AN INSPIRING nursery teacher is combining her love for dogs and the outdoors to save a local animal shelter.

Selfless Shelly McMaster is planning a major sponsored cycle and walk to raise money for Islay Dog Rescue charity.

The 26-year-old has been volunteering for years and is devoting herself to helping save more dogs.

She will travel around Islay, the island the shelter is named after, in a bid to get more donations to help with electricity and repairs to the centre.

It comes as the life-saving charity was forced to the brink of closure due to a massive shortfall in volunteers meaning they can’t save anymore dogs from ‘death row’.

They are now calling on the public to come forward and volunteer or donate to save the char ity which has rehomed over 600 dogs from all over the world.

Shelly says:“The animals would be in real trouble without us since we save them from the pound. We have taken in dogs from ll around the world including Romania, Bosnia, and even Russia.

“Two of the dogs we have in the shelter at the minute were even saved from Thailand after being in danger of ending up in the meat trade.

I’m a big dog person so I was excited to get involved and want to do anything I can to keep the shelter running.

“I plan on cycling or walking around Islay which is the island the rescue centre was named after for sentimental value. It is two ferry rides away and I just thought it would be something a bit different.

“I would love to swim from the mainland to the island but with this weather it isn’t really safe so instead I swam the distance in my local pool.

“I have raised a total of £500 on my own so hopefully this event will pull in some more cash. I just thought it was a really good cause, I love the outdoors and dogs so it made sense.

“I have been volunteering there for three years. I live in Cumnock and was shocked that the shelter was just sitting on my doorstep. I asked if there was anything I could do and have been there ever since.

“I plan on doing the sponsored cycle and walk at the end of the School term so around the end of June. I’m really excited.”

Donate to Shelly here : https://www.gofundme.com/cycle-round-the-isle-of-islay?fbclid=IwAR18NBEAzzrP353MIr0ULtFgl_lzemvR095qjJhzDkD-OS3A4Ffy-H0h9n4