AN ANIMAL loving family is hoping to save the life of a stray dog by having it shipped over from Greece.

Carol Capell, of Staghills Road, Newchurch, fell in love with the stray puppy on a holiday to the seaside resort of Fourka.

But she was horrified' when she heard that stray dogs are poisoned in a cull at the end of the holiday season.

When she returned from her one week holiday with husband Steven, 49, the part-time carer got straight onto the internet and contacted Greek Animal Rescue, a UK-based charity which rescues stray dogs and cats in Greece and brings them across to the UK.

The 47-year-old mother-of-four said: "There were quite a few stray dogs about and this young dog had followed some one.

"I fell in love with her straight away because she was so lovely and playful, chewing the bottom of my pants.

"We fed it and took it up to our room.

"There was no way I could see her being poisoned."

The couple will pay £350 towards the cost of bringing over the 10-month-old Doberman Rottweiler cross-breed, who they named Eira.

The charity is helping with the pet passport, which is mandatory for all animals coming into the UK and involves rabies jabs, a microchip and blood tests.

The couple, who lost their 10-year-old dog Panza last year, are planning a visit to Fourka in October to find the dog so she can be housed in an animal shelter in Greece whilst the paperwork is completed.

The dog will also have to spend time in quarantine.

The puppy will continue to live in the streets until Charity member Julie Tsiakmakis, who runs an animal shelter near Fourka, has space to house it.

Juliet Bowring, charity trustee, said: "It is all in the early stages and it will take at least seven months to get the dog across.

"They poison the dogs at the end of the season and some of the hunters hang them. They are terrible to the dogs."

Mrs Capell said: "I was horrified when I found out about the poison.

"I just hope that we can find her when we go back there because she is in the streets at the moment.

"My lads just think I am being silly but my daughter is thrilled to bits because we all love animals."