A Morecambe FC Wembley hero and a Lancaster dog-lover have joined forces to help a tiny bulldog after she was saved from certain death.
Garry Hunter and Clare Ibbotson are working together to raise money for two-year-old bulldog-cross Gracie, after she was rescued from being sold for meat in China then brought over to live in the UK.
The little bulldog weighed only 12-and-a-half kg and was struggling to breathe properly when she first came over to the UK, after being kept in barbaric conditions.
Clare is Gracie's 'foster mum' and Garry, who played in the Shrimps' Football League promotion-winning match at Wembley in 2007, now runs a dog walking business.
Garry will take part in a personal training marathon to raise money to pay for urgent surgery for Gracie.
Gracie was rescued from the meat trucks at three months old by the UK-based animal rescue organisation, Great Bulls of China.
Clare, who lives in Caton, is looking after the bulldog until a permanent loving home can be found for her.
She said that dogs like Gracie are "treated appallingly".
"There could be 20 or 30 piled in a cage, they're not fed or given water, and they can be skinned alive or hung by the neck," she said.
"Gracie has been in a boarding facility in China for 18 months (after being rescued) and there were a lot of hurdles to overcome to get her transported to the UK.
"We think one of the reasons she was put on the meat truck is because she was born with a deformed front paw. She's also deaf and when we first fostered her about three weeks ago, she was also really struggling with her breathing.
"I got her into the vets and she had quite severe BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome). We were hoping to fundraise to pay for the surgery but in the meantime it became apparent we needed to get it done urgently because she was getting very chesty with a risk of pneumonia.
"She's now had full surgery to open up the airwaves to allow her to breathe more freely, and it's made such a difference. She can run about now with ease and is on the road to recovery.
"The surgery cost £850 and Great Bulls of China relies solely on donations. They have 37 dogs out in China and four in the UK. They have to fund their vet bills, boarding and keep, plus flights to get them over to the UK, which can be extortionate."
Garry runs a 'doggie daycare' business offering dog walking and pet sitting services, and Clare takes her other dogs to be looked after by him.
When Garry heard about Gracie's story, he wanted to help.
The former footballer will take part in a four-and-a-half hour sponsored personal training regimen, alongside personal trainers from BayFit Performance PT in Lancaster, this Monday December 20.
You can sponsor Garry at his JustGiving page here.
Clare said that the surgery has made a huge difference to Gracie's quality of life.
"She's doing great," she said.
"Considering how she's been treated, she is so forgiving of humans.
"She's a little superstar, really smart, great with other dogs, and a real bundle of fun."
If you are interested in adopting Gracie see here for details.
To hear Clare's interview with Beyond Radio Listen Again to this week's episode of The Resident.
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