A woman in Dalton is bringing back a festive treat for dogs in the area after its success in 2023.

Laura Curtis is the mind behind Santa Paws Grotto, the ideal place for dog owners to get the perfect Christmas photo in the lead up to the big day.

Based at her home on Market Street, visitors who make use of the grotto are encouraged to make a donation to the Dogs Trust, which provides care for homeless animals across the country.

Having made its debut last year, the grotto raised a grand total of £1,254.70 with Laura now hoping that she can take this even further in 2024.

Laura was able to visit Dogs Trust earlier this year to hand over the donation and meet some of the pets in their careLaura was able to visit Dogs Trust earlier this year to hand over the donation and meet some of the pets in their care (Image: Dogs Trust)

She said: "We've already had our first donation to the Dogs Trust to start us off and the grotto isn't even out yet.

"The grotto will be open with presents for the whole of December for your furry friends. 

"There will also be a new seating addition so you can get the best picture without crouching down, and some treats to persuade your pooch to smile for the camera if you would like."

Read more: Dalton resident's festive fundraiser aids Dogs Trust | The Mail

The grotto will be welcoming visitors from Sunday, December 1 right up until Christmas Day itself.

Forest and Jess helping bring the grotto to lifeForest and Jess helping bring the grotto to life (Image: Dogs Trust)

People are encouraged to take a treat for their dogs and share their photos on social media using #IBelieveInSantaPaws.

Anyone who gets some enjoyment out of the grotto is simply asked to send a donation of any size to Laura's fundraising page, which you can find here.

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"To think that many dogs don’t have families of their own and won’t be spending Christmas in a loving home is really sad," Laura added.

"So I wanted to do something fun for dogs and their owners whilst raising money to help Dogs Trust give their dogs everything they need throughout the year, not just at Christmas."

The Cumbrian branch of Dogs Trust opened in January 2022 and has gone on to help hundreds of animals in the region, with 14,000 dogs cared for nationally by the charity.