Tiny Terrier finds pawfect home after five year wait

Dogs Trust has announced the adoption of one of their long-term residents, Bella after spending 2,259 days in their care.

Bella arrived into the charity’s rehoming centre in Finglas in June 2015.

She was a worried little lady who was very wary of strangers and got to know people slowly, at her own pace.

However, those who Bella (pictured above) took a shine to, were rewarded with a lot of affection and slowly but surely, Bella’s playful personality, love of teddy bears and liking for bossing around small male dogs emerged.

Sandra Ruddell, Administration Assistant Manager, Dogs Trust Ireland said: “Bella has been quite choosy over the years about the people she warms to, so we were looking for very patient and understanding adopters who would let Bella get to know them, on her terms. With Bella being so cute, it is hard not shower her with affection and therefore she struggled to find the perfect home because she found this so overwhelming from people she didn’t know well.

Bella got a lot of interest from potential adopters but sadly she didn’t bond with them, despite their best efforts. As time passed, Bella became a sponsor dog for Dogs Trust. She amassed an army of devoted fans who would write to her and send her gifts, which she loved, especially the edible ones. The letters and cards she received never failed to put a smile on her Canine Carer’s faces, especially during the pandemic.”

Bella’s adopters said: “We knew Bella needed time and plenty of patience, so we gave her lots of space and over a period of six months, took things at a pace she was comfortable with. When she started having zoomies in our garden and on our bed, we knew she was starting to become comfortable.

“Bella warmed our hearts when she first sat on our laps and licked our faces and that’s when we knew she’d chosen us.

“While it was tricky in the beginning and a lot of hard work, she has come on so much over the past few months.

“She is such a playful, cheeky and insanely affectionate girl. We feel nothing but privilege that she’s chosen to spend the rest of her life in our house. She’s truly part of our little family and has made our house a home”.

While Dogs Trust has rehomed over 600 dogs so far this year, the charity has several dogs who are looking for quite particular homes.

They are seeking adopters with an interest in dog behaviour or dog training, who can really put their time into helping some of our special long-term dog that may need that extra bit of support to settle into a new home.

If you are interested in adopting a long-term dog, please visit DogsTrust.ie/UnderDogs and if you are not able to adopt a dog, perhaps you could sponsor a dog like Bella, to support the lifesaving work of Dogs Trust.