A FULL-TIME critical care nurse in Reading has revealed how her home life is also devoted to caring for others as part of the Forget Me Not animal rescue.

Nurse Serena Swanston spends every other waking moment running Forget Me Not rescue in Reading.

After visiting Romania and seeing the condition of the dogs there, Miss Swanston felt that she had to do something about it. "They are born into a life of hell", she said.

"They experience so much trauma over there."

After rescuing 10 Romanian dogs herself, she realised that she couldn’t help them all, and needed to take action back home.

Miss Swanston started the rescue over here in the UK in 2018 and works closely with a trusted shelter in Romania. Despite being devoted to her long-term work in the healthcare system, her life is about the dogs.

Since then, the rescue has rehomed more than 500 dogs.

She said: "I would never turn down a dog who was at risk. You’re always in debt and on empty, but it’s about the dogs."

One such puppy is Paige, who was left to starve on a wasteland in Romania.

The rescuer said: "She could have been poisoned, beaten to death, or killed and eaten by bigger dogs. She is now safe in the Romanian shelter with a family waiting for her in the UK."

Another is Sammy, ‘our first miracle boy’ Miss Swanston says. Sammy was run over and left for dead in Romania. Once being brought to the shelter, they realised he was paralysed and could not walk, he was bought to a foster home in the UK and wheeled around in a wheelbarrow during the first months.

The rescue raised money to rehabilitate him, and he underwent physiotherapy in a local pool. Then, after a year, he started to walk again.

Forget Me Not animal rescue is non-profit and run completely by volunteers; the main contributors being Miss Swanston, trained vet Tanya Burrough, and Kylie Wright who runs a dog walking field.

Miss Swanston said: "Us three are the most active, but more active are those who have adopted dogs."

Other than supplying donations for the rescue’s car boot sales, Forget Me Not’s supporters attend frequent dog walking meet-ups for all owners. ‘These are very well attended, and I get to see all the dogs again’, said Miss Swanston.

The dogs are rescued in Romania, where they are looked after and tested, and then bought to foster homes in the UK.

Potential adopters can then message the rescue via their website or Facebook to start the adoption process.

It costs the rescue £500 to bring a dog to the UK, with £250 spent on safe travel and a further £250 for microchipping, vaccinations, testing, and neutering. However, Miss Swanston does not charge adopters that amount. ‘You’re never a rich person if you’re a rescuer'.

She added: "It is £360 to adopt a dog, and we cover the other expenses. Some of the money comes from our own wages."

Other than rescuing dogs in Romania, the rescue also rehomes UK dogs, and even sponsors dogs in Ukraine. Miss Swanston said: "We took a Ukrainian family’s dog in when they had to go into temporary accommodation. They are back with the family now, but I still provide food monthly. Rescue has no boundaries."

If you are looking for a new furry friend, contact Serena at Who We Are | Forget Me Not Reading Rescues or message @forgetmenotrescue on Facebook.