By Abby Weaving

OVER 40 dog walkers will take to Harlow Common this Sunday to raise money for an animal rescue charity.

The three-kilometre walk will boost funds for Mutts in Distress; a Bishop’s Stortford based charity which takes in dogs from nearby pounds.

The shelter rehabilitates and rehomes the animals, but since taking on missing and abandoned dogs too, veterinary and care costs have risen.

Walk organiser and part-time volunteer, Kerry Snooks, told the Harrier: “We’re worried it’s going to get to a point where dogs will have to be turned away. A lot of the dogs wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for Mutts in Distress.”

Indeed, 16 dogs and four puppies currently reside at the shelter; many of which have been rescued from the Harlow pound.

After seven days, dogs there are otherwise destroyed.

Another member of the team, Jackie McNally, said: “Many of the dogs have mange, and others are abandoned or could have been stolen.

“We also get dogs that have been in car accidents, and some that we find aren’t micro-chipped so we can’t get them home.”

Eager to boost funds, Ms Snooks has so far raised almost £1,500 for the fundraising walk, and knows how important the shelter’s work is; her pooch Rocco is being trained at the charity once a week.

She said: “We got our dog at Christmas from another shelter in Bishop’s Stortford. He’s a cross between a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a Jack Russell. We know nothing about his history, but he has serious anxiety and needs specialist training.

“He’s not aggressive, but he’s had issues with other dogs, and we still can’t leave him on his own yet.”

The rehabilitation classes train the dogs to relax, as well as helping their owners to understand their behaviour.

Ms Snooks added: “I heard about Mutts in Distress and now Rocco is in a hall with 20 other dogs and you can get him to go nose-to-nose with them. His personality has completely changed and I now know exactly how to read a dog. I wanted to give something back.”

The walk starts at 10am, with dog walkers meeting at the gate behind The Royal British Legion.

Ms Snooks continued: “It should be a great day on Sunday. We have sponsors coming down and one is going to run it wearing a full army kit with weights, and another one is going to do it in a fox outfit.”

Donations will not be taken in person, but online at: https://www.youcaring.com/mutts-in-distress-412309