Dog rescuer holds out a paw for help after dodgy van stops her saving lost pets and strays

Tasha Robinson volunteers with the Lost Dog Capture Team, and has been out finding animals and looking after them back at her mum's day care centre for the last couple of years.

However, when the 35-year-old from Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, bought a van for her rescuing and her dog walking business, sadly she was sold a pup.

"The garage I bought it from described it as 'tickety-boo'," said Tasha.

"But it just keeps letting me down. I've been taking it to another garage, who have been amazing. But they've said it isn't going to last."

She tried to save for a different van but every time she put money aside, her vehicle would need a repair and she became stuck in a vicious cycle.

One dog Tasha rescued while out volunteering was Loki, who had been missing for nine days shortly before Christmas in 2020. Tasha was able to find him on the playing fields in Frankwell, Shrewsbury, gain his trust and take him in safely off the streets.

The initial plan was for Tasha to give Loki sanctuary and nurse him back to health after a traumatic ordeal, before finding him a forever home. But he was so sweet that she couldn't bring herself to let him go and is fostering him permanently.

"I popped him in the van and it turned out the people who'd had him didn't want him anymore. I couldn't see him going to kennels on Christmas Eve, so he came home with us and he hasn't left! He's an absolute sweetheart."

Tasha believes if she can drum up £5,000, that will be enough to get her a set of wheels that will be reliable enough to continue with the dog rescuing.

Her mum, Amanda, who runs the More Than Mutts dog day care centre in Shrewsbury, said: "Tasha relies on her van to be able to help the missing dogs, often sleeping in her van whilst monitoring a dog's situation that isn't local to home, transporting all the necessary equipment and the dogs themselves. She works full time and devotes a lot her spare time and many sleepless nights to missing dogs."

It was nearly four years ago Tasha took the plunge and became self-employed as a dog walker and pet sitter, pursuing her dream to work with animals. Just as she was becoming established, Covid hit.

"She worked very hard to keep her dream alive as did many people and I know her situation isn't unique but please help her if you can," Amanda added.

To support Tasha's fundraising visit bit.ly/411zp8M