‘Bear’ stole the show last Christmas when she featured on This Morning, and is set to be a star once again this week as her story is told on Channel 5’s The Dog Rescuers.
The story of 11-year-old RSPCA rescue dog Bear, who was rehomed to a couple from Hampshire, will be shown on The Dog Rescuers this week.
Elderly pooch Bear was brought to RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre in Chobham by an RSPCA inspector in November 2017, after her previous owner was unable to care for her due to her age.
The tear jerking episode shows how alhough Bear’s previous owner cared for her very much, the senior pooch was unable to continue climbing the stairs to the flat where she and her owner lived, and he made the brave decision to ask RSPCA inspector Anthony Pulfer to help find her a new and more suitable home.
After arriving at RSPCA Millbrook, Akita-type dog Bear settled quickly and became a firm favourite with staff, and even made a trip to London to appear on ITV’s This Morning just before Christmas as part of a section on giving a second chance to golden oldie rescue dogs.
Snoozing Bear was decidedly underwhelmed by the experience and slept through the entire show, winning the hearts of presenters Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes.
But it wasn’t just the TV hosts who were taken with Bear. As David and Tracy Kenny from Farnborough, Hampshire, spotted the cuddly canine snoozing on the sofa of the popular daytime TV programme, they knew instantly they had to offer her a home.
Tracy said: “It was love at first sight! We weren’t really looking for a dog at the time but when we saw big cuddly Bear snoozing away on the programme, we just knew we had to offer her a home.
“We picked up the phone straight away to contact RSPCA Millbrook where Bear was being cared for, but initially, someone else had reserved her. However, that fell through and within a couple of days we received the phone call to invite us to go and meet her - we couldn’t wait! As soon as we saw her, we knew she was perfect for us. We have had dogs in the past and knew if we did get another, we’d like a large-breed, so it seems rehoming Bear was meant to be.
She added: “We brought Bear home in the New Year (6 January) and she is an absolute dream, we totally and utterly adore her. She gets on well with our two cats, and she really loves going on walks in the woods nearby, and although she still loves to snooze, she’s very playful at times too!
“She’s an older girl so where we live is ideal - there are no stairs for her to climb and she can walk straight out of the back door into our garden, so she’s very happy and settled. Our friends and family can’t wait to meet her.”
RSPCA inspector Anthony Pulfer who can be seen on the episode offering advice to Bear’s former owner and reassured him that Bear would be taken care of.
He said: “Bear’s former owner really did love her but she couldn’t carry on doing those stairs every day, and he was brave in deciding that Bear could go on to live her remaining years somewhere far more suitable, where she would be just as loved. It was a difficult decision to make, but absolutely the right one, and to see Bear now living such a wonderful life, I hope her former owner is very proud of what he has given her, by giving her up.
“Seeing rescue animals find a new life with in a new home with loving owners is one of the best parts of my job.”
If you’re looking to adopt a rescue animal, maybe even give a second chance to a pet in its old age, you can view animals needing homes near you by visiting the RSPCA’s Find A Pet online service.
A book about The Dog Rescuers, featuring memorable and heartwarming stories of RSPCA dogs who have featured in the TV series, will be released on 12 July. You can pre-order the book, published by Penguin Random House, on Amazon.