HUMONGOUS hounds rescued by a kind-hearted Stourbridge couple have been helping to save the lives of other mutts in need by acting as doggy blood donors.

Giant-sized Irish wolfhounds Teagan, Cara and Ealga have found a loving home with Pedmore couple Paddy and Gill Grice who have over the past few years taken in eight of the cute creatures (not all at once!) since 2001.

The couple, of Chawn Park Drive, have however at times found themselves caring for up to four at a time of the imposing beasts, who tower up to six feet on all fours and weigh about 11 stone when fully grown.

“We have a detached house with high fencing,” joked 56-year-old accountant Gill.

Fifty-four-year-old Paddy, a telecomms and internet support provider, added: “We go through 15 kg of biscuit and a week and a 1.2 kg tin of dog food a day - and the vets bills are astonishing.

“We take the dogs out at least once a day for about an hour for a gentle plod. We don’t let them off the leads as we don’t really know their history.”

The furry four-legged friends, however, earn their keep by being faithful companions for the couple who both work from home and do not have children.

Because of their sheer size Teagan and Cara also act as blood donor dogs for Blacks Veterinary Group, which has branches in Lye, Dudley, Sedgley, Quinton and Oldbury; and they are always on standby to offer up a donation to injured or sick animals needing a transfusion.

Paddy said: “Teagan’s our newest blood donor; she and Cara gave blood almost immediately after we took them on.

“It’s needed within 24 hours because it can’t be stored so the vets have the problem of finding blood if a dog comes in that’s been in an accident so it’s a case of having them on standby.”

The distinctive dogs have also become local celebrities and have got quite used to stopping to have their photo taken while out on walkies.

They've also worked on the Santa boat trips on the Stourbridge arm canal, acting as ‘reindogs’ to add to the festivities.

Late rescue dog Maeve, who died just a few weeks ago - and who donated eight to nine pints of blood in her lifetime, also did some publicity work for Dudley Little Theatre's September production of Hound of the Baskervilles staged at Netherton Arts Centre.

The dogs, apart from six-month-old puppy Ealga, were all rescued by the UK Irish Wolfhound Rescue Trust.

Teagan, aged three-and-a-half, became the latest addition to the family a few months ago and when Paddy and Gill took her on she was “like a skeleton”.

Cara, aged five-and-a-half, has been with the couple since she was 20-months old; and the pooch-mad pair also purchased puppy Ealga privately just over four months ago.

They also have a little 16-year-old border terrier named Remy which they inherited six years ago.

To find out more about adopting an Irish wolfhound visit www.wolfhoundrescue.org.uk and for more details on how pets can give blood visit www.dogblooddonors.com/