Meet Charlie - ‘Britain’s loneliest dog’ looking for a forever home 30 minutes away from Bristol

A nine-year-old dog has spent more than 500 days in kennels at an RSPCA rescue centre just outside of Bristol waiting for his forever home.

Charlie is a ‘shy but sweet’ Beagle cross who arrived at RSPCA Brent Knoll Animal Centre back in September 2021. For more than 18 months he has watched other dogs arrive and leave the centre with a new family but is yet to find his new owner. RSPCA staff have called Charlie ‘Britain’s loneliest dog’ due to his extended period at the centre.

“It’s safe to say that this boy is a special lad and is the team’s favourite. He is loving life at RSPCA Brent Knoll Animal Centre and joins the team every morning for tea break,” said Andy Cook, the branch’s Behaviour & Welfare Advisor.

“However, as much as we all adore Charlie, we would love nothing better than to see him in a wonderful new home. He’s such a playful and affectionate dog who deserves to find his special place in someone’s heart and home. We can’t understand why he’s not yet been adopted and really hope that someone out there will give this gorgeous rescue dog the second chance he needs.”

Charlie escaped a home filled with domestic abuse and confrontation when he arrived at the rescue shelter. Because of this, he can be worried by unfamiliar people, especially men, but once he gets to know you, he loves being around his human friends. The rescue centre has described his ideal home as an adult-only home, or a home with older children of secondary school age, and he is looking for an experienced owner who can help with his anxieties and give him a chance to build his confidence.

The centre added: “Alongside cuddles and snuggles, playful Charlie also enjoys ragger and squeaky toys, as well as running around with zoomies and rolling around on the floor with his toys. Charlie is anxious around dogs so would like to enjoy a life where he can be exercised away from other dogs.”

To find out more about Charlie and what he needs in his forever home, see his profile. To find out more about other rescue animals looking for homes, please visit the RSPCA Find-a-pet website: https://www.rspca.org.uk/findapet