A rescue dog swims 37 miles to raise cash for an animal sanctuary

A rescue dog has been thrown into the deep end of fundraising after swimming the equivalent of 37 miles to raise cash for an animal sanctuary.

Cyril, a two-and-half-year-old Podenco cross, swam  for 37 minutes while being held stationary in a hydrotherapy pool specifically built for animals.

Money raised from the sponsored swim will go to the sanctuary in the Isle of Man that took him in when he was born to abandoned mother in Spain.

The pooch struggled with a leg injury and needed an operation on his anterior cruciate ligament.

He had been visiting the hydrotherapy pool in Bride in the Isle of Man to aid his rehabilitation in recent months.

Cyril's owner Caroline Cardona, 44, who runs Greenhill's Animal Sanctuary in Sulby, said she chose 37 miles as it is the distance of the island's annual TT race.

She said: "He was brilliant, it went really well.

"He swam for about 10 minutes then would stop for a rest and swim again.

"He loved it, he's loved going there, he gets really excited every time he goes to the pool.

"He really does enjoy it and it has been fantastic for his recovery, it really is helping him."

Originally from Spain, Cyril has lived with Caroline at her animal sanctuary for the past year with his sister.

Caroline said: "A lot of dogs get abandoned in the street in the Spain.

"I know a lady who lives there and she was filming a dog who had been left in the street when she was pregnant.

"She actually gave birth in the street, I was watching it like 'is this real?'

"The lady was rearing the dogs and I wanted Cyril so asked if I could have him.

"She couldn't look after them all so I took him and his sister Jessie in. All seven pups ended up on the Isle of Man."

Animal lover Caroline cares for four horses, nine cats, seven dogs and eight sheep on her sanctuary, which covers 10 acres of land.

Her sanctuary is entirely non-profit and any money she makes goes to help the animals.

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the island and forced people into lockdown, all of her monthly fundraising events were cancelled, leaving her cash-strapped.

Caroline added: "Every month, especially through the summer, I always hold a fundraising event and this year I haven't been able to hold any.

""The TT race has also been cancelled, so I thought we'd do the swim the same length as the course.

"For every minute that Cyril swims stationary, it is the equivalent of a mile."

Caroline is hoping to raise around £1,500 to cover costs incurred during the pandemic.

She added: "It's been so hard because I still have all the bills to pay to keep the sanctuary running and to I have to feed all the animals.

"I take in all sorts of animals, I have a lot of animals with psychological problems.

"One dog is on her tenth home, she was found in Scotland where her owner was prosecuted for neglect."

Visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/greenhillssanctuarycyril to donate to Cyril's fundraising efforts.