'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas', is a warning most people will be familiar with as many pets face being given up once the excitement wears off, post the festive season. However, with a rise in people looking for companions during the pandemic, the numbers of pets being surrendered to shelters and charities has increased dramatically over the last few years.
“We are seeing a whole range of species being abandoned,” says Dr Sam Gaines, the RSPCA’s dog welfare expert. The RSPCA says abandonments were up by about 20 per cent in December last year, compared with 2020's figures. This has led to many shelters being overwhelmed, and many pets left looking for homes for longer.
One such dog is Hattie the Cocker Spaniel. After more than 500 days at RSPCA Southridge, Hattie has finally managed to find a new home, My London reports.
However, her neighbour - Jake - hasn't been so lucky. Following Hattie's departure, nine-year-old Jake, the German Shepherd, has taken her title as the longest-standing resident at the animal centre. Since a previous article was published by My London, Jake has had a couple of applications from new owners, which have unfortunately not worked out.
According to the RSPCA, Jake say is "desperate to get out of kennels" after arriving at RSPCA Southridge in November 2020. He was given to the centre as a change in his owner's circumstances meant that they could no longer care for him.
"We don't know why he came to us and what the circumstances were - it could be anything," says Animal Care Assistant Cathie Ward. "He's coping well enough in kennels, but it's obviously not the same as being in a home. He does like being around people and he gets very excited to see you in the morning. He's a good boy."
Jake has watched as his other long-standing neighbours were rehomed. First was Izzi, a young crossbreed who overlapped with Jake for a year and was adopted in February. Next, of course, was Hattie.
During his 16-month stay, Jake has warmed the hearts of the staff at the centre, who have got to know him well. "He can be wary of new people if he doesn't know them - it does take him a while sometimes, so you need careful introductions," says Cathie. "Once you know him, he's a soppy boy. He's lovely - he loves a cuddle, loves a scratch, loves a stroke. He's really good to walk... he always listens to you."
Jake can be nervous of other dogs, Cathie explains. His ideal home, therefore, would be with an experienced, adult owner where he would be the only pet in the house. Jake needs space, and, the centre advise, would benefit from training classes to help him socialise with other dogs.
According to Cathie, it's Jake's additional needs, combined with his age, that have kept him at the centre for so long. "Nine is old for a dog, and people are concerned about how long they're doing to have with them," she says. "With us here, we think differently: we love the oldies [being rehomed] because it gives them that nice, loving home, even if they've only got a couple of years with them...That's quite rewarding in my eyes."
She adds: "He's a lovely boy - really affectionate...He likes to sit on the benches or the sofa with you. He's a good boy and he'd be lovely in the home. He's a lovely companion, but again, he's looking for experienced owners who are happy to take on any existing traits."
In any case, Southridge Animal Centre will be sad to see him go when Jake's "forever home" finally comes. "It's bittersweet. Obviously, we form attachments to them, we bond with them," says Cathie. "It's hard. But at the same time, seeing them rehomed, especially the long-stay ones or the oldies...we're always ecstatic when they go off."
Southridge Animal Centre is the RSPCA's closest rescue centre to London, rehoming pets in the capital and further afield.
Could you be Jake's new owner? Contact Southridge Animal Centre for more information.
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