Once again, this Christmas will see the team at Dogs Trust Leeds giving dogs that have found themselves without a home, the best Christmas possible whilst they wait for their special someone.
The charity’s slogan, ‘A Dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ is as relevant today as it was when it was first adopted almost 40 years ago, as sadly each year hundreds of dogs are handed over to the team at the York Road rehoming centre.
The staff look after strays, smuggled puppies and of course dogs who have had to leave their families for a variety of reasons, from illness in the family to relationship breakdown or a change in working hours.
Whilst at Dogs Trust Leeds, every dog is given everything they need but they all have their paws crossed in the hope of finding a forever family once more. Here are just some who are hoping to have found a space on the sofa in their ideal homes in time for Christmas.
Name: Buckley
Age: 5
Breed: Collie Cross
Buckley is hoping his forever home is just around the corner.
The team understand him to be a Collie/Spaniel/Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cross so he likes to be kept busy! He loves to be out and about exploring the big wide world and always takes his favourite toy with him for whenever it’s time to have a game!
He is eager to please and enjoys his training when the mood takes him – usually after he has had a good play to burn off some energy!
Buckley would love to be the only pet in an adult home so he can lap up all the attention.
Name: Cherry
Age: 4
Breed: Crossbreed
Cherry is an absolutely beautiful girl and clever too! She loves learning new things and as well as knowing all the basics, one of her best tricks is running behind a gate and closing it if the doorbell goes!
She is really playful and very loving when she gets to know you but she lacks a little confidence so is looking for patient owners who are happy taking the time to get to know her. It will be worth it!
She would thrive in a quiet adult only home as the only pet. She has such great potential and just needs a second chance.
Name: Margarita
Age: 6
Breed: Beagle
Sweet Margarita is happy to meet new people and simply wants to be cared for and loved in a home of her own.
She is a confident girl so should settle quickly into her forever home, but she will need owners who are around most of the time and who are happy to help her with house training. The team are sure she’ll be a quick learner!
She would like an enclosed garden so she can enjoy the great outdoors at home as well as when she’s out and about and she could live with older teenage children but she would like to be the only pet.
Name: Bramble
Age: 2
Breed: Crossbreed
Bramble is a bundle of fun as well as strong so he needs owners who can cope with his energy, size and strength! He loves people and is instantly friendly and adores nothing more than a fuss and a cuddle!
He loves playing with his toys and is enjoying learning new things. As he is such a lively boy he’d be best as the only dog in the home and he definitely needs an active family who are committed to taking him to training so this young dog can fulfil his potential. He could live with older teenage children and although he’s boisterous, he’d prefer to live in a quieter area and loves a sofa to curl up on at the end of a busy day.
Name: Buzz
Age: 2
Breed: Terrier Cross
Buzz is an energetic little guy looking for an active adult only home. He will need a single person household as he bonds really well with one person and he needs to be the only dog in the home.
He absolutely loves to play with his toys and his two-legged friends and is really responsive when out and about so a great companion. He would be better suited to a quieter environment as he can be worried by traffic.
He has lots of potential with the right guidance and love and the Dogs Trust training team are on hand to help his new owners continue with his training.
Name: Gizmo
Age: 3
Breed: Crossbreed
Gizmo found himself homeless last year after sadly his owners became ill and could no longer give him the time they knew he needed.
He is clever and loves showing how he can sit and give paw for a tasty treat. He also loves to play and is a joy to watch as he can easily entertain himself playing with his ball!
Despite being full of fun, he can be very shy at first, especially with men and will need a patient, hands off approach to start with. He would suit a quieter adult home where he is the only dog, but he will become more confident with a bit of time and patience and will make a great canine companion.
When he’s out and about he does tend to bark at other dogs so he would prefer to be walked in quieter areas.
Name: Jet
Age: 7
Breed: Lurcher
If you have a garden, a large sofa and love doggie cuddles then Jet could be the boy for you!
It is a mystery to the team why Jet hasn’t found a forever home. He arrived at the centre in May 2016 but had already spent many months in the local pound and he is still waiting for his special someone to find him.
He is great with people but after such a long time in kennels, he’d love to be the only dog in the home so he can be the centre of attention and would suit a home without children. He can get over-excited when he’s out and about when he sees other four-legged friends so he would be calmer walked in quieter areas.
Name: Rita
Age: 6
Breed: Akita
Rita loves a long walk and enjoys playing on the agility equipment at Dogs Trust Leeds so is looking for an active home, but she is a laid back girl and really affectionate once she gets to know you.
She loves her food so is happy to do a few tricks in return for a tasty treat and is hoping there’s a loving, warm home out there for her in time for Christmas.
She would prefer to be the only dog in the home and would like to share her home with adults only. Her owners will need to groom her to keep her beautiful coat in tip-top condition.
Names: Ernie
Ages: 2
Breed:
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cross
Ernie is not a fan of kennel life; he much prefers to be out and about and would love a new family to take him to Dogs Trust Dog School so he can put his brain to good use learning new things.
He can be a little shy of new people but once he gets to know you his tail never stops wagging and he is super affectionate. He never tires of cuddles!
He is well behaved around other dogs but the team feel he’d be best as the only dog in the home as his real love in life is people! He can live with teenage children and would love to be at the heart of a family.
Name: Sparky
Age: 11
Breed: Patterdale Terrier
Sparky still has lots of spark about him despite being a golden oldie!
He is a friendly, gentle Older Age Pooch who loves his toys and knows all his basic doggie commands. But he’d definitely be enthusiastic about his new owners teaching this older dog new tricks! He enjoys a walk and walks well on the lead, then is happy to be left home alone for a while to enjoy a snooze.
He is fine with other dogs but as an older gent would like to be the only dog in the home and could live with teenage children.
Name: Tufty
Age: 3
Breed: Greyhound
Poor Tufty was found wandering the streets and had an open wound to her leg. Although her physical wound has healed perfectly, it has taken staff several weeks of patience and TLC to get her to leave her kennel and enjoy a run around.
She is enjoying sprinting around at the centre so would love a secure garden in her new forever home but would benefit from a quiet adult only home so she can build confidence and trust with her new owners.
Once Tufty knows you she is full of affection and is very playful. All she needs is someone special to give her a second chance.
Name: Sam
Age: 10
Breed: Crossbreed
Sam is a handsome three-legged cross breed but having three legs hasn’t stopped his zest for life. He absolutely loves people and could live with older children and would benefit from a home where until he has settled, people are around most of the time.
He is OK with his canine companions when he is out and about but as an older gent likes them to give him a little space.
He is a little overweight so his new owners will need to stick to a strict diet so he can really enjoy his walks once more, having shed a few pounds.
If you think you could offer any of these dogs their ideal homes, please call the centre on 0300 303 0292 or visit them at Woodlands Farm, York Road, Leeds, LS15 4NL. The Rehoming Centre is open Friday-Monday 12pm-4pm and 12pm-7.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is closed on Wednesdays.
You can find out more at www.dogstrust.org.uk
