Family's drive to Greece for dog

Paul, Elaine and Alice Evans at home in Guilsfield with Bea

A Powys family has driven about 2,500 miles across Europe to rescue a stray dog they befriended on holiday in Greece last summer.

Paul and Elaine Evans, and their daughter Alice, 11, found Bea, a tick-infested hunting hound, on the island of Zakynthos last July.

They then paid for her medical tests and jabs while she was quarantined for seven months.

The rescue has cost the family, from near Welshpool, about £4,000.

Along with Mr Evans' father Hywel, the dog lovers hired a camper van last month and drove through France, Switzerland and Italy, before catching a ferry to Greece - a round trip of around 2,500 miles.

Their love affair with Bea started when they spotted the two-year-old hound lying on a busy main road.

She captured our hearts and we saw her every day Paul Evans

Mr Evans, who is from the village of Guilsfield, said: "There are many stray dogs in Greece, but Bea was the first one we saw and we immediately felt sorry for her.

"She looked thin and was covered in ticks and flees.

"She captured our hearts and we saw her every day. Alice was keen to bring her home, but my wife and I told her it just wasn't possible.

"But after being told that people put meat laced with poison down to try and kill the stray dogs, we decided on our last night in Greece to adopt her."

When they returned home the Evans' contacted Greek Animal Rescue, a charity in London, which then put them in touch with an animal welfare group on Zakynthos.

"We sent them a picture of Bea and the group in Zakynthos found her on the streets," said Mr Evans.

"But we then feared she would spend months in quarantine kennels, but were told that she could be quarantined with a foster carer instead."

Pet passport

A retired British Army dog handler and veterinary nurse, who live in Greece, agreed to foster Bea for seven months while she received medical tests and jabs for rabies.

In the meantime, the Evans family applied for a pet passport.

Mr Evans said the cost of the rescue had been worth every penny, to see Bea happy at her new home in Wales.

"She's really happy and looks as though she can't believe she's here. We have three other dogs and they've all reacted well to Bea too," he added.