A once aggressive and abused dog has been adopted after a five-year search for a new home. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, named Star, had been so damaged by previous owners he could be snarling, nervous and aggressive.
But the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home in Scotland, where he had been homed since 2013, refused to give up on finding him a home—despite him scaring people off.
Visitors were out off by his aggressive nature but the home eventually launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of Star’s story.
He was finally adopted by dog lover Graeme Webb, from Hawick in the Scottish Borders.
Mr Webb, a freelance photographer, said: “I’d seen on social media that Star was needing a home, and I went up and had a few visits with him at the cat and dog home and ended up deciding to take him. I was surprised that no one had taken him.”
When rescuers found Star, he’d been abandoned and showed signs of serious neglect – he was severely underweight, and his nails had grown so long they had curled underneath the pads of his paws.
He was in such poor health staff at the rescue center said he was lucky to be alive and so named him their “lucky Star.”
But Star’s mistreatment and abandonment left him nervous and aggressive around children and other pets, which made finding a home for him such a challenge for the staff at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home during his more than 1800 days at the shelter.
Star’s difficult past didn’t put Mr Webb off, and only made him work harder to make his new Staffie feel at home.
Mr Webb added: “When he arrived home, he was a bit stressed, so that first night I slept on sofa and Star slept on his bed next to it. We have really bonded. Star is such a friendly, happy, loving dog who wants company and cuddles all the time. Yes, he’s strong and he does react to other dogs, but you just have to be aware of that and understand why.”
Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, from the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “Everyone at the Home couldn’t be happier that Star has finally found his forever family. To see the way he looks at his new dad with such trust and love makes the long search for Star worth it.”
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