Animal

UK’s ‘loneliest’ rescue dog finally finds a loving home


Sweet old lurcher Doris has been left at the shelter four times in the last six years (Picture: Mercury Press & Media)

Doris the lurcher, known as the UK’s loneliest rescue dog, has marked 2020 with a forever home.

Doris, 13, has been taken to the same rescue centre four times in the last six years.

She desperately needed a new family after her most recent owner, who she spent four years with, fell terminally ill will cancer and could no longer care for her.

This was the latest incident in a string of bad luck for Doris, who was first abandoned at Freshfields Rescue Centre in Liverpool back in December 2013.

She was returned to the shelter twice more, once when a family couldn’t look after and another time when an owner died.

Staff launched an appeal to find the dog a human pal. Thankfully, they were successful, matching up Doris with a Liverpool based dog-lover who has plenty of experience looking after rescue pups.

Volunteer Margaret Evans, says goodbye to Doris as she heads off to new home (Picture: Kerry Elsworth/Mercury Press)

Doris’s new owner, who doesn’t want to be named publicly, got in touch after seeing the campaign for Doris and falling in love.

A spokesman for Freshfields said: ‘Doris’s new owner saw her sad story and knew instantly that she could offer her a good home.

‘She has had a rescue lurcher in the past and knew what fantastic dogs they were.

‘Staff instantly knew Doris had well and truly landed on her paws, and that she was going to be treated like a princess from here on.

‘Doris will be living locally to Freshfields so we will be keeping in touch with her.

‘We wish Doris and her new mum a life of love and happiness together!’

Doris the lurcher with Dawn Hurst (L) and Helen Stanbury (R) from Freshfields Rescue Centre in Liverpool (Picture: Mercury Press & Media)

After rescue staff first discovered abandoned Doris on their grounds six years ago, it took them a month to find a family willing to take her home.

But in the first week it became apparent that Doris couldn’t live with children as she needed a quiet and peaceful home environment. She was brought back to Freshfields.

Three months later the lurcher was adopted again by a retired couple. Doris stayed with them for five months until her owner died and his wife was unable to care for her alone.

Another year went by with Doris at the shelter, leading to staff creating an appeal just for her.

Operations manager Dawn Hurst, 47, said: ‘Having Doris back broke our hearts because she has never done anything wrong, she has just been really unlucky.

‘She must have been the unluckiest dog in the UK but she’s is such a sweet lovely animal, there really isn’t a bad bone in her body.’

Do you look after a pet who has been unluckier than Doris? Get in touch to share your story by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk

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