Meet the pooches' whose paintings raised £1,000 in Redcar charity auction

From left to right: Jeff, Coco, Peanut and Jimmy. Credit: SARA

An auction of artworks created by dogs has raised £1,000 for an animal rescue charity in Redcar.

Saving and Rehoming Animals (SARA) came up with the idea to help raise funds as the pandemic had a "huge impact" on their charity.

The charity hoped to raise £500 with the Animal Artists Auction at the rescue centre on 14 August - but ended up raising £1,000. Credit: SARA

 The highest bid was won by a person in Sussex - which was sold for £120:

Jeff the lurcher's painting which was the highest bid. Credit: SARA

The animals had also been given artist names to mark the occasion, meet - Shelly Botticelli, Coco Matisse, Oliver Warhol, Pepper Picasso, Jeff Dali, Oscar Van Gogh, Zebo Michelangelo, Trixie Monet, Jimmy De Vinci and Ruby Kahlo.

Shelly Botticelli admiring her work. Credit: SARA

We spoke to Abi Armstrong, the Centre Manager at SARA more about the event:

  • What inspired you to do the auction?

"I had seen a reel on Instagram of a dog painting – not a painting of a dog, a dog actually painting!

"After researching it a little more I thought it would be a great way to raise funds for SARA by getting our rescue dogs, cats and rabbits to make art too.

"I haven't seen any other rescue centres that have done it before and thought it would be a unique and fun way to raise funds."

Everyone at the charity had been "very impressed" with the outcome of the artwork.

The canvas artworks were made at the centre using non-toxic paint, plastic sheets and peanut butter.

The dogs were said to have "thoroughly enjoyed" the process. 

The animals were "over the moon" when they had a chance to enjoy some doggy peanut butter whilst creating. Credit: SARA

The charity says the funds raised will help to keep the charity going, with it costing from £180,000 - £200,000 a year to run.

The charity currently have 15 dogs, 23 cats and 4 rabbits in their care. Credit: SARA

Abi said: "The pandemic has had a huge impact on our charity, we weren't able to re-home any animals at all during the first lockdown and we have lost more than a year's worth of events that we hold at the centre and in other venues and we haven't been able to do street collections.

"These were the primary ways we raised, not just funds, but awareness of who we are and what we do."

Some of the animals who created the masterpieces have since been adopted.