Emotional reunion for animal rescuers and dogs saved from inhumane conditions abroad
There were emotional reunions as an animal rescue charity marked its first anniversary.
Brighter Days Rescue, which operates kennels near Stafford, will turn one this week.
As well as looking after dogs in need of a good home from the UK, a large proportion the charity saves are from countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and Spain.
They are often living in inhumane conditions or in 'kill shelters' set up to euthanize unwanted, abandoned or neglected animals.
The rescue has now rehomed 155 dogs to people around the UK, and to celebrate its first anniversary it held a Rescue Festival at Weston Village Hall on Saturday.
Those who have adopted dogs from the rescue over the last 12 months were also invited along and dozens turned up, bringing along their canine companions.
It was a chance for the owners to thank the charity, while their furry friends also took part in a parade.
Dog shows, a range of stalls and ice-cream also featured at the event, which was open to the wider community.
Rescue director Amy Cashmore said: "It was lovely to see the dogs and their owners again. There have been a lot of tears, hugs and thank yous.
"We concentrate on the foreign rescues because they are left in kill shelters, they are tortured and beaten.
"People have come from as far as Portsmouth and Scotland to adopt them."
She said it was 'amazing' to reach the one-year anniversary mark and praised the charity's volunteers.
"We rely on the volunteers," Amy said.
"We have people who foster and take the more nervous dogs who don't do well in the kennels.
"Some of the dogs can be shut down and it can take some time to get their confidence up. But we do try and bring dogs over that are more confident so they are easier to rehome."
Brighter Days Rescue liaises with rescuers in countries with large numbers of stray animals, like Spain and Bulgaria, bringing them over to the Staffordshire rescue.
Setting up kennels was the idea of Raine McCaughtrie, who had been helping a woman rescue dogs from Romania, and she was helped in the venture by businessman Ed Briscoe.
Amy added: "The rescue is vital. These dogs would be killed if we didn't take them in and give them that chance.
"Some of their new owners have said the dogs saved them just as much as they saved the dogs.
"We want to rehome as many more dogs as we can and get them into the loving homes they deserve."
