‘Loneliest dog in Britain’ re-homed after 500 days in shelter

A two-year-old lurcher who had spent most of his life in a shelter has finally found a home.

Hector spent more than 500 days at the RSPCA’s Little Valley Animal Shelter in Exeter after being rescued by the animal welfare charity’s inspectors as a puppy in October 2017.

His plight had attracted widespread media attention – including an appearance on This Morning – and was branded the loneliest dog in Britain.

But now his hunt for a forever home is over after he was adopted by a dog-loving Devon couple called Alan and Rose.

The shelter’s manager, Jo Evans, said: “It gives us such joy to see Hector finally find his perfect home to begin living the life every dog deserves.

“We hope Hector’s story helps to show that all rescue dogs deserve that second chance and encourage anyone who is thinking about welcoming a pet into their lives to find out more about our rescue animals needing homes to find out if they will be a good match.”

Shelter staff cited various reasons why Hector had proved so tough to re-home, including the fact that he struggled when left alone for any length of time.

Standing at around 3ft (1m) tall, he was also seen as being unsuitable for households with small children or other animals.

Ms Evans added: “Every animal is an individual with a unique personality, and we believe the perfect home and family is out there for every single one, just like there was for Hector.”