An 89-year-old dog lover from Essex, England keeps busy by knitting sweaters and blankets for dogs at her local animal rescue.

Three times a year, Maisie Green donates her creations to Dogs Trust Basildon. Her family members help her deliver the donations to the shelter. She’s knitted around 450 items for the shelter’s dogs over the years.

In an interview, Green expressed her enjoyment in helping out: “I love knitting and I love dogs, so this combines both wonderfully! It takes me three days to knit a blanket and one day to knit a doggy coat. It keeps me busy and often I like to knit whilst watching television. I’m delighted to be helping the four-legged residents at the centre in some way.”

Dogs Trust Basildon’s Rehoming Centre manager, Lisa Cooper, discussed the importance of Green’s donations and emphasized the organization’s gratitude: “Maisie regularly brings along her knitted donations and we are so grateful for her support. With the chill of the winter months really starting to creep up on us I know our dogs are very pleased to put the items to good use – and love feeling extra cosy!”

Animal homelessness is a pervasive problem in the United Kingdom, where thousands of stray cats and dogs suffer on the streets and are euthanized at a perceived lack for other options.

To help curb this crisis, the best thing a cat or dog lover can do is adopt their next companion from a shelter. Additionally, spaying and neutering pets helps to prevent the overpopulation of homeless animals from increasing. And as Lucy’s Law takes into effect this year, banning the sale of puppies and kittens at pet shops, pet homelessness will hopefully decline in Britain in the very near future.