All shelter dogs want nothing more than to find their forever home, but it can take some longer than others to get adopted. Some dogs wait months or even years before finding a home, and it can be especially difficult for dogs that look a little different.
That’s the case for one sweet but balding westie dog, who has spent over 400 days in the shelter and is looking to finally find his forever home.
Jay, a 9-year-old West Highland terrier, arrived at the RSPCA Macclesfield, SE Cheshire & Buxton branch in England last January, after his owners became ill and couldn’t take care of him, according to a press release per The Mirror.
While Jay is a friendly little dog, it’s taken him quite a while to find his forever home. The reason, it seems, is that Jay has some conditions that may be putting off potential adopters.
Due to his age and severe allergies, Jay has been losing his fur and is now almost completely bald. He also requires a little extra care: his owners will have to apply eye drops, skin massages and baths for his allergies, and medications for his ears.
These problems are not uncommon for his breed, but his carers at the RSPCA worry it might be keeping him from finding a loving home.
“We worry that this is what’s putting potential adopters off of offering him a new home but we really hope that there’ll be someone out there who can look past his lack of hair and see that he has a whole lot of love to give,” said RSPCA spokesperson Carmen Cole.
They say that despite his hair loss and medical needs, Jay is a sweet dog who will be a great pet for someone willing to take him in.
“Jay is such a little character and while he may be small, he certainly makes up for that in personality.”
His adoption page lists a number of enticing reasons to adopt Jay, including the fact that his favorite hobby is “snoozing” and that his lack of fur means “you won’t get covered in dog hair.”
After more than 400 days in the shelter, the RSPCA hopes that this is finally the time Jay will find his forever home.
It hasn’t been an easy road: according to his adoption page, they had potential adopters before but things didn’t work out.
But hopefully, this time will be different: a spokesperson recently told People that they’ve seen an “increased interest” in Jay as his story has gone viral.
We hope this sweet dog finds a forever home soon! 400 days is too long for any dog to be in a shelter, and Jay doesn’t deserve to be passed over all the time just because he’s a little different.
If you’re interested in adopting Jay, you can reach out to RSPCA Macclesfield through Jay’s adoption page here!
Let’s help this sweet dog find a perfect home, share this story to spread the word!
