From ruff times to rescue as dog shelter given boost in funds

A DOG rescue centre facing a huge £30,000 a year energy bill has been given a lifeline.

- By LORNA HUGHES

Maxi’s Mates Rescue and Rehoming Centre, near Guisborough, gives stray and abandoned dogs from across Teesside and the North East a safe place to stay, heal, and find a new loving home. Founder and trustee Jane Galliford helped set up Maxi’s Mates in 2012 after rescuing stray Mastiff cross, Maxi, from the A66, in Middlesbrough.

The charity has saved and rehomed hundreds of dogs but after its Dunsdale base expanded, it has been facing soaring costs. It has now received a £15,000 grant via Tees Valley Combined Authority, which has been used for solar panels to reduce the burden and cost of energy bills.

Jane said: "We have a really hefty energy bill here - it’s gone up threefold because we've just changed contractors. Our bills are about £30,000 per year. The solar panels will really help - they've been a Godsend really."