my holidays from work. Rocket Ruby came home with us not long after and then Timmi - both of whom I loved dearly but sadly are no longer here. I also started volunteering in Spain at Scooby in Medina del Campo, North of Madrid - a wonderful charity bursting at the seams with Galgos (the Spanish equivalent to Greyhounds). My doggy soulmate Petro came home around seven years ago as a broken soul with a horrid skin condition who trusted nobody except me and remains my shadow to date.

Having my daughter in 2013 didn't stop me volunteering (she was happy in her carrier whilst we walked dogs at the kennels or attended fundraisers and even came out to Scooby at three years old - their youngest volunteer ever!) or offering animals convalescence. In total we've had four end-of-life rescues - those who needed love and comfort in their months, weeks or days. We've talked family into re-homing others and fostered many more. I haven't even mentioned the chickens, degus, fancy rats we've rescued from a sad situation. In 2016 we welcomed Prince Argo from Ireland. I saw his photo - the one I have used for this fundraising page - before I had digested the atrocity of what I had seen an email had been sent and his forever home with us had been confirmed. Argo is still nervous of strangers (and the vet, our lovely farrier and the dentist!) but to us he is perfect in every way. I blame him for my return to the horsey world! We now have three rescued equines, including a big friendly giant, our 18hh Warmblood who was destined for a bullet in the head because he had 'behavioral issues' and would love the opportunity to help more of these truly magnificent creatures.

At 38 I'm aware more now than I've ever been that life is a gift and too short to think "what if" so it's time to stop wondering how many animals I could save if I had my own charity and a safe and secure place to run it from. I'm a proud person - everything I've ever done for the animals has been self-funded - my family of course has helped, especially my late Grandfather Bob who funded some much needed fencing at Scooby in Spain, my Dad Mark and sister Steph - but now I look to all my fellow animal lovers to help fund the set-up of a new charity, one focused on end-of-life care and special needs cases that other charities may struggle to support.

I've found a little place in Sussex, we'll be moving within the next few weeks, once settled, I'll begin to focus on setting up the charity. All the money raised will help to cover the charity start-up costs, equipment and materials such as fencing, kennels and security as well as marketing.

Anyone interested in following the story can sign-up to a regular blog in which progress will be reported. Volunteers and fundraisers will also be a vital asset to the charity so if you're keen to be involved in this capacity please do let me know.

I want to thank you all for reading this, let alone pledging some of your hard earned cash to help get this charity up and running. Please don't feel bad if you can't help but please don't click off this page before reading my favourite analogy of all time.

With all my love

Chloe

(pics of a few of our rescues above)

An old man had a habit of early morning walks on the beach. One day, after a storm, he saw a human figure in the distance moving like a dancer. As he came closer he saw that it was a young woman and she was not dancing but was reaching down to the sand, picking up a starfish and very gently throwing them into the ocean.

“Young lady,” he asked, “Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”

“The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I do not throw them in they will die.”

“But young lady, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You cannot possibly make a difference.”

The young woman listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves, saying, “It made a difference for that one.”