A dog rescue re-homing over 200 dogs and cats a year is set to be one of LotterySK's biggest beneficiaries.

Ticket holders supporting Three Counties Dog Rescue, based in Bourne, are contributing more than £3,500 this year, welcome news to a charity run entirely by unpaid volunteers.

Three Counties Dog Rescue covers South Kesteven, but extends far wider and really deserves a new name, says Gyll Mauchline, who founded it in 1972 with her husband Max and is proud of the 7,000 dogs re-homed since then.

"We actually operate across five counties or more," she explained.

"We set a limit of 50 miles, though, as a realistic distance to travel to see potential new homes for dogs that come in to us. We are very careful where they go."

Every dogis vet checked, neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped before re-homing, with ill health and neglect contributing to annual veterinary costs exceeding £100,000 a year.

"We have fund-raisers working hard at events all through the year, plus a shop in Bourne to help raise money so the funding from LotterySK is really appreciated.

"We were one of the first to sign up, as it seemed a great way to raise money and we are really grateful for the support it gives us.

"Many dogs are re-homed within the district. One, a retriever called Daisy whose crippling hip problems were never addressed, is now with a long-term foster home, benefitting from expensive veterinary laser care and out fundraising with her foster carers in Stamford recently.

The kennels have never had so many needy dogs, all listed on their web site, and the phone never stops ringing.

It rang off the hook after volunteer Claire Foulds appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain with four telegenic bearded collie cross puppies needing homes, part of the programme's dog adoption series.

Presenter Holly Willoughby's emotional response hit the headlines, social media went into meltdown, and offers of homes flooded in from as far away as the Shetlands and France.

Emotions often run high at the kennels, with annoyance at evidence of cruelty, frustration at people who keep dogs for as little as 24 hours before rejecting them, and, as Gyll says, 'a lot of stress'.

They also keep a sense of humour, though."We recently took a dog in which had been in a kennel all its life and was diagnosed with bladder stones," said Gyll.

"It turned out there were hundreds, and we plan to use that as a competition prize to guess just how many. Since her operation she is much happier and putting on weight."

Long term plans include purchase of the kennels they use, allowing expansion to offer boarding facilities as an extra income stream.

Three Counties Dog Rescue is one of 83 good causes signed up to LotterySK, South Kesteven District Council's community lottery, raising in excess of £74,000 for good causes across the district.

From each £1 LotterySK ticket sold, 60p goes to local good causes, twice the amount donated to charity by the National Lottery. Another 20p goes to the prize fund, and the rest is for running costs and VAT.

To sign up to LotterySK click on the red button below.

Photo: Gyll Mauchline with the tiniest dog at Three Counties and Claire Foulds with the largest