Dog who has spent seven years in kennels to finally get new home
A dog who has spent the past seven years in kennels after his owner passed away will finally get a loving home built for him.
A fundraiser to build a home for JD the dobermann, one of Hilbrae's longest residents, away from kennels and bars has reached the half way point.
Dog lover Cheryl Gibson is fundraising to build a home on her property for a dobermann called JD, who has been at Hilbrae Kennels in Telford for the past seven years.
Aiming to raise nearly £8,000, Cheryl is also taking on a skydive challenge later this month and has now reached the half way point in her fundraiser.
The 32 year-old from Broseley runs Shropshire Canine Enrichment and used to work at Hilbrae Kennels in Telford when she met JD, who arrived under-socialised and wary of people.
Now 10 years old, JD has been a Hilbrae resident for seven years, and Cheryl said she can't stand him being "over looked anymore" and wants to give him a proper home.
"He is ten years old now and I just want to give him a safe loving home before its too late," Cheryl said. "He has a lovely kennel at Hilbrae but I can take him home and give him the space he needs.
"I met JD the day he was brought in to the kennels about seven years ago when I was working there. One of the other girls spoke to the chap who brought him in and straight away I knew it would be a challenge.
"I sat outside his kennel trying to make friends with him and I was there for four hours. But it worked.
"I just let him do his own thing really and from there we took everything at his pace and gave him his choice. I can do pretty much anything with him now.
"When he first came in he was really under-socialised but he now has a good relationship with me and some of the other girls there."
Cheryl said JD has had a couple of homes that haven't worked out, due to his wariness of people and men especially, and so he needs his own space.
"When I left working at Hilbrae I tried to distance myself from him but he has been sat here waiting for a home and no one is willing to spend the time and build the bond he needs," she said.
"I noticed he was getting quite a few lumps and bumps and his walking was not great, he was out of time. He isn't really poorly as such but he has lumps all over his body and neurological problems I think, and also arthritis.
"The unit at my home will be a complete start-from-scratch job. It's a decent size so I want to section it off and have a bit inside and outside for JD to use, with windows instead of bars. I want it to be more of a home than a kennel.
"JD is very cuddly, and is just a normal dog around me and acts like a puppy. He is a big sweetheart and it's a shame people can't see that.
"People sometimes want to force their idea of a perfect pet onto an animal but you need to just let them be happy."
Cheryl has booked a skydive on November 27 to raise money for her appeal, despite being afraid of heights.
"I am absolutely terrified for the skydive, I don't know why I did it," she said. "But I'll take a picture of JD up with me for support."
Visit gofundme.com/f/build-jd-a-home to donate to Cheryl's fundraiser.