Meet the RSPCA rescue dogs who have waited the longest for their forever homes - including a "loving and affectionate" canine who has been in kennels for almost three years.
Dutch herder Eric was saved from a filthy house with his mum and seven siblings. Since coming into the RSPCA's care 971 days ago his whole family has been adopted - but he is still waiting to find a new owner.
Some dogs in the RSPCA's care take significant periods of time to be rehomed. This can be due to health problems, behavioural challenges, or long-running investigations, the Express reports.
More than three million households bought a pet in the first year of the pandemic alone, statistics show, but many more remain in desperate need of a loving home.
Here are nine dogs - including Eric - that the RSPCA is desperate to re-home:
Eric - in a shelter for 971 days
Kelly Legg, from RSPCA Birmingham where Eric has been living after being rescued in the West Midlands, said: "Eric has spent almost his entire life in our care and all he knows is life here with us. Because he’s been with us for so long, he has missed out on a lot of 'real life' and we’ve really struggled to find the right match for him.
"He really is the most loyal lad once he gets to know you. He’s extremely clever and needs to have his brain challenged, but he needs time to adjust to new people and build up a bond with them too.
The RSPCA says a rural home would be best for Eric who, though nervous at times, is full of energy.
Snowy - in a shelter for 544 days
Staff at RSPCA Birmingham Animal Centre can't understand why this bouncy Staffordshire bull terrier hasn’t met her match after 16 months in kennels. Ms Legg said: "Snowy loves a fuss and has lots of energy so she’ll need someone who can keep up with her.
"She absolutely loves to play but be warned: soft toys don’t last long around her. It’s really important that Snowy’s new owners understand how important it is to adhere to these rules and, sadly, we think the muzzle is putting potential adopters off."
Snowy loves going for long walks and playing tug. She’d like an adult-only home ideally, or a family home with older children who are confident around dogs, and she needs to be the only pet. Her adopters will need to have an enclosed, secure garden.
Joe and Zac - in a shelter for 424 days
This pair of Alaskan Malamutes have been waiting for one year to find their forever home together. Six-year-old Joe and eight-year-old Zac were rescued in April 2021 by officers as part of a large group of dogs who'd been living outside.
They were filthy, had matted coats and would not interact with people. The dogs, now at the Birmingham Care Centre, need a patient owner who is willing to take them on as a pair.
Charlie - in a shelter for 513 days
Charlie has been waiting for a new home since he and 44 other dogs were rescued from a rundown barn in Ceredigion, west Wales, January 2021. The five-year-old crossbreed has since become Newport RSPCA's longest-stay dog despite "coming out of his shell".
Kathryn Logan, deputy manager there, said: "For the first few weeks he wouldn’t move from the corner of his kennel, and it was only when he began to trust his carers and feel more at ease that he would place his chin on our hand. It wasn’t until four months later that he was confident enough to take his first steps outside the kennel."
Now Charlie likes to roll around in the grass, long walks and plenty of attention. His sociable nature means he would really benefit from living with another calm and confident male dog, or neutered female.
Bandit - in a shelter for 513 days
This nervous eight-year-old lurcher is still hunting for a home after being rescued in County Durham. He doesn't like to be touched but RSPCA hopes he'll come out of his shell soon.
Emma Cosby, who takes care of him, said: "Bandit really struggled and didn’t even like to be touched. It took us a lot of time and patience to gradually introduce him to different people and how to be handled positively but now he’s built some wonderful bonds with the team here.
"We understand that he’s nervous and he’ll need committed owners who are willing to come and meet him multiple times before taking him home. But we fear that people are being put off from applying for him because of his muzzle and the misunderstanding around their use." Bandit would need to be the only pet in his new home and cannot live with children.
Scout - in a shelter for 940 days
This sweet lurcher has been in the care of Bath Dogs & Cats Home since November 2019. The eight-year-old dog was found by an RSPCA Inspector.
Chief Executive at the home, Rachel Jones, said: "He is a lovely older boy. The team here love him but he just hasn't found a home yet.
"He is shy so he's looking for a quiet home, obviously with lots of love. It does take time for Scout to get to know new people so that can make it harder for him sometimes. Once he knows you and trusts you, he is lovely."
Hades - in a shelter for 271 days
This cute two-year-old Labrador cross has struggled to find a match since arriving at the RSPCA centre in Gloucestershire in September last year. Although he has some specific needs due to his difficult start in life, staff at Cotswolds Dogs and Cats Home say he's a "big, lovely and bouncy" pooch who'd make a great pet.
Haley Medlock, from the centre, said: "We’ve worked hard with him and he can now manage in busy areas but there are some things which he can still find daunting so we’d like his owners to understand that they’ll need to be patient with him."
He is intelligent, young, enjoys training, but has lived most of his life outside so will need time to adjust to a new setting.
Dotty - in a shelter for 333 days
This Staffordshire bull terrier was taken in by the RSPCA in July 2021 after being rescued underweight and suffering from a skin condition. She had previously been kept locked in a bedroom with little socialisation at an address in Dorset.
Now aged eight, Dotty is desperate for a new home where she'll be the only pet and will have access to a private, secure garden. She can be reactive when out and about so she needs to wear a muzzle and will need to go for walks in quiet, rural locations.
If you want to adopt one of these deserving dogs you can find out more information on the RSPCA website HERE.
