BY Tara Fitzpatrick

A DALMUIR student and her boyfriend have given a loving home to a homeless puppy in Greece after launching a crowd funding campaign to bring the poorly animal back with them.

Jasmine Sharp and Callum Martin, both 19, found the stray pup whilst travelling in Lardos in Rhodes and quickly fell in love with him.

The dog, whom the couple named Dennis, was found at the sun loungers in their hotel complex taking shade under a bush.

Jasmine, who studies law at Strathclyde University, and Callum ordered water from the bar for the animal who they thought looked exhausted and thin.

But when a member of staff spotted the dog they tried to remove him with a metal pole and the pair decided to step in.

Jasmine said: “I was scared he would hit the dog so my boyfriend ran after him, trying to lead him out.

“We both made our mind up that we wanted to help him. Even though he was so poorly he was still so friendly and loving.

“We grabbed him a sandwich and he was so gentle. I was scared he was going to disappear but he stuck by us.”

The couple decided to rescue the black and brown Greek hound due to his poorly condition.

Callum added: “As soon as I saw that dog he became my friend. After spending an hour or two with him I turned to Jasmine and said ‘we can’t leave him here, I want to take him home’.”

The couple took the pup back to their hotel room and gave him food and water.

But the dog was not allowed to stay on the grounds of the hotel complex.

Jasmine said: “The dog was so scared that we were going to abandon him. He wouldn’t move and literally went limp in my arms as we had to carry him to the car.

“We went to the vet and he got all of his vaccinations and microchipping done and he didn’t even cry or flinch.”

The couple got in contact with an animal welfare centre who were unable to take him in, but the owner issued advice on how to take Dennis back to Clydebank.

Due to the cost of the procedure, the pair set up a fundraising site to help raise the £650 required.

Jasmine said their trip had been taken over by Dennis and the caring couple even put their holiday money towards the costs of adoption.

In addition, the teenagers decided to help at the stray dog shelter named Rhodes Animal Welfare Society (RAWS) after seeing the conditions the animals were living in.

Jasmine said: “We hired a car to drive there to help the man who runs the place. He works 14 hours a day, seven days a week with no break as they are so understaffed.

“The shelter is only designed to hold 85 dogs but is actually home to 350 and they are running out of dog food.

“Most of the animals have been abused and he showed us one who was beaten to near death but she still wagged her tail when we went in to see her.”

Dennis has now received all his vaccinations and has been found free from diseases meaning he has the go-ahead to come to Scotland.

Jasmine and Callum expect to welcome him to his new home in three to five weeks after raising £678 of their £650 target.

Any additional money raised will go towards the RAWS. To donate visit: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/funddennis.