Southampton Family Take On Homeless Dog

An unwanted stray that spent over a year in kennels at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London has found his happy ever after thanks to a kind-hearted family from Hampshire.

The three year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, who has been renamed Vinnie by his new owners, arrived at the world famous animal charity as a stray in October 2010. He was at the Home for 453 days before being spotted by Janine Calo and her 10 year old son from Southampton.
 
Janine said:

 “Staffies are the best breed in world and after our previous Staffie passed away, we felt ready to offer another one a new start. Vinnie is fantastic with my son, has impeccable manners and is one of the most affectionate and loving dogs I’ve ever known. Taking Vinnie into our lives has been so rewarding. He’s been on some lovely walks in nearby woods, he’s been down to the sea, and he even licked a horse on the nose! It’s just fantastic giving him all these new experiences he’s probably never had. Battersea were brilliant at helping us choose Vinnie, and I would recommend them to anyone thinking of getting a dog or cat.”

 
Although the average stay for dogs at Battersea is 48 days, some, like Vinnie stay much longer. There is no time limit on how long dogs and cats stay at the charity before finding a new home. Last year Battersea took in almost 9000 lost and unwanted dogs and cats across its three sites.
 
Kerrie Strong is one of Battersea’s Rehoming and Welfare Assistants who helped Vinnie find his new home. She added:

 “Vinnie was such a popular dog with all the staff and volunteers here at Battersea and we are baffled as to why it took so long for him to find a home as he’s such a lovely, friendly boy. We are all so pleased he’s finally gone home. His new family are the perfect match and love him dearly – we’re sure he’ll be very happy in his new home.”
 
Battersea rehomes all over the UK. To find out more about adopting a dog or cat visit: www.battersea.org.uk or call 0207 622 3626.