Community rallies round after joy riders crash into Burnham ‘dog bus’
A Burnham dog walking business has been saved from temporary closure thanks to the kindness of strangers. On Saturday, December 30, a driver crashed into the van belonging to Sue Gratten, of Stinkydogwalks, causing serious damage. The Audi – which police said had been stolen – became embedded in the side of the bespoke van as it turned from Windermere Way into Anslow Place.
Luckily there were no dogs in the van at the time as Sue had just left a client’s house after dropping-off a delivery of dog food. The six-year old van was kitted out with bespoke travel crates to house some of the 32 dogs that Sue looks after. The van also has sentimental meaning.
“I love that van. I call it ‘the dog bus’. Also, when my mum passed away she left me a bit of money so I bought that and it’s part of her legacy,” said Sue.
Upon hearing of the incident, loyal Stinkydogwalks customers rallied to make sure that Sue can continue her dog walking whilst insurers deal with the van. Rachel Urry instigated a GoFundMe page which in days almost reached the GBP3,000 target set to help Sue in the interim. Rachel showed Sue support as she felt that ‘unfair accidents like this are happening all too much and the innocent people of Burnham are suffering.’
“We appreciate it with her livelihood on the line being a small dog walking business her van is so important,” she said. Sue has now hired a van and thanks to the ‘Fixing the Party Bus’ fundraising page Stinkydogwalks will continue. “I have hired a van now for a couple of weeks,” said Sue.
“There’s enough in the pot that Rachel has raised to hire for a few weeks more.” Sue said that the kindness shown to her has enabled her to carry on and to spread that kindness further. “On Saturday night I was thinking ‘stuff it, I’ll jack it in, it’s not worth it’.
Things like this just ruin people’s livelihoods and then the next day Rachel had done this. When I found out I was in floods of tears. What Rachel and everyone has done is brilliant.
“A lot of the people who donated are my clients and friends but a lot of them I don’t know who they are. It just restores your faith in humanity and the ripple effects from kindness just reaches far and wide. I am eternally grateful to everybody who has put into the fund.
“All my clients’ dogs are now able to go out for walks this week. If there’s money in the pot afterwards two charities are going to benefit: Norfolk Greyhound Rescue and The Dogs that Nobody Wants in Slough. “In the grand scheme of things it’s just a van but the kindness of people has allowed me to carry on with my job.”
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