Homeless dogs charity Christmas sponsorship scheme

Ten-year-old Farley is getting ready for Christmas at Dogs Trust in Shoreham with his cuddly toys

A rehoming centre for dogs in West Sussex is appealing for people to support its animals - without having to give one a home.

The Dogs Trust in Shoreham received more than 46,000 calls asking for rehoming help this year, which it says far exceeds its capacity.

Now, the charity has launched a sponsorship scheme to help cover the costs of looking after the dogs in its care.

Tom Gray, Dogs Trust kennel supervisor, said: "It's a great gift to give someone over Christmas. It's £1 a week and helps support over 1,600 dogs across the whole trust."

Woody is another of the dogs who will be spending Christmas at the charity in Shoreham this year

In return, sponsors will receive a note from their pooch, a magnet, a sticker and regular updates on the dog throughout the year.

There are 21 dogs across the country up for sponsorship, with Shoreham's 10-year-old terrier-cross Farley proving particularly popular, having already received dozens of letters and cards from his sponsors.

But Tom told BBC South East Today that there is still work to be done.

"Covid and the financial crisis has created this perfect storm, meaning a lot more dogs are coming in with more complex behavioural problems," he said.

"The pressures on us have increased astronomically."