AN ORPHANED dog rescued by a York animal lover from Corfu has caused a stir in her new home - it is a sanctuary for cats.

Barbara Sharp rescued the dog, named Zina, after spotting her while on holiday last year.

Barbara, 62, paid £2,500 - £500 of which was donated by Evening Press readers - to keep Zina in quarantine, get her a pets passport and bring her back to the Cats Protection shelter in Huntington.

Barbara, 62, stepped down last week as manager of the shelter. She said Zina had been locked up to keep her from chasing the cats.

"She has only been here a week, but seems happy and is settling in well.

"The only problem is she wants to chase the cats. There is another dog here and she is getting on really well with her, but she is definitely going to need dog training."

When Barbara got Zina home, she made a strange discovery - the dog has webbed feet since she is an otter hound, bred for medieval hunting when otters could be found on the dinner table.

Updated: 11:03 Saturday, September 08, 2001