Their brindle-coloured coats may look stunning but it does not stop the unlucky creatures languishing in kennels far more weeks than their black and white counterparts. Potential dog owners are feared to be rejecting the chances of taking home a stray or abandoned brindle animal from a rescue centre because they have gained an unwarranted reputation for being fearsome. The RSPCA is making a plea to animal lovers not to overlook brindle-coloured dogs after revealing new research that shows how they spend 37 per cent longer in kennels than other animals before they are adopted.
While the average dog waits 41 days for rehoming, brindle ones wait for 56 days – and many far longer.
Stella the Staffie crossbreed has been waiting for more than a year at the RSPCA’s Millbrook Centre in Surrey after failing to catch the eye of dog lovers looking to adopt a pet.
The RSPCA says brindles are the fifth most commonly seen dogs at the RSPCA but over the last three years, the charity has taken far longer to rehome them.
Between 2015 and 2017, the RSPCA found new homes for 596 brindle dogs compared with 835 black and white dogs and 753 black and tan dogs.
RSPCA welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: “It is a shame to see the correlation between slower rehoming rates and the colour of some of our dogs.
“Like all dogs, every brindle dog is an individual and they come in all shapes, sizes and characters so we would urge people to see past their looks and recognise the amazing personalities of all of our rescue dogs.
“Sadly, many of the brindle dogs are Staffies, lurchers and mastiffs, breeds which the RSPCA regularly takes into its care and so this trend may also be because they are less likely to stand out from other dogs and are easily overlooked.
“Some types, especially Staffies, are wrongly seen as dogs with bad reputations but given the right home, these dogs can make great family pets.
“It would be lovely if 2019 could change the fortunes of some of the longer stay dogs in our care and they could finally find their forever home.”
STELLA. Stella the five year old Staffie crossbreed came into RSPCA care because she was not settling with a male dog in the same household.
She is described as nervous around men and more comfortable with women. S
he has spent more than a year at the charity’s Millbrook Animal Centre in Surrey.
CHANCE: Chance is a six year old boxer crossbreed who ended up in RSPCA care when his owners were evicted.
He is described as strong and bouncy and needs an owner who is experienced with larger breed dogs.
RUBY: Ruby is a three year old Old English bulldog. She is described as timid around new people but is affectionate and loves cuddles.
She is currently under-going extensive corrective training.
GARY: Gary, a two year old lurcher crossbreed, was brought to the RSPCA as a welfare concern.
He is described as loving and friendly and better suited to rural walks and open spaces rather parks or along roads.
ELLA: Ella is an eight year old Staffie. She is looking for a home after her owner passed away.
She loves walks and human attention. She is looking to be homed with another dog called George as they have always been together.
For more details of the pets looking for new homes in 2019, see: www.rspca.org.uk/findapet