Dogs Trust has 17 Rehoming Centres across the UK and cares for over
16,000 stray and unwanted dogs every year.
In Leeds, Rita and her son Elliott are looking for a family pet but choosing one out of the
many dogs that have been rescued isn't an easy task.
But Canine Carer Joy thinks she may have found their perfect pet in Jack - an eleven year
old Whippet cross.
He came in to us about three or four weeks ago.
He was a Dogs Trust dog when he was a year old and the owners have had him for ten years,
but are now moving to accommodation where they can't take a dog.
So Dogs Trust policy is, if a dog belongs to Dogs Trust, it comes back to Dogs Trust,
and so he's back her with us.
After being in a loving home for ten years coming into kennels has come as a bit of a
shock for poor old Jack.
Hello, Jack.
He really enjoys his walks.
He goes out for a couple of hours.
Jack soon sniffs out Joy's treat bag
He likes his food.
Oh look.
Do you?
Food is his primary obsession.
He's lovely, isn't he?
Would you like to go for a little walk?
We'd love to, yes, please.
Jack, come here.
Older dogs are often harder to home.
Joy knows it will be a very special family who agree to take on Jack.
Here at Dogs Trust in Leeds there's a dedicated team working to ensure that every dog gets
the best possible care while awaiting a new home.
For Joy it's her dream job
I worked for a bank for 25 years, and I've always wanted to work with dogs and I became
a volunteer at Dogs Trust about 12 years ago and I just loved it.
I just wanted to do more with dogs.
And when a opportunity came for a job, I applied and I got the job and loved it.
It's just the greatest job ever.
Joy has a habit of taking her work home with her - quite literally.
She'd adopt all the dogs if she could but unfortunately she only has room at home for
three.
My oldest dog, Grace, is 17.
I'Ve had her for 11 years.
She was a long term dog from here and she's a little Spitz Collie crossbreed, and she's
got alopecia, so she's fairly bald.
But she's a little bit senile at the moment.
I've got another dog from Dogs Trust called Henry, and he's now 13.
He's a terrier crossbreed.
Again, he was another slightly difficult dog that had been here for a year.
He's just obsessed with food.
Then there's Waggy - an eight year old German Shepherd crossbreed.
He came into Dogs Trust about seven years ago.
He was a stray brought in from the dog warden, and he had a very funny front withered leg,
which was completely useless.
So the vet decided that he needed it amputated, and at the same time he was neutered.
He came back from the vet's and I said I would take him home for some TLC.
I fell in love with him that night and he's been with me ever since.
Dogs are a way of life for Joy and to say that she's married to her job is no exaggeration
My husband couldn't really cope with my love of dogs and so I ended up leaving him.
I've got a much happier home now, now that I'm with my dogs.
It was either my husband or the dogs, and the dogs won.
Meanwhile Rita and Elliott are bonding with Jack.
And there certainly seems to be plenty of life in the old dog yet.
You walk with him, let me have a little look and see how he - he's very gentle isn't he?
How does he feel on the lead, Elliott?
He feels very responsive.
His recall is brilliant, isn' it?
Jack?
Good boy.
Shall we just see if he can - Jack, come here.
Come here.
Sit.
Can you sit?
Jack, sit.
Can you go down?
Can you give a paw.
Give paw.
Jack.
Yes, I do.
Hello.
Oh, lovely.
Isn't that nice.
Licking Elliott too, are you?
Oh, Jack, you are lovely.
Aren't you?
Joy felt instinctively that old Jack was the right dog for Rita and Elliott.
Was she right?
I don't know, he's lovely isn't he?
Yeah, he's gorgeous.
You seem really keen.
He's a reasonable size.
Yeah.
He's got a great personality.
He's got a fantastic personality.
Despite the fact that he's 10 or 11, he doesn't look to be 10 or 11 at all, he's really -you�ve
had a run with him, haven't you?
Yeah.
I think he could be fantastic, but I think we maybe just need to just step away and make
sure that he actually is the right dog for us, and then maybe come back tomorrow and
let them know tomorrow.
I know you want to take him now, don't you?
But I think we just need to just sleep on it and just make sure for him that it's right.
In the next episode - Will Rita and Elliott decide to give an old dog a new home?