Local Calendar Cover Star Heads To Crufts

A one year-old Akita is heading to the world's largest dog show, Crufts to promote rescue dogs after she was chosen as the cover star of the Kennel Club's Breed Rescue calendar for 2016.

Megan, who was rescued by Akita Rescue & Welfare Trust in Blackheath, London, graces the front of this year's calendar and will be making her way to Crufts with new owners Tim and Lucia Aucott to meet visitors on the Eukanuba breed rescue stand on Saturday 12th March.

Megan came to the Akita Rescue & Welfare Trust when Chairwoman, Stephanie Brown received a phone call from a man who wanted to get rid of his puppy of two days because it had kept him and his partner awake for two nights. The man then left nine week-old Megan on Stephanie's doorstep, dirty and cold. Four days later the man called again asking for money for Megan, and when Stephanie declined he demanded to have her back.

Luckily for Megan, she stayed in the care of Stephanie and the Akita Rescue & Welfare Trust for two months before finding her forever home in the Vale of Belvoir with the Aucotts. Her image was chosen to feature in the calendar for the month of December as well as being the cover image.

Speaking about why they submitted the picture of Megan for the breed rescue calendar, Teresa Prime, Trustee and National Coordinator of the Akita Rescue, said: "Megan's picture was entered into the calendar because it's a really sweet picture and it shows that, despite the poor start she had in life, she soon bounced back into a lively, cheeky puppy."

Raising money for the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, the Kennel Club Breed Rescue calendar features images of rescue dogs that were submitted by rescue organisations for a competition run by the Kennel Club to find worthy models to illustrate each month of the year.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: "We are delighted to have a dog as lovely as Megan as one of the stars of the calendar as well as appearing at Crufts this year. We hope it encourages dog lovers in Blackheath and further afield to support a local dog rescue by buying a Kennel Club Breed Rescue calendar for 2016."

Eukanuba, which provided free dog food for the winning dogs, runs the Breed Rescue Support Programme in partnership with the Kennel Club, which helps breed rescue organisations to reduce their food bills and support those who adopt rescue dogs.

To meet the rescue dogs on both the Kennel Club Breed Rescue and Eukanuba rescue stands at Crufts 2016, please make your way to Hall 3, Stands 56 and 48 respectively. Megan will be on the Eukanuba Rescue stand (Hall 3, Stand 48) with her new owners at 9-10am and 1:30-2:30pm on Saturday 12th March.

The Kennel Club Breed Rescue calendar is available to buy here for £5 and all proceeds go to the Kennel Club Charitable Trust to help 'make a difference for dogs'.