After nearly five years at an RSPCA animal shelter, Britain’s most lonely dog has finally found a home. Albie, a lurcher, was saved by RSPCA inspectors during an investigation and was cared for by them while the case was investigated. Just before Christmas in 2023, Albie was saved.

The Southridge Animal Centre team in Hertfordshire tried their best to find him the ideal home, but the Covid epidemic struck after it was over and he was placed available for adoption. Albie was recovered from Wales by the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit after being exploited in hunting and wildlife offenses there.

“Unfortunately, Albie was a Covid victim and became available for adoption just before the country went into lockdown, so we had to close our doors to the public in order to abide with the regulations,” the manager, Anna White, stated.

If someone walked in looking for a dog in person, they would surely fall in love with him because he is such a sweet puppy when you first met him. However, because we were forced to rely on internet pet classifieds, we found that he was usually overlooked and received very few inquiries.

But they insisted on supporting him. After looking at his online profile, West Londoner Grace Ho made the decision to give him a chance. “I had lost my dog in April and was now open to the notion of volunteering or finding a new home for a dog, but I had envisaged a small Staffie or a spaniel, not a dog like Albie,” she added.

But seeing from his profile that no one was interested in him crushed my heart. I believe the majority of people felt he was a scary dog and never gave him a chance because of his scars and partial nose loss.

“I went to the center and asked if I could meet him and see how we got along by taking walks with him. I took him on walks for approximately two months, getting to know him and discovering all of his peculiarities and his reactivity to other dogs. By the conclusion of that period, I was at ease handling those problems.

“Albie is breathtakingly gorgeous. He’s usually grinning and is a good person. There is obviously a lot to do, but I am certain that I can manage it, and he has already made some progress.

Albie, who moved home with Grace in September, is doing well. He likes eating, cuddling up on the couch, and going for walks, Grace continued. Grace isn’t bothered by the fact that he walks about with a muzzle on and reacts to other dogs.

I’m working hard to desensitize him as much as I can; he’s already made friends with two greyhounds who he’s pleased to walk with. On weekdays, we walk in a quiet park near our house. On weekends, we go to bigger parks, where I know we’ll have to meet other dogs.

He is such a good boy at home. He is not making many demands. He only cares about a warm bed and a full stomach. In order to be close to me as I work, he will clamber up onto the sofa next to me and put his head behind my back.

After such a difficult childhood and spending so much time in kennels, Anna and the rest of the Southridge staff are ecstatic that Albie has finally found his happy ending. It simply demonstrates that every dog can find a home, said Anna.

The RSPCA’s annual Adoptober rehoming campaign has begun in an aim to raise public awareness of rescue animals and encourage more people to consider adopting a pet like Albie.