It’ll be lonely this Christmas for Staffordshire Bull Terrier Gizmo who is facing a fifth month at Battersea Dogs Home if he’s not rehomed soon.
The gorgeous six-year-old Staffie has struggled with kennel life ever since he was brought to the centre back in July.
His owner left him with a neighbour and cruelly never returned – he was then committed to quarantine for two weeks with kennel cough.
Gizmo is currently being fostered by rehoming and welfare assistant Sarah Parkinson,22, spending his evenings relaxing at her Orpington home while enduring stressful days in a Battersea kennel.
Sarah said: “Everything was so overwhelming when he came to us. He was sat in bed shuddering and he didn’t want to interact with people.
“He just shut down when he first arrived. I had to sit with him in his kennel for a really long time before he trusted me enough to come over to me.
NIGHT-TIME CUDDLES: Gizmo and his toy reindeer
“When I took him home he turned into a completely different dog. His tail wouldn’t stop wagging and he was so happy.
“When he’s here [Battersea] his tail is between his legs and he shudders.”
“When I leave him in the mornings I can hear him on the floor below whining and screaming because he is so sad.
“He is just learning how to be a dog. Everything is new and exciting to him, it’s like having a new-born baby!”
Gizmo wears a Thundershirt while in his kennel, a jacket which exerts gentle pressure on the dog’s torso to alleviate stress.
Battersea staff refer to it as the equivalent of a cuddle in jacket form.
Staffies face an average of a 33-day wait, while a Bichon Frise waits on average just 13 days.
HAPPY CHAPPY: Gizmo smiling at Battersea
Communications officer Ceiri O’Douglas,34, believes this does not tell the whole story as there have been many dogs like Gizmo in their care in the past.
She said: “We get a lot of Staffies come to Battersea and although the statistics aren’t bad, a lot of dogs like Gizmo get hidden in the numbers.
“He’s been in kennels for four months, which is much longer than our 29-day average, and far too long for a sensitive soul like Gizmo who needs to be around people.”
In 2013, 1,598 of the 4,866 dogs Battersea took in were Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and in total, the breed makes up 33% of the dogs that arrive at their three centres.
Ceiri explained one of the main reasons Staffies tend to be at Battersea longer than other dogs is because of their sheer numbers.
She said: “If potential owners are walking through kennels and see a brindle Staffie, followed by
a brindle Staffie, followed by a brindle Staffie, and then an American Bulldog, it’s invariably the Bulldog that stands out.”
In Gizmo’s case, Ceiri believes he has been at Battersea for a particularly long time because of his specific requirements.
CUDDLE TIME! Sarah Parkinson with another of the Battersea dogs
She explained: “Because he is so nervous, he will need time and patience to bond with new owners.
“He is going to be best suited to a household without another dog, somewhere quite peaceful,
And with an owner who is prepared to take on his training and build up his confidence with other dogs.”
He is ready for re-homing after passing Battersea’s two-stage assessment which tests how he reacts to being with other people and animals.
For more information about Gizmo or any other animals at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home call 0843 509 4444.
