Blackpool restaurant set to help crisis dogs

A Blackpool woman is raising money to help rescue dogs from suffering horrendous maltreatment – with a little help from some of the resort’s best known stars.

In many areas of Romania a bounty has been put on strays and, as a result, many local people have been killing them, often in brutal ways, to get the cash.

The International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals and Paws2Rescue are helping in Romania, providing shelters and neutering thousands of animals to prevent more being born into suffering.

Lucia said: “It has shocked me. There are thousands of dogs left on the streets in terrible conditions. There is no animal welfare and very often the dogs are horribly abused. Some are badly beaten and have had legs chopped off.”

Lucia is set to give a home to a dog rescued from Romania called Fluffy which has been rescued by one of the charities after being badly beaten.

She said: “I already have rescue dogs but had to make room for this one. Its mother and other puppies had been beaten to death and she was badly injured.”

The evening will be held at San Marco’s on March 5 with 100 guests being entertained by the likes of Johnny Casson, Mick Miller, Lucia’s opera singer daughter Cinzia Lucia Lanza, Max Echeverria, Dominic Creighton and Chris Lafferty.