A dog with a missing nose who was rescued from badger-baiting has been adopted by a loving family, after his hunt for a home was shared on the Mirror Online.
The three-year-old Patterdale terrier named Riddle was at Dogs Trust Canterbury, desperately waiting for someone to accept his unique appearance.
Staff were in awe of his "absolutely lovely" personality and well manners - that later went on to win over his adoptive new owners, Samantha and David Danton, and their 17-year-old daughter, Evie.
Rescuers believed the pup was forced to compete in an illegal blood sport due to his injured nose and scars on his legs.
Samantha, 50, based in Cliffsend, told The Mirror : "He is fabulous and doesn't have an ounce of aggression. He is so calm and just amazing."
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Samantha and her family have been looking for a rescue dog since their miniature schnauzer passed away in March 2020.
She fell in love with Riddle when she spotted his little face online.
"It wasn't necessarily the fact that he didn't have a nose, but his poor face kept playing on my mind. He had been through so much," Samantha said.
Two weeks ago, Samantha and David, 53, were invited to meet Riddle for the first time at Dogs Trust, then went again to take him for a walk with their daughter.
"He was very friendly and as soon as he saw us, he rolled over and let us tickle his tummy. He was incredibly welcoming," Samantha said.
On Sunday 6 March, the family brought him home and changed his name to Ralphie.
"He was named Riddle after Voldemort because of his missing nose. We wanted to change his name to give him a fresh start in life," Samantha explained.
Ralphie had never been inside a house before and found the sofa quite amusing at first.
"He kept trying to dive down the back," Samantha said.
"We taught him how to play with toys and he's learning to bring balls in from the garden. Yesterday I was on my own with him and we had a cuddle. It was quite emotional."
Despite his differences in appearance, Riddle is just like any other dog and can still use his working nostrils.
Phil Carter, the assistant manager at Dogs Trust Canterbury, said: "His personality shines through."
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
