Family rescues dog's sister from shelter by spotting her in old photos

Reunited dogs Luther and Jessie
Luther and Jessie hit it off straight away when they were reunited (Picture: Caters News)

A dog who was dumped at a shelter has been reunited with her sibling just in time for Christmas.

Jessie lived at four different homes over 12 months before now owners, Mark and Sarah Broomhead, spotted her on the Dogs Trust website and realised she was part of their family. She had the same markings as their dog, Luther, and by looking at puppy photographs they figured out that Jessie was in fact his sister.

The pair decided to adopt Jessie and she and her long-lost brother are already inseparable.

Owners Mark and Sarah, say it’s the best Christmas present to have them reunited. ‘Luther was so sad after we lost our dog Storm, so we started looking for another family dog to keep him company,’ says Mark.
Mark and Sarah Broomhead, with their dogs Luther and Jessie
Mark and Sarah say it is the best Christmas present to have the siblings back together (Picture: Caters News)
‘We spoke to the breeder who originally sold us Luther and they said they thought one of his littermates had been handed in to Dogs Trust Leeds. We had a look, checked some details and sure enough, Jessie was Luther’s sister.

‘We took Luther along with us to the rehoming centre to meet Jessie and the connection was instant. I don’t know whether they recognised each other but they just ran around playing together and there was no apprehension at all. We had to take her home.’

If your dog isn't feeling well, add some low-sodium chicken broth to the drinking water.

Jessie and Luther, both cross breeds, were part of the same litter sold by an experienced breeder in Huddersfield. But while Luther went off to Chesterfield to live with the Reverend Mark and his family, Jessie was not so lucky.

Jessie’s new family found that she was the wrong breed for them and rehomed her at a very young age. In her new home, Jessie didn’t get along with the cat and she was eventually handed over to Dogs Trust Leeds in May when she was just eight months old.

Dogs Trust Leeds matched Jessie with two potential adopters, but she wouldn’t settle in the new homes and both times, she was returned to the kennels after just 24 hours. All the upheaval in her early life took its toll, leaving Jessie with some specific behavioural needs.

Mark and Sarah Broomhead, with their daughter Eden and dogs Luther and Jessie
Poor Jessie had a troubled start to life as she struggled to find a forever family (Picture: Caters News)
‘Jessie was very skittish and nervous when she first arrived but she’s settled in to our family very quickly and she’s like a different dog now,’ says Mark. ‘Her personality is shining through and she’s a very cuddly and affectionate dog.

‘Luther and Jessie just adore each other. They love to chase each other, play tug of war and go for walks together. They can’t be separated.’

‘Jessie had such a difficult start in life but we couldn’t have written a better ‘happily ever after’ tale for her,’ says Dogs Trust Leeds rehoming centre manager Amanda Sands.

Train your pet to understand obedience. Dogs should at least understand basic direction like “sit” and “stay.” In an emergency situation these cues could save your pet’s life.

‘She’s made incredible progress since going to live with her brother Luther and the Broomhead family. It’s a very special feeling to know that we were able to change the tale for Jessie and help give her the life she deserves.’

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