This Saturday will mark 400 days since three-year-old Charm first arrived at Battersea’s Old Windsor centre. As a former racing Greyhound, Charm had little knowledge of the outside world and no experience of life in a home. Now, more than a year on in Battersea’s care, Charm’s confidence has blossomed and she is ready to find her forever sofa.
Through no fault of her own, Charm has been at Battersea for ten times longer than most dogs spend at the rescue, with the average length of stay being 38 days. Sadly, it is a story all too common for her breed. Misconceptions around Greyhounds’ energy levels and exercise requirements continue to deter many owners from giving these gentle souls a chance.
Hannah Gee, Rehoming Team Leader at Battersea Old Windsor, said: “Lovely Charm lives up to her name in every way. She can be initially cautious around new people but once she gets to know you, her playful and friendly personality shines through. While she does experience short bursts of high energy, what we like to call Greyhound ‘zoomies’, she’s quite happy to potter around or snooze the day away. There’s no doubt she’s a staff favourite and we’re all rooting for her to find her perfect match.”
To help prepare her for life outside of Battersea, and ease the transition from kennel to home, Charm’s care team decided that she would benefit from some time in a foster home. It was while on foster that Charm learned to embrace affection – spending evenings on the sofa with her foster carer and even initiating tummy rubs.
Hannah said: “Charm proved to be an excellent house guest. She settled into her foster home surprisingly quickly and took all the new sights and sounds, including the TV, in her stride. It’s become clear that her love of food knows no bounds and while her table manners could do with some work, her excitement around dinner time only adds to her character. She’s such a loving girl and is going to make someone a wonderful companion.”
Charm’s worried side still sometimes comes out on walks, so she’d benefit from living in a quieter location, where she can continue to get used to novel places, people and things.
If you’ve been charmed by this special girl and would like to speak to Battersea’s rehoming team, please visit their website to register your interest: https://www.battersea.org.uk/
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Notes to editors
- At Battersea we offer our love and expert care to dogs and cats who need us by rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals at our centres, and by sharing our knowledge and resources with rescue organisations around the world. We do this because we want to help every dog and cat, everywhere.
- In 2024 Battersea directly cared for 2,766 dogs and 2,454 cats at our three centres. We also helped thousands more through campaigning work, supporting other rescues and animal welfare advocates, and sharing knowledge and advice with pet owners.
- In addition to the site at Old Windsor, Berkshire, Battersea also has two other centres based at Brands Hatch, Kent and in South West London.
- To find out more visit Battersea’s website or follow Battersea on Instagram @battersea or facebook.com/Battersea and TikTok @battersea