Nuneaton woman's Crufts qualification feels 'something from another planet'

Anna Maksymowicz of Nuneaton will take her adopted dog Mela to Crufts after Mela's journey from being a stray and spending years in a Polish shelter; Crufts begins at the NEC Birmingham from March 5.

Anna Maksymowicz, a 50-year-old managing accountant from Nuneaton, will take her adopted dog Mela to Crufts this year. She emigrated from Bielsko-Biała, Poland, in 2012 and later adopted three dogs from a Polish shelter: Kropek, Alek and Mela. Mela was found as a stray and spent three years in an outside kennel before being brought to England after Mrs Maksymowicz's son identified her and drove to Poland to collect her. Mela competes in rally up to Level 3 and will be part of the Good Citizen Dog Scheme display team at Crufts, which is run by The Kennel Club and takes place at the NEC Birmingham from March 5. Known details: - Anna Maksymowicz is 50 and works as a managing accountant. - She emigrated from Bielsko-Biała, Poland, in 2012. - She adopted three dogs from a Polish shelter: Kropek, Alek and Mela. - Mela was found as a stray and spent three years in an outside kennel before adoption. - Mela competes in rally up to Level 3 and will join the Good Citizen Dog Scheme display team at Crufts. - Crufts is run by The Kennel Club and will be held at the NEC Birmingham starting March 5. Summary: Mrs Maksymowicz's qualification for Crufts completes a long rescue journey for Mela and marks a first-time participation for the pair. They will appear at Crufts in rally and Good Citizen displays, and the event begins at the NEC Birmingham on March 5. Viewer coverage and highlights are planned on Channel 4 and More4.