A lonely dog who has been in rescue for almost a year carries his favourite soft toys everywhere.
Five-year-old crossbreed Diesel has been with the RSPCA for 350 days – and is just a few weeks away from marking his one year milestone.
He was rescued by RSPCA officers after suffering abuse but, despite his ordeal, is a sweet and loving boy who will make a wonderful pet for the right family.
The staff at RSPCA Blackberry Farm Animal Centre, in Buckinghamshire, have been taking care of him and can’t understand why he hasn’t yet found his forever home.
Animal Centre Manager Julie Allen said: “Diesel has had such a tough start in life and he’s seen the very worst side of humans. But, despite this, he’s a sweet, loving and affectionate lad with so much love to give.
“He’s a big lad but he’s very calm and he absolutely loves going for walks, and is confident meeting new people out and about.
“He’s playful and friendly when meeting other dogs but is also happy in his own company so is looking for a home where he’ll be the only pet.
“Diesel has been with us for almost a year now and he’s feeling rather lonely and unloved. His soft toys bring him a lot of comfort so he takes them everywhere with him – and will often be seen carrying one in his mouth on his walks.”
Diesel would like a home with older children and he needs owners who can commit to slowly introducing him to spending time home alone.
He’s a clever dog who loves treats so would benefit from further training and learning opportunities.
Julie added: “Diesel is such a gentle soul and we can imagine him relaxing on the sofa with his soft toys and his new family on these cold, rainy evenings.
“He’s waited such a long time for his happy ending so we hope we can find his forever family soon.”
Adoptober
The appeal to find Diesel a new home 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; like Diesel.
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.”
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.
Find out more about Diesel online or contact the team at [email protected] or 0300 123 0752.
