2023
Marley
Underdog of the Year 2023
Marley arrived in the pound in a sorry state. He was skin and bone, covered in wounds and bite marks, he had an infection causing his face to swell, and his eyes were completely devoid of any kind of hope. He was shut down and so sad. Unfortunately due to his breed we couldn’t rehome him in the UK, so we were worried about how long he might remain in the shelter.
That was until Vanessa from Holland messaged us! Holland has no ban on Pitbull types, and so Marley could be safe, loved, and adopted! After settling in, a routine x-ray unveiled that Marley was peppered with pellets from a shotgun, most probably used for target practice by a hunter. It’s testament to his forgiving nature that despite his awful treatment, Marley is a trusting, loyal sweetheart, and now he lives a life he could never have dreamed with his pack of rescue siblings.
Thomas
Runner up
Thomas was found as an unwanted, terrified stray at the beginning of 2021 but found his new home in the UK a couple of months later. However, his nervousness and dislike of the resident cats meant he soon ended up back in our care. He then went on to be surrendered by two more families, before we had no choice but to check him into kennels.
The odds were stacked against Thomas. He was unsettled, he wasn’t good with cats, he was uncomfortable around young children, and he was selective with other dogs. Then, on top of that, he was diagnosed with Leishmania. We couldn’t believe it! However, after a lengthy 484 days in the kennels, Thomas charmed the socks off a prospective family and they fell in love. He’s now living an amazing life in Hampshire with Jen and Barry, and he’ll never know the feeling of being unwanted ever again.
Sami
RUNNER UP
Sami was rescued from the streets of Bosnia, hopping his way down the road on three and a half legs. At just four months old the vets believed that Sami had endured his injury at the hands of humans, and that someone had cruelly cut off one of his paws. Despite his disability, Sami refused to let being a tripod dog hold him back and arrived in the UK raring to go!
After a short stint in foster with the lovely team at House of Hounds in Hackney, Sami met his forever mum, Annette, and her whippet, Dora. He’s now left his shaky start in Bosnia far, far behind him to explore his new London life. He loves to climb, cause mischief, collect sticks and play on the beach. Sami has just started his physio sessions with a view to getting a special boot for his missing paw in a few months. Good luck Sami!
Poppet
RUNNER UP
Poor Poppet was rescued by the police from a hoarding situation where he wasn’t being cared for properly. He was around eight years old at the time and we had no idea how long he’d been suffering. Thankfully, despite the conditions he was rescued from, his adoration and trust in humans hadn’t been fractured and it wasn’t long before he found a home in the UK.
Being an older dog, Poppet had a number of health issues to contend with, including arthritis, a ruptured cruciate ligament, anaemia and anxiety. Sadly, it didn’t work out as hoped in his first home and we chose to find him a home where he could be the centre of attention. Now the apple of his new mum’s eye, Poppet still struggles with separation anxiety but he is absolutely adored and has made strides of progress, and brought so much joy and plenty of cuddles home with him. He’s even converted a family member who was formerly scared of dogs!
Panda
Panda broke our hearts when he was surrendered back to us just four hours (!) after arriving in the UK. After being stuck in a cage at the local pound he desperately needed stability and nurturing, but his young age, pent up energy, and general uncertainty after a 24 hour trip from Cyprus was too much for his new family. It’s sad when any type of dog needs rehoming, but Panda’s opportunity had vanished before it had even begun and as a bullbreed, it felt all the more disappointing.
We knew how desperately Panda wanted to be loved and how good natured be truly was. When we contacted a family about fostering Panda who we thought could be a good match, it ended up being such a match that they decided he was staying with them for good! He bonded with them quickly and has been a loyal, good hearted boy ever since. He settled into their home so well that they couldn’t bear to say goodbye, and finally he’s enjoying the happily ever after he so deserves.
Ellie
Ellie, formerly Shell, was rescued from the side of the road in Mauritius a few years ago. She’d been hit by a car and left her to die in a ditch, and her leg had been so badly shattered that there was no chance of saving it. The vets decided that the best option for Ellie to be out of pain was to amputate her leg.
After a lengthy recovery, Ellie travelled to the UK to a lovely foster home where she started to get a taste for life as a companion. It took a while and a couple of false starts to help Ellie find her forever family, but eventually, it all came together. Ellie now lives in Leeds with Shelly and her family, and it’s like she’s been with them forever. She now spends her days chasing squirrels, saying hello to everyone, enjoying massages, collecting blankets from around the house, and being a devoted best friend to Shelly’s children.
Harper
Harper had been bought as a puppy but her family had underestimated the commitment of owning a dog and by the time she was one she was confined to a crate and ignored most of the day, before eventually coming into our care. Harper was a special case in that she was selected by our team as a suitable candidate for a school therapy dog. Whilst we were honest that there was no guarantee, we felt Harper showed real promise and could offer some life-changing support for young children in schools.
With behavioural support and training, Harper is now a beloved member of staff in her school. She works with a range of children, listens to reluctant readers read, supports a little boy who is registered blind and wants a guide dog when he is older, and teaches children how to behave around a dog in the ‘Hanging with Harper’ after school club. When she’s not at school, ball is life - work hard, play hard!
Milo
Milo, formerly Andy, was another dog who ended up back in our care more than once. After the arrival of a baby brought his anxiety around young children to light he was welcomed into a more adult oriented home, but once again came back to us just days later following ‘volatile’ dog reactivity and unpredictability.
More than anything, Milo needed understanding and patience. After he’d settled from his upheaval, he began to blossom. He now lives in London and spends his days out and about, the beloved pup of none other than a dog walker! Milo has loads of canine friends and now gets to enjoy plenty of adventures and social walks. He is more loved than he knows and his new home has brought out the very best in him.