Cambridge taxi driver swaps car for 150 Moroccan dogs

Karl Scarr has cared for more than 1,000 animals since opening the sanctuary in Tangier

A man has given up driving taxis around Cambridge to live in a kennel with 150 dogs in Morocco.

Karl Scarr, 52, set up a sanctuary in Tangier in 2012 after visiting the country and realising "cruelty and abuse [were] considered normal".

He built the large kennel he currently shares with all the dogs while his own home is being built.

The former zoologist is working with other charities and schools to improve animal welfare in Morocco.

Despite the expressions of his canine charges, Mr Scarr is certain he is the "leader of his pack"

Despite having no electricity or running water, Mr Scarr, originally from Cherry Hinton, has managed to nurse more than 1,000 animals, rehoming many of them.

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Le Sanctuaire de la Faune de Tangier (The Wild Animal Sanctuary of Tangier, or SFT) prides itself on never turning a stray away.

A number of the dogs need a little help to get around

But this means space is tight and Mr Scarr currently shares his bed with Khan, a bullmastiff which is "second in command", but he considers himself the "leader of the pack".

Stray 'spotter'

However, being the leader does not mean Mr Scarr has an easy life.

In order to care for the dogs and 300 other stray or maltreated animals, he gets up in the early hours and each day begins with shovelling 30kg (66lb) of excrement.

There is always room for one more below in the shed Mr Scarr shares with his pack of hounds

Mr Scarr is campaigning to change welfare legislation in Morocco and his work promoting sterilisation, vaccination and adoption is now being shared with other animal charities in the country.

"The sanctuary has become the focal point for a major campaign for change to animal protection laws in the country, which is hugely exciting," he said.

The sanctuary never sends a stray away, Mr Scarr said

He has also helped develop a new "animal spotter" app which he hopes will encourage people to contact the charity when they see maltreated or stray animals.

Meanwhile, Mr Scarr said he plans to contact Guinness World Records as he is sure no-one else has ever lived in the same room as 150 dogs.