Bella the beagle-lurcher cross has been dubbed Britain’s loneliest dog after spending 450 days living in kennels.
The one-year-old pooch was passed from home to home before being brought to the RSPCA in February 2020.
After 15 months there, staff at RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre in Chobham, Surrey, want her to find a loving owner and the forever home she deserves.
Bella is described as having a ‘lovely, cheeky personality’, but could often be very wary and anxious – which staff said is a result of ’emotional scars’ she developed being passed around homes as a puppy.
During lockdown, staff have worked hard to tackle her behaviour with visits from an animal behaviourist, anti-anxiety medication, and regular training.
Deputy manager at RSPCA Millbrook, Liz Wood said: ‘When Bella came to us, she was very scared and very under socialised with dogs and people. Also her attention and recall with people was limited.
‘She had been living in a small flat before coming to our care and was very wary of noises and unfamiliar people.’
She is now much more confident, much better at socialising, and has even learnt commands such as ‘sit’, ‘down’ and ‘paw’.
Bella needs an experienced adult-only home in a rural location – and patient, loving owners who will be around to give her lots of attention and continue her training.
Liz said: ‘At times, Bella can be high on life and her lovely, cheeky personality really shines through, but if something scares her or is unfamiliar, she can struggle to cope.
‘This means she will need a patient and understanding owner who is going to help build up her confidence.
‘She enjoys being with people she knows and trusts and would benefit from having an owner who has trained and had young, complex dogs before.
‘We are really keen to find a home for Bella – she has already been in four homes and she she isn’t even two years old.
‘We want to make sure that this time she ends up in the right, permanent and happy forever home that she so desperately deserves.’
You can apply to adopt Bella on the RSPCA website.
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