Lurcher, who spent half of his life at Dogs Trust Leeds, finds home for Christmas
Rupert the Lurcher arrived as a stray at just three months old
A dog, who spent more than half of his life at Dogs Trust Leeds, has found his forever home just in time for Christmas.
Rupert the Lurcher arrived as a stray at just three months old, with a broken leg and had to have two rounds of surgery to fix it.
Sadly, two failed rehoming attempts left him back in the care of Dogs Trust Leeds, needing some extra support to manage his energy and anxieties.
Rupert’s fear of the wider world required a gentle approach, so toys and treats were used to shift his fear into curiosity, helping him explore without hesitation and becoming more confident around vehicles, other dogs and life beyond the rehoming centre.
In June 2024, a perfect match was made with Brad Stevenson. He’d seen Rupert on the Dogs Trust website and knew he could give Rupert the home and support he needed. After weeks of relationship-building, Rupert was confident enough to move to his happy place, finally heading to his forever home in July 2024.
Rupert’s new owner Brad said: “Rupert has settled in brilliantly. He’s full of character and energy, and life with him is always entertaining. He’s made great progress since coming home — loving his walks, and even happy to hop in the car for an adventure, especially if it means visiting his friend Tom the Malinois Cross for a non-stop play session.
“This Christmas, he’ll be doing what he enjoys the most: playing hard, then snoozing on the sofa in front of the fire. It’s safe to say he’s loving life, and it’s fantastic to see.”
Kelly Walker, Manager at Dogs Trust Leeds, said: “After over 300 days with us, and such a wonderful journey to his forever home, Rupert’s journey isn’t one we’re likely to forget.
“It is so lovely to see Rupert in a loving, happy home, where he can truly be the confident young dog we knew he could be.
“Rupert is a great example of how the right support can help get a dog into their forever home, regardless of their start to life. Every dog deserves to be in their happy place, especially for Christmas. We have many more dogs, just like Rupert, still searching for their forever homes, so if you are ready to welcome a dog into your life, please pop over to our website and take a look.”