After 18 months at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, Bansky, the painting dog, has finally found a forever home in the countryside. ARC believes his success story shows that no matter how difficult pets start in life may be, with patience, support and care, a happy ending is always possible.
In November, we featured Banksy's profile as one of the pets at Bristol ARC, hoping to be re-housed in time for Christmas. He'd had a rough upbringing and was passed between a few homes before being taken by ARC.
Banksy's carers at the centre described the clever, cheeky dog as "misunderstood" and just in need of a consistent, stable home in order to really thrive. ARC has now revealed that Banksy has found that home out in the countryside with Wayne and Jane.
Read More: Cats, rabbits and ferrets at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre looking for a new home
An ARC spokesperson on Facebook said: "The two of them came down many times to visit Banksy in preparation for him going home with them. They really put in the hours to get to know him, and it's paid off. He is now very chilled and settled in his new home, and we couldn't be happier for him.
"Thanks to everyone who has followed his journey and supported him over the past 18 months, especially Robin, our volunteer dog walker, who spent many happy times with him."
During his long stint waiting to be adopted, Banksy raised almost £500 by creating seven paintings using his nose and paws in homage to his artist namesake. The money was donated to the rescue centre, which provides care for and rehomes over 14,000 vulnerable animals each year and receives no external funding.
The charity says its costs have skyrocketed recently, with its energy bill set to rise by £17,000. At the same time, demand for its outreach services is 54 per cent higher than last year. ARC has been running a winter appeal to highlight the impact the cost of living crisis is having on pets while raising funds to help it continue to offer free and affordable access to vet care for those on low incomes, as well as caring for pets given up by their owners.
The charity was dealt another blow just before Christmas after a burst pipe flooded its food storage space. Footage showed water pouring from the ceiling and flooding the floor.
In a statement on Instagram, an ARC spokesperson said: "Could it get any worse? Not only are we dealing with rising bills, a huge increase in demand for our help and support and freezing conditions which have placed extra pressure on our team (and increased our electric bills even more, to ensure we keep our animals safe and warm) but the cold snap also led to burst pipes across site at the weekend – with our food storage space being the worst hit area on site."
To help draw attention to the work it is undertaking in increasingly difficult circumstances, ARC is sharing stories of some of the animals it has helped over the past year that have been waiting patiently to find a forever home like Banksy. Scroll down to meet some of the adorable dogs looking for a loving owner.
Anyone interested in adopting can find more information about animals currently looking for homes, as well as conditions and fees, on ARC's website . Donations to ARC's winter appeal can be made here.
Clover
Time spent being cared for at Bristol ARC 1 year 10 months (692 days)
Clover is an active, clever girl who loves people and playing with her toys, especially balls. She has an extremely high prey drive, so she will need to be muzzled on her walks and kept on a lead. She would, however, love a good run around a secure field to help burn off a bit of that energy. Her new family will need to continue her muzzle training, which is based on food, and as she's very food motivated, she thoroughly enjoys her training. Any potential adopters will be shown how to continue this training at home.
Clover is very affectionate and loves engaging in activities such as agility training. It would benefit her to continue with this after her adoption to keep her mind and body stimulated. She is very intelligent and sweet and would be an ideal companion for any adopter who wants to explore agility or go for long walks in the secluded countryside.
Frank
Time spent being cared for at Bristol ARC 1 year 4 months (503 days)
Frank is a classic terrier with a high prey drive, a good independent work ethic, and a cheeky personality. But he’s also sensitive and can sometimes get overwhelmed by the outside world, and due to this anxiety, he is not very keen on going for walks.
Ideally, Frank needs to find a rural home where he has lots of space in his own garden to explore and play. He would be more than happy to work at keeping any rats or mice at bay on a farm, although he is equally happy to chase toys.
Frank isn't that keen on other dogs, and if he's going somewhere where he's likely to encounter them, he would need to be muzzled. Although he is not an old dog, Frank does have an arthritic knee which is being well managed with anti-inflammatories. It doesn't stop him from wanting to play and be active, but any adopters would need to continue monitoring this. Frank is a loving, playful dog with a lot to give and would make an ideal companion; he just needs to be given a chance in the right home.
Sadie
Time spent being cared for at Bristol ARC 10 months (304 days)
Sadie is a German Shepherd with a warm, affectionate and friendly disposition. But she had a difficult start in life and, consequently, will require a female-only home where she can relax and enjoy having lots of company.
She is currently building up her muscle strength and, at the moment, can only go out for short walks a few times a week, which adopters will need to be conscious of. Despite this, Sadie enjoys playing and walking.
Mr Fox
Time spent being cared for at Bristol ARC 6 months (182 days)
Mr Fox is a handsome, temperate and affectionate gentleman. Sadly, he injured his leg trying to jump over a 6ft fence. As he is still recovering from his injury, he will have to be kept on a lead for the foreseeable future and will need to come back to see our vets weekly for check-ups.
Mr Fox is a lovely dog that would be best suited to a quieter home with a very secure garden, where he can recuperate and have someone to keep him company and share a few cuddles.
Read More:
- Bristol charities and small business owners react as UK inflation hits 41-year high
- Dogs at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre looking for a new home
- Bristol ARC launches its Winter appeal
- Where you can go Wassailing in and around Bristol this January
