LOCAL author and dachshund lover Candy Jones has launched a crowd funding site to raise money and awareness of Intervertebral disc disease, (IVDD) a debilitating spinal condition that afflicts 1 in 4 dachshunds, as well as other breeds.

Ms Jones said: "I hope that publishing Sausage Dog Days, a beautifully illustrated children’s book, will help to spread awareness about IVDD and to alert dachshund owners to the challenges they may well face with their beloved pets. This is especially vital, given the growing popularity of this breed. "

"As a trained primary school teacher, I know how important it is to give children engaging books to read. In the back of Sausage Dog Days, there will be a message from Charlotte Baldwin about how the charity Dedicated to Dachshunds with IVDD can offer help and support, and also a message from Ian Seath, the Chairman of the Dachshund Breed Council, about lifestyle advice for your dachshund and how their research project into IVDD can help."

Dachshunds are more likely to suffer from IVDD than many other breeds. It is possible to reduce the risk of IVDD (but not prevent it altogether) by taking responsible breeding and ownership decisions.

Crowd-funding works by asking supporters to pledge to buy a copy of Ms Jones's book before June 29. Without this support the project cannot go ahead. There is a range of pledges from as little as £5 to up to £100. All the proceeds from the book will go to dachshund charities. For more details, please look at the website: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/sausage-dog-days-1.