Adoptober 2024: Urgent rehoming appeal for two overlooked dogs

Doberman Wendy and Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed Buster have both been with RSPCA Northamptonshire Branch since the start of the summer - but so far they have been sadly overlooked by potential adopters.

Their rehoming appeal 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.

Eleven-year-old Doberman Wendy is a young girlie at heart and has settled well into her foster home. She enjoys being with people so is looking for a home where she can spend lots of time with her new family.

Wendy loves nothing more than her walks and having a good sniff and exploring! She can be strong on the lead - so she will need a patient and understanding home to continue to help her desensitisation when it comes to the other animals she meets!

Wendy is able to live with sensible older children. She needs to be the only animal in the home so she can have all the attention to herself!

Buster is a seven-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed who enjoys snuggling and having lots of fuss!

He is one of the happiest boy who brings so much joy to everyone that he meets. Buster would love a home where he can build a loving bond and to spend lots of time with his forever family.

Buster enjoys his walks and loves exploration! Buster is on medication to help with potential arthritic changes and is responding well to this. He also has had some surgery - and this will be discussed with potential adopters beforehand.

Buster is a happy and content boy who will make a wonderful part of the family. He is able to live with sensible children, but with no other pets.

In addition, cats Louis and Lucas, who were abandoned outside the branch’s cattery, are looking for their perfect match and forever home together.

When they first arrived, the boys were overwhelmed and very scared. However their playful personalities are now starting to shine through and they have settled well in foster care.

These boys have lots of energy and will need to be able to access outside to burn some of this energy - they will probably spend the majority of their time outdoors. They could live with teenage children and other friendly cats after slow introductions.

Dog Welfare Manager Kate Whitehead said: “Both Wendy and Buster have been overlooked so far. We really hope Adoptober will be the month for them - along with Louis and Lucas!

“They all would make wonderful additions to the home and they all deserve a loving place to call their own.”

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. 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”.

Karen added: “We are also still seeing the effect of the pandemic on dogs and an increase in those coming into care with complex behaviour, which is contributing to the pressure for spaces at rehoming centres. This is compounded by the cost of living crisis with fees associated with their pet care beyond the means of some people at the moment.

“The cost of living seems to be a driving factor across the board. Our recent Animal Kindness Index found that 78% of pet-owners in the East Midlands felt that the cost of looking after their pet had become slightly or much more expensive, with owners finding the costs of pet food and vet bills higher.

“But our amazing teams are doing all they can. Our 135 independently run branches continue to rehome at a phenomenal pace and we are extremely proud of the work that they do.They play a vital role in local communities across England and Wales and whilst they feel the pressure of taking in more animals they have done an incredible job finding so many loving new homes.”

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.

Karen added: “There’s nothing more heartwarming than a successful adoption, and the wonderful staff at our branches and centres celebrate every time an animal finds their forever home.

“So if you’re looking for a pet - whether it’s a cat or dog, a donkey or a bearded dragon - please visit our user-friendly ‘Find A Pet’ webpage and ‘adopt don’t shop’ this Adoptober.”