Jake the Lurcher, who was as soon as referred to within the media as ‘Britain’s most undesirable canine’, has lastly discovered his without end home after spending greater than 1,700 days at Dogs Trust’s Leeds rescue centre.
Jake first arrived at Dogs Trust in 2015. Aged only one, he’d already had a number of houses; whereas he was initially rehomed, he was returned to kennels in 2019 after a change in his new proprietor’s circumstances. Afterwards, Jake was a agency favorite on the centre – however was unable to discover a new home.
While the workers described him as a candy, playful and affectionate canine, his shaky begin in life meant that Jake was not very assured round dogs and folks, and had some very particular rehoming necessities, that means he was neglected by potential adopters.
The crew at Dogs Trust Leeds spent many hours working with Jake to assist him overcome these points, utilizing their experience in behaviour to create a bespoke coaching programme to build his belief with new folks, and develop his social expertise round different dogs.
“One of the unique techniques the Dogs Trust team implemented was taking Jake for weekends away to take part in different activities including hiking on the moors, and to spend nights away from his kennel to help build his confidence in new environments, all designed to get ready for rehoming,” a Dogs Trust assertion explains.
A video of Jake having fun with a weekend mountain climbing in Wensleydale with considered one of his carers, Kevin Johnson, was noticed by Keighley couple, Veronica and Keith. They utilized to undertake Jake and, as soon as they had been discovered to be a superb match, they labored with the rehoming centre workers to slowly build up their relationship. After three months of profitable introductions, Jake moved into his new home in February 2024.
Jake’s new proprietor Veronica stated, “I knew the second that I noticed the video of Jake on his holidays that I needed him to come back and dwell with us. He’d had a tricky begin to life and lacked in confidence, however it was clear from our first assembly that he was an affectionate and pleasant canine who simply wanted somebody to offer him an opportunity.
“The introduction process was quite long, but it was important we moved at a pace Jake was happy with, and the staff at Dogs Trust Leeds supported us through it all. We love having Jake in our home. It feels like he’s been with us forever, and we couldn’t imagine life without him!”
Kevin Johnson, one of many crew at Dogs Trust Leeds who cared for Jake, added, “Jake is such a beautiful boy, and we’ve liked spending time with him within the centre. But 4 years is just too lengthy for any canine to be with us, and we had been determined to seek out him his without end home.
“We had been delighted when Veronica and Keith received in contact with us about Jake, and much more happy that they understood his adoption wouldn’t be a fast course of. After a lot upheaval in his life, after which spending so lengthy in a rehoming centre, he wanted time to regulate to a brand new way of life.
“Before he left the rehoming centre for the last time, all his best friends gathered in his garden for a little goodbye party, and we were joined by current and former Dogs Trust staff who had cared for Jake over the years. Jake literally bounced out of the car, straight into his new home and on to the sofa. I’m not ashamed to say there was quite the lump in my throat. Seeing him happily and confidently standing at his new home front door with his family as we left was so emotional!”
During his time with Dogs Trust, Jake was classed as an “Underdog”, the identify the charity provides to dogs which were in its take care of six months or extra. The charity presently has over 400 Underdogs in its care patiently ready for brand new houses. For extra info on a number of the Underdogs presently within the care of Dogs Trust, go to www.dogstrust.org.uk/underdogs.
