The ManicaPost
A fresh appeal has been launched to find a new home for Britain’s least loved dog that has had four owners in 15 months.
Bracken, a border collie, has been returned to a rescue charity three times after a series of rehoming failures due to a combination of unfortunate circumstances and incidents.
The five-year-old playful pooch that is house trained, knows basic commands and is good with other dogs, was first handed in to the Border Collie Trust after his then owner had a change of work situation which meant he couldn’t care for him any longer.
Within three weeks a new home was found for him but the stay only lasted three days because he unsurprisingly chased his new owner’s pet cat.
Bracken was rehomed again but was brought back within eight weeks when his owner became concerned about how the inquisitive pooch pulled towards people while being walked. His last owner also kept Bracken for eight weeks and returned him because the dog snapped at someone stroking him.
Ben Wilkes, a trustee at the Border Collie Trust based in Heathway, Staffs, said Bracken is no different to any other border collie and just needs an owner who lives a quiet life.
He said: “It would be a wonderful Christmas present for all of us to see Bracken find a permanent home. Bracken came to us originally from a home owner whose work situation changed, which meant he had been left at home for a long time.
“The first time he was rehomed, he did chase a cat but that may have been because he hadn’t lived with a cat before.
“With the second home, when they took Bracken on walks they noticed he was reacting towards people. He was not barking or growling, just being too strong.
“Sometimes dogs in the early stages of rehoming are put in situations they struggle to cope with.
“We do tell people they need to calm things down but they think they are socialising them.
“He was rehomed again but came back to us because he snapped at a couple of people who were stroking him.
“He’s not really done anything bad – every dog has got the potential to do something.” – Online.
