A ‘sweet’ Staffie has hit her one-year milestone in RSPCA kennels waiting for a loving new home as her carers say ‘no one wants to take the time to get to know her’.
RSPCA Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Branch is looking for a special home for two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier-cross Lola this Adoptober as she marked her one-year milestone in RSPCA care on Friday (4 October).
Support Engagement Officer at RSPCA Chesterfield, Steph McCawley, said: “Lola struggled to settle in initially and was quite worried to find herself in kennels – but her true colours now shine bright and she’s really come out of her shell.
“She’s a sweet, friendly, loving dog who loves to curl up on your lap, smiling broadly in a way only a Staffie can! She bounds and runs and plays in our off-lead paddock, her joy and lust for life rubs off on us all.
“But sadly she hasn’t yet found her forever home and we think it’s because no one is prepared to take the time to come into the centre and spend time with her and get to know her.”
Lola’s rehoming appeal comes as the RSPCA reveals it is facing a rehoming crisis across England and Wales. New figures show that in 2023, 42% more animals arrived at the RSPCA than were adopted.
Rehoming centres across England and Wales are at near or full capacity, with pets either waiting to be adopted, or being assessed for adoption – leaving countless dogs, cats and other animals still in emergency boarding waiting for a place at a rehoming centre.
In response, the RSPCA – which is marking its 200th year – is launching its annual ‘Adoptober’ rehoming campaign; urging animal lovers to adopt a pet from a rescue centre or RSPCA branch rather than buying from a breeder to help ease the spiralling rehoming crisis.
Last year, while the RSPCA’s 14 rehoming centres and 135 independently-run branches found new homes for an incredible 28,208 dogs, cats, rabbits and other pets, that was far fewer than the 40,118 animals that arrived at the shelters across England and Wales.
And many animals are staying in its rescue centres for longer while staff try to find them the right homes. Poor Lola is just one of them.
Steph added: “Lola may have started as a frightened pup who shrunk into the shadows and tried to hide away, but now she’s a snuggly sweetheart who loves to spend time with our team.
“But it takes time to gain her trust, understandably after all that she’s been through. So we’re looking for potential owners who are prepared to come to the centre to meet her several times and spend time getting to know her and gaining her confidence.
“We’d ideally like to find Lola a home where she’ll live with adults only and where she’ll be the only pet. She’s a bouncy, busy girl who has so much fun to bring, but she can also be sensitive and she needs owners with experience of owning dogs who can help her thrive and bring out her very best side.”
Animal rescue crisis
Karen Colman, who leads the RSPCA team finding places for rescued animals, said: “Our rescue centres are jam-packed, and across the board, we’ve been seeing more animals coming to us than we are rehoming. We are issuing a rallying cry to anyone considering adding a pet to their family to step in and help by giving a rescue pet a second chance instead of buying from breeders.
“Our rehoming centres have reached crisis point and are full-to-bursting, creating a bottle-neck where we’re having to care for rescued animals at emergency boarding kennels and catteries.
“Last year, across England and Wales, the RSPCA took in over 40,000 dogs, cats and other animals, but only around seven out of 10 of those – 28,208 – were rehomed. This increasing discrepancy between animal intake and rehoming numbers is a worrying trend, and means so many animals are still waiting for a home.”
Karen added: “We are also still seeing the effect of the pandemic on dogs and an increase in those coming into care with complex behaviour, which is contributing to the pressure for spaces at rehoming centres. This is compounded by the cost of living crisis with fees associated with their pet care beyond the means of some people at the moment.
“But our amazing teams are doing all they can. Our 135 independently run branches continue to rehome at a phenomenal pace and we are extremely proud of the work that they do.They play a vital role in local communities across England and Wales and whilst they feel the pressure of taking in more animals they have done an incredible job finding so many loving new homes.”
The RSPCA hopes its month-long Adoptober rehoming campaign will increase adoption rates across England and Wales. The drive celebrates the benefits of rescue pets, highlights the many animals that are waiting to find their perfect ‘forever’ match and dispels myths about rescue pet rehoming.
