A dog who would hide in the corner of his kennel and tremble whenever anyone went near him has blossomed into a happy, friendly dog – but is now desperate for a home.
Ernie, two, has been in the care of the RSPCA for a whopping 471 days (as of 8 July 2024) and still hasn’t found his perfect match.
The team at the RSPCA’s Mount Noddy Animal Centre, in Chichester, West Sussex, have done an incredible job gaining his trust and showing him how to love again – so now they’re desperate to find him a wonderful new home.
Manager Susan Botherway said: “When Ernie first came to us he was terrified; he didn’t want to interact with us and didn’t trust us at all. He’d cower in the corner of his kennel and tremble from head to toe, it was utterly devastating to see him so frightened.
“He’s still a sensitive soul and takes his time getting to know new people but once he trusts you he’s an absolutely lovely dog. He’s cuddly, playful, and incredibly affectionate.
“He has lots of doggy friends here at the centre but they keep finding new homes and heading off to start their new lives and he gets left behind. It really is his turn to have his happy ever after moment.”
Ernie arrived at Mount Noddy – run by the RSPCA Sussex West Branch – in March 2023 after being passed around multiple homes.
Believed to be a husky cross Labrador, Ernie was completely shut down when he first arrived at Mount Noddy.
Susan added: “While Ernie is bouncy and fun-loving when he’s in surroundings he’s familiar with, he can find new places and new experiences quite scary. His new family will need to be patient with him and can slowly, gradually and positively introduce him to new sights, sounds and places.
“Due to his shy nature, any potential adopters will also need to come to the centre to meet him several times, and spend time getting to know him, so he can learn to trust them.
“He’s a really active boy who will love the opportunity to go on walks and he’ll benefit from further training to help with his lead walking. We think he’d be best in an adult home with a lovely big garden to explore and with owners who will initially be around a lot of the time to help him settle in. He could live with another dog as he loves being around his four-legged friends.”
Find out more about Ernie online or contact the team at Mount Noddy by calling 01243 773359 or emailing [email protected].
