A BEAMINSTER-based dog rescue charity is reaching out to Dorset residents who can help find them temporary homes for their hounds. 

Hounds First Sighthound Rescue - which focuses on rehoming lurchers, greyhounds, whippets and other sighthounds across the country - is struggling to find temporary accommodation to house their rescue dogs.

The charity's joint founder and chair of trustees Rachel Hayball, a Beaminster resident, said: "As a rescue charity we have grown rapidly in the last few years, but there is a massive problem as we cannot house all our dogs at the moment where we are getting hundreds and hundreds come in. 

"We are taking in more strays and dogs with unknown history, and the difficulty is that there aren't a lot of kennels in West Dorset that can take them because they are an infection risk, so we are often paying other rescue charities to house them in places like Devon, and this is coasting about £400 a week nationally."

"We also have dogs who are in a very poor condition - we have had two recently who were very, very badly treated, and some of our dogs have to work with a behaviourist before they can be rehomed."

She explained that the charity, which is staffed by volunteers, is keen to continue doing their important work.

"We are trying to make as much of a difference locally as we can; and any help would make a massive difference. 

"One dog is put to sleep every hour in the UK due to not finding a home; we have had dogs come in that have been hours away from death."

She added: "I want to help dogs that have been abandoned, kicked out and hurt; nursing them back to health.

"It does keep you awake at night because if we can't help dogs like that then I feel we are failing." 

Rachel said in order to enable them to help at risk dogs they need more kennels within 40 miles of Beaminster, so they can house the dogs before they are assessed, vaccinated, microchipped and eventually rehomed.

"We are looking for around ten kennels to house our rescue dogs at the moment, so we can look after them when they come out of pounds," she said.

"We would encourage anyone to come forward, we don't mind what they have got and we will look after the dogs and pay the kennels' owner some rent. 

"Ideally it would be in a separate block to any boarding kennels, but we are happy to put some money into the accommodation to bring it up to standard if needed."

If you think you or someone you know can help the charity, or would like more information about their work, visit houndsfirst.co.uk