THE owner of a hotel for sausage dogs has made a plea to the public for support as his business is going "further into debt" due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Phil Curtis is the owner of the Sausage Dog Hotel near Newbury which provides long and short-term care, a day-care and walking service to sausage dogs.

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He explained the hotel is still open during lockdown but "it’s been a real struggle" as there is little business.

A fundraiser has been set up to help the hotel get through the winter months.

Mr Curtis explained: "This is what we do, it’s my life so I have to carry on."

The Go Fund Me page said: "We were lucky enough to get two full months of normal operation at the end of the summer, but since then the uncertainty and ongoing travel restrictions reduced our guest count to such a low level that we are losing money daily after operational costs and sinking further into debt."

Mr Curtis said "we know we are going to be full again" explaining bookings have been made for next year already especially for the summer months and Bank Holidays.

However, he added: "Every day you go further and further into debt and it's worrying.

"We are just trying to survive through the winter now."

The hotel has set a target of £3,000 to raise which will help towards covering operating costs until the normal occupancy levels resume.

So far, £1,515 has been donated at the time of writing.

The page added: "Even a small amount will be greatly appreciated and go a long way to helping us survive through this extraordinary situation."

It also suggested other ways people can support the hotel.

This included sharing and promoting the fundraiser or making future plans for sausage dogs to stay at the hotel (bookings can be made up until the end of 2022).

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Earlier this year, the hotel raised more than £2,000 in a fundraiser to help alleviate losses brought on from Covid-19.

Mr Curtis said this was a "massive help" which "helped us get through the summer months".

He added: "This one we are hoping to get through the winter."

This week, the hotel will be relaunching its Virtual Wednesdays initiative which it started during the first lockdown.

The hotel's followers from around the world can send in pictures of their sausage dogs and these are featured on the hotel's social media pages with information about them.

Click here if you would like to donate to the fundraiser.