"Having a dog in the house fills a void in our lives that nothing else can."
Those are the words of a grieving pet owner who lost her beloved rescue dog, Misty, in October last year. Misty, a Collie/German Shepherd cross, was 11 when she died and without her around, owner Annie Iveson said her Darlington home felt "quiet, empty and lifeless".
But Annie and her husband John couldn't face owning another dog after their loss. After realising how many dogs need a temporary place to live while they wait for a forever home, the couple decided to look at fostering.
