Good golly Miss Mollies gets charitable status

Jeanne Thompson has been rehoming dogs for 16 years and the Miss Mollies dog rescue achieved charitable status last month.

Now the charity’s trustees are planning to open a charity shop on Regent Parade in Harrogate and are hoping to raise awareness and funds for the charity.

Mrs Thompson said: “It is all very exciting, it will raise the profile and hopefully bring in funds for vets bills.”

Trustee Julie Hamilton added: “It has taken a lot of hardwork to get charity status, but it has all paid off.

“People are starting to realise that we are here, right here on their doorsteps.”

Currently Miss Mollies is caring for 14 dogs which need a home. The dogs pictured; Jack the Jack Russell, Candy the Staffi who was rescued from a pound in Newcastle, Sheeba (white fluffy cross) and Dante and Wilma who were rescued from Romania are looking for homes.

Mrs Hamilton added: “We do get a lot of people wanting puppies, not realising how much hard work they are and how rewarding an older dog can be.”

Mrs Thompson has eight dogs of her own, and is fostering another eight. Her husband, David, is very understanding about sharing his home with 16 other dogs, though he admits he is more of a cat person.

Mrs Thompson walks for four hours every day to make sure all the dogs in her care get enough exercise.

She said: “I do get through a fair few cups of tea and sugary snacks to keep myself going.”

Mrs Thompson hopes to keep the charity focused in Harrogate, rescuing and rehoming locally, though Miss Mollies has rescued from pounds in Spain and Romania.

One particular rescue stands out in her mind. After agreeing to take on a Spainish rescue dog, Mrs Thompson was told she would be taking in a Jack Russell, however Scooby Doo, a sloughi dog the size of a great dane turned up instead.

She said: “He is one of the best behaved lovliest dogs I have ever had, he takes up a lot of room on the sofa though.”

Scooby Doo was fostered out to an American couple who were staying in the Harrogate area for four months, and after falling in love with him they have decided to adopt him and take him home to the States.

“We are sorting a passport out now, I will certainly shed a tear to see him go but it is a great happy ending.”

Over the years the Miss Mollies team have found forever homes for around 50 dogs and Jeanne hopes to rent some kennel space in the next year.

See www.missmolliesres

cue.org.uk for more information.