Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge animal lover, I have been since a child and will try and do anything I can to help in anyway. If I had my time again I'd train to be a vet and travel to countries where animals are really suffering on a daily basis and try and make a small difference to the world. Over the years I have supported British animal charities, large and small, UK wide and local charities in South Wales. I also was struggling as a student with supporting animal charities abroad, I remember once complaining to my mother about how skint I was as a student and she was looking at my bank statement saying 'No wonder, you've given £96 to animal causes this month!'. I just couldn't help myself, if there was something I could give I would and still do. A lot of animal charites have touched my heart over the years but one in particular has made a huge impact to my life and that was the discovery of Takis Shelter in Crete, close to Lerapetra. Takis built this shelter a couple of years ago, on his own, as the situation for dogs in Crete was a disaster. Many are abandoned on the streets and in the rubbish areas, tied up all their lives on small chains. None of the dogs are sterilized, so there is a huge problem with pregnant dogs on the streets and puppies just left to die. Every day Takis rescues these poor animals, he scours the rubbish tip areas, the mountains and has daily messages and calls from people in and around his village asking him to collect stray dogs and puppies. He records all of his rescues on facebook and although it sometimes isn't happy watching, you know that he is going to bring them back to his shelter to get medical attention, food and love. All his dogs run free and the videos he puts on of all his rescued dogs, over 200 of them, warms my heart. I watch him everyday and have wanted to do something to help - so here I go!!! I will be running the Cardiff Half Marathon so please donate to this amazing animal charity if you can! If you want to see Takis story you can here - https://www.facebook.com/Takis-Shelter-non-profit-organisation-591844890918840/