A dog shelter manager has run the length of Sri Lanka to raise funds to keep the dog sanctuary open.
Lucie Borne, from Taunton, first visited Sri Lanka four years ago.
She decided to make the move permanent after seeing the desperate plight of animals on the streets.
The country is home to some three to six million street dogs.
The 31-year-old began working at Animal SOS Sri Lanka, a free-roaming sanctuary on the south coast which is home to more than 2,500 rescued street dogs and cats.
But now the charity is struggling to continue its work, needing to raise £2,000 each day to cover basic running costs.
Lucie, who has eight rescue dogs, three cats and three foster dogs, decided to try and raise money for the cause by running the 330-mile length of the country, which regularly experiences temperatures above 30 degrees.
She said: “Animal SOS save hundreds of lives each year, many dogs and cats who suffer horrendous road accidents, illnesses or injuries at the hands of people.
“There is such a huge demand to take in more sick and injured animals, and we are constantly crowded.
“Many other organisations and charities reject these extreme injury cases, but despite being so full we still try to help as many vulnerable, critical, and helpless animals as possible.
“We keep fighting for them, but the sanctuary needs serious support to keep going.”
Lucie took 17 days to complete the gruelling challenge, running around 20 miles a day through extreme temperatures and injuries.
She was joined on the run by supporters, including her Sri Lankan husband Lahiru, who also works at the sanctuary.
Along the way, the team would stop to feed hungry street dogs and carry out skin treatments.
Lucie added: “It was a really challenging run – I experienced severe knee pain, fell hurting my legs and elbow, and even lost a few toenails.
“It was also a real mental challenge being left with my own thoughts for hours each day for 17 days straight.
“But every day was different, and there were so many highlights.
“I had my team with me who fed so many street dogs throughout the journey and gave flea and tick treatments.
“It made lots of stray animals so happy, and that was wonderful to see.”
And after visiting the north of the island Lucie said she is even more inspired to keep the charity running and continue its invaluable work.
She said: “There are more people and organisations in the south of the island and Colombo area who are helping dogs, but in the north, there seem to be far less people taking action for the strays.
“The condition of the dogs seems to be much worse in the north, it was heart-breaking.
“I hope in the future we can continue to raise awareness and funds, and collectively create another project where we can focus on sterilisation, because that is the main priority to reduce the stray population.”
(Somerset County Gazette)
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