Meet Woody - 'Britain's loneliest dog' waiting 10 years for forever home near Shoreham

  • ITV News Meridian's Sally Simmonds has been speaking to staff at Dogs Trust Shoreham about Woody's dream of a forever home.

An animal shelter is appealing for help to find a forever home for a dog who has spent the past decade waiting to be adopted.

Woody, the 11-year-old Shih Tzu cross poodle at a Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre in Shoreham is described by staff as a "grumpy, but lovable old man".

He has a medical condition, allergies and needs a special diet. He has also previously been rehomed at least once but was brought back.

Staff say they expect Woody to live another four to five years and have not given up hope of finding "Britain’s loneliest dog", a caring new home.

Woody has spent 10 birthdays in kennels. Thanks to his new role as a Sponsor Dog - he's had plenty of birthday cards, gifts and toys. Credit: Dogs Trust Shoreham

Woody initially came to Dogs Trust on 4 September 2015, as his owners were struggling with some of his behaviours.

Staff believe he might not have had the best start in life, as he is quite a worried dog. Because of this, he is looking for adopters who understand his need for space and respect his boundaries.

As he has been with Dogs Trust for a long time, he is used to his current routine so introducing him to life in a home will take a lot of time and patience.

  • Even at his old age, Woody loves to run around and play and has energy to burn.

Woody requires an adult only household, with no children or other pets. Staff say ideally it would be a home with multiple adults, as his care needs might be too much for one person.

His preferred owner is also someone who was a previous dog owner who understands how to look after "tricky dogs". They are looking for an owner who will fit round his needs, rather than the other way round.

Woody's new home should be within an hour to 90 mins of Shoreham, with a private garden for sniffing.

Woody loves showing off tricks, playing tug, and sniffing out adventures. Credit: Dogs Trust Shoreham

The Dogs Trust team is happy to speak to potential adopters about Woody’s health conditions and how to easily manage them at home.

Prospective owners will have around six supervised meets at the Dogs Trust kennel and they will then make a house call to check on Woody.

Michaela Wells, Assistant Manager at Dogs Trust Shoreham Rehoming Centre said: "Woody is an incredible dog. He’s clever, playful and full of personality.

"We adore him, and every birthday we celebrate with him is special, but what he really needs is a home of his own. He deserves to spend his next birthday on a cosy sofa, not in a kennel.

"After a decade of waiting, we know there’s someone out there who’s the perfect match for Woody, we just need to find them."

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