Old dogs at Telford kennels need loving owners

Marty Burrell remembers when Starsky the cross-breed was rescued from a building site.

"He was a bit of a handful and it took two dog wardens, a police officer and my son to capture him," she says. "He was quite wary of people, but now he is very loving and he just adores going out for walks with the dog walker. But because he's going a bit grey around the muzzle, he always gets overlooked."

Elvis is around eight or nine years old, and has been at Hilbrae for around two years. He is described as

Starsky is a cross-breed, possibly with some Akita in him, and he has been at Hilbrae for four years. He can be quite lively still so he would be better in a home with older teenagers.

Jake has been at Hilbrae for just over a year. He arrived as a stray but a little is known about his background. He is not good with other animals, so he needs a pet-free home.

Spencer, a short-legged Staffordshire bull terrier, is around 11-12 years old. Spencer was a bit grumbly and unsure when he first arrived but is now starting to enjoy a fuss.

Sophie is now Hilbrae's longest serving resident, having spent around seven years at the kennels. She needs a quiet home with no children, and where she can do her own thing.

Tequila is a cross-breed aged seven to eight years, and is described as a beautifully natured and very gentle dog. She should be OK with children aged five-plus as she is a gentle soul.

Starsky has been at Telford's Hilbrae Kennels for four years, but for some of the older dogs seeking new homes, the wait is a lot longer.

Toby, who was thought to be the longest-serving dogs' home resident in Britain, had been at Hilbrae for 11 years before his death last year. And Sophie, a cross-bred corgi, thought to be around 11 years old, has been at Hilbrae for around six years.

The Oldies Club, a national charity dedicated the care of older stray dogs, is urging people to offer new homes for dogs in the run-up to Christmas.

Marty, who has been running Hilbrae Kennels at Cold Hatton for 40 years, cares for around 10 members of the Oldies Club. And she says while there is rarely a shortage of people willing to offer new homes to cute little puppies, rehousing adult dogs can be much more of a challenge.

"I think part of it is people don't think they will have them for very long," says 68-year-old Marty, who has been taking in strays for 25 years. "They are also worried about the vets' bills, they think it will cost them a fortune. It is not necessarily the case, one of my dogs lived to be 16, and he hadn't seen the vet since his inoculations, and there are young dogs who are always in and out of the vets."

Marty says December is often the time when older dogs are most likely to be abandoned.

"A lot of the dogs that come in after Christmas are the young dogs, family members think 'we'll get a puppy for granny for Christmas' because they are sure she wants a dog, but then it turns out that she doesn't," she says.

Better pets

"I think the older dogs tend to be dumped before Christmas because they worry there might be vets' bills coming up, and people don't want the expense around Christmas.

"People also get fed-up with walking them when the weather turns bad."

Despite lacking the youthful appeal of puppies, Marty says older dogs can often make better pets than younger animals, leading less in the way of attention.

"Older dogs can be a lot less trouble than young dogs," she says.

"They don't go bouncing off the walls, they don't want to be rushing around, exploring the world, and testing the boundaries. They have done all that.

"They just want companionship, and to go out for gentle walks."

She says they make ideal pets for older people, who do not want the commitment of taking on a puppy.

On the other hand, while dogs may have mellowed by the time they get to six, seven or eight years of age, they can also become set in their ways, so taking them on can require patiences. For example, one of the reasons why Toby proved so difficult to place, was his deep-seated fear of cars, which meant anybody wanting to take him on would have needed to walk him home.

"We did have somebody who wanted to give him a home, but they couldn't get him in the car," says Marty.

Many of the older dogs can be very fearful of strangers, for example, and Marty says it can take extra patience to build up a relationship with them.

"The trouble is, people aren't that patient these days, they want everything now."

There is some good news this week, with Shyloh, one of the oldest residents at Hilbrae, due to move to his new home. Gentle-faced Shyloh has been in the kennels for around four years, and appears to have led a traumatic early life.

"Shyloh was incredibly nervous when he first arrived and nobody could get near him," says Marty. "Gradually he has learned to trust again and now he is very loving."

Visit The Oldies Club and www.hilbrae.co.uk