K9 Knitters take up needles to help dogs

The following information was sent to us from Carrie at K9 Knitters. Her cause is, clearly, very close to our hearts because she is a dedicated fundraiser for both Dogs Trust and other canine charities. Here's what she has to say:

"We are a nationwide knitting group who create hand made dog coats for sale, and 100% of the proceeds go to dog rescue charities. We support two charities every year - Dogs Trust is the 'constant' who we support every year, and we have a 'smaller' charity that we rotate every year. Customers decide which of the two charities their donation goes to - it works out at broadly 50/50 each year. We've raised over £7500 in total since we started in 2006.

"We regularly have a stall at events at the Sadberge Dogs Trust centre, and also send coats for fundraising events to any other of the centres who ask for them. However, most of our sales come from the website. Would any Dogs Trust supporters be interested in a buying a warm woolly winter coat for their dog and helping less fortunate dogs at the same time?"

K9Knitters Facts

- K9 Rescue Knitting Club was founded in early 2006 by Jill Danson and Carrie Warr - who didn't know each other from adam, other than via a rescue dog chat forum on the internet!

- we have raised over £7500 since October 2006. 100% of proceeds go to dog rescue charities - and all wool/other materials are donated by either our knitters or supporters.

- Our nominated rescues for 2008 are Dogs Trust and Ashbourne Animal Welfare in Derbyshire. Dogs Trust benefit every year; we rotate the 'smaller' charity every January. Previous charities who benefitted were The Oldies Club and Many Tears (in Wales).

- Over 500 coats have been sold via the website

- Over 1000 coats have been donated direct to rescues for their residents and/or their fundraising

- Over 700 knitters are registered with us

- Most popular designs are: Dennis the Menace; Dogasaurus

- One lady once bought a coat for her cat

- Our most northerly customers are in Orkney

- Our most southerly customers are in Cyprus

- Our furthest afield customers are in Maryland , USA . (We've also offered a couple of coats to the White House dogs in Washington - Barney and Miss Beazley. But we're waiting to hear back from them!)

- Our best dressed customer is Brummie the Yorkshire Terrier in London who has 10 k9knitters coats

- We've made coats for a couple of 3-legged dogs

- One of the rescue centres to whom we sent a batch of coats used one to help keep a newly orphaned lamb warm!

- We once had a donation of 2500 pairs of knitting needles! (I know - I counted them all!)

- We always welcome donations of wool - which will be put to very good use.



So if your pooch is shivering and you're looking for a good way to keep him (or a cat or a lamb, apparently!) warm through the winter, you know which website to visit!