A family from Bletchley, Buckinghamshire has come to the rescue of one of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s most mischievous mutts after seeing his story on ITV’s award-winning series, Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs.
Around 4.9 million viewers tuned in to the show, broadcast earlier this year, and witnessed Mr Pickles’ cheeky antics, which included jumping on tables, pilfering shoes, raiding bins and being vocal. The two year old Beagle was filmed during his third stint in kennels when his previous owners were unable to cope with his naughty antics. He even received a helping hand from Battersea’s Ambassador Paul O’Grady who tried to teach the hyper hound some do’s and don’ts in a bid to help him find a new family.
Following Mr Pickles’ TV debut, the world famous animal charity, which takes in almost 9,000 animals a year, was flooded with calls from members of the public offering to give Mr Pickles a second chance.
It was experienced Beagle owners Gordon Pitt and Christine Harland from Bletchley who felt they could take on the daunting canine training challenge and give Mr Pickles the home he desperately needed.
Christine Harland says: “When we saw Mr Pickles’ story on the Paul O’Grady show about Battersea, we were in floods of tears. He’s only young and has had a really unsettled start to life, so you can understand his behaviour. Taking him on has been quite an experience, but with hard work and perseverance he’s finally becoming a happier and better behaved dog and is so affectionate. We’ve got through quite a few pairs of shoes as he likes chewing things, but there’s never a dull moment with him around!”
Rob Young, Head of Dog Rehoming at Battersea adds: “You couldn’t write the script! Mr Pickles certainly lived up to reputation at Battersea but he had lots of fans here, including Paul O’Grady. Mr Pickles has really landed on his paws with his new family and we’re so pleased to hear how well he’s getting on.”
Battersea cares for around 400 dogs and 200 cats at any one time. If you can give a home to a Battersea dog or cat please call 020 7622 3626 or visit www.battersea.org.uk.