FROM Romania, with love.

Little puppy Chase is one of many pooches saved by an Oxfordshire family who have started a new charity to re-home battered dogs.

Homeward Bound Dog Rescue UK is run by Kelly Hadnutt with help from her sister Emma Noble and their mother Natasha Noble, of Wantage.

Dogs such as Chase, a seven-month-old mongrel who has been with the family for one month, roam the streets of Brasov in Romania, where an “explosion” in numbers has left thousands of dogs at risk of death.

Homeward Bound Dog Rescue UK was launched this year and raises money for the care of stray and sick puppies by a member of the team in Romania.

The dogs are vaccinated and cared for in Romania meaning they can be advertised on the charity’s website and brought to the UK.

When a suitable home is found in the UK or abroad it will transport the dog to its new family.

It costs £150 to bring a single dog, and so the charity is hoping to buy a specialist van.

Since its launch it has helped find homes for 20 dogs in the UK, and there are 12 puppies arriving in the next six weeks that need homes.

Former Our Lady's Convent pupil Mrs Hadnutt visited Brasov in 2011 and through friends was introduced to Ioana Gheorghian who was caring for dogs and in one week alone neutered 50.

After seeing the plight she decided to get her family involved and created Homeward Bound Dog Rescue UK.

The 28-year-old, who recently moved to Surrey, said the goal was to cut the number of dogs that roam and breed on the streets of Romania.

She said: “My mum used to send trucks and gifts over to Romania for orphans when we were younger so knowing about the problems was always something we had grown up with.

“After visiting Brasov I knew that I had to do something.

“It’s now the case that when you drive down the road every 20 yards you’ll see a dead dog. It’s crazy.”

Her mother Mrs Noble said: “There are people out there trying their best to help but there are so many problems.

“The dogs are stored in what they call 'death camps' and are beaten and hit. This is where they go to be killed after they have been rounded up. She said some of the stories of dog suffering were “horrible”.

Mrs Noble, a former Wantage wine bar owner, added: “There was one dog called Lucky which was so stressed it had gnawed off one of her own feet. We brought him back and she is now in foster care.

“We’d love to build a shelter in Romania and set up a neutering programme, and possibly one day build a shelter in the UK as well.”

The family are holding an open day with games and a dog show in Hanney War Memorial Hall, Brookside, East Hanney, on September 7, to raise funds.

It will run from noon to 4pm, and there will be a dog food drop box for people to leave food for the animals which will then go to Romania.