STRAY dogs under sentence of death at council kennels could be saved by an animal rescue champion.

Linda Fegan, of Animal Kingdom Rescue, wants Hyndburn Council to give her the chance to at least find homes for some of the dogs which would otherwise be put down.

Mrs Fegan, who lives in Padiham, is asking the authority to waive the kennelling fees if she can find a suitable home for unclaimed strays.

Under current council policy, anybody re-homing a dog has to pay £46 to cover the kennelling costs.

Councillors are being recommended to approve the arrangement for three months, and beyond if the trial is successful.

Mrs Fegan's sole interest is the welfare of the animals and she receives no payment for the dogs, says a report to the environmental services committee tomorrow.

The arrangement should result in many more dogs finding homes at no cost to the council as no kennel fees are recovered if they are destroyed, it adds.

Strays seized by the dog warden are taken to the council's kennels, and those not reclaimed by the owner in seven days are disposed of.

Some are found new homes, but the majority are destroyed.

Of the 41 dogs seized in the last quarter, 18 were reclaimed by their owner, two were re-homed and 21 put to sleep.

Mrs Fegan, who funds all her work out of her own money and the occasional donation, has given an assurance she will receive no financial gain and will supply the council with details of where the dogs have been re-homed.

She operates from her own home through a network of rescue organisations and by advertising in local pet shops.

She visits all prospective new homes and carries out follow-up visits to ensure the dogs are happy.

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