These animals spent 2021 without a home – can you give them a family in 2022?

pictures of animals who need a home in 2022
They’ve been waiting a long time (Picture: Blue Cross/Dogs Trust/Cats Protection)

Getting a pet isn’t something to be taken lightly or done on a whim, but if you’ve been seriously considering opening your home to a four-legged friend, rehoming is a great option.

There are so many lovely animals out there who need homes, some of whom have been in shelters month after month.

If you’re looking for someone to add to your family, here’s a list of absolute sweethearts that have been in shelters for most – if not all – of 2021, and would desperately love a home for 2022.

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Baby

baby the cat
Don’t let that glare fool you – Baby’s a sweetheart (Picture: Cats Protection)
Baby, 14, was found straying and handed over to Cats Protection’s Derby Centre. She’s friendly, sweet-natured and would need to be the only pet in the home. Baby’s on medication for her blood pressure, but she’s doing well and would make someone a wonderful companion. If you’re interested in enquiring after Baby, you can email [email protected] .

Gypsy

gypsy the husky who's looking for a home
Look at that face (Picture: Dogs Trust)
Gypsy, six, is described as a stunning lady with a sensitive soul. She’s been with Dogs Trust since spring 2021.

Read your dog's body language.

Once she knows and trusts you, she’s caring and affectionate. She loves her food and chasing toys – these things will help her new owners bond with her.

Gypsy’s after an adult-only home with minimal visitors as she’s wary of strangers. She loves walks but doesn’t like bumping into other dogs, so she will need to be walked in quiet areas to really enjoy herself.

She’ll also need a secure garden to hang out in with no neighbouring dogs and, because she is a big girl, the fence will need to be at least six feet high.

Keep Them Active. Energy varies between breeds, says Dr. Becker. “Greyhounds, Labs, Golden Retrievers, Jack Russell Terriers, Border Collies, and other active breeds have unfathomable energy.” He continues, “wolves spend 80% of their time awake, moving. With cats, there’s not such an exercise requirement,” but providing outlets for play at home is still crucial. For both cats and dogs he recommends food-dispensing that “recreates the hunt,” and puzzle feeders that engage your pet’s “body and mind.”

The team at the charity are confident that, with patient owners, Gypsy will make a lovely, loyal friend. If you’re interested in enquiring after Gypsy, go to the Dogs Trust website.

Casper

Sweet little Casper, nine, has been with Dogs Trust Ballymena since July 2020.

He’s described as ‘a very sweet-natured boy with a lovely character’ who’s particularly fond of playing with his ball. He’s a bit sensitive, and can be shy and anxious about open spaces, but he loves company.

Casper didn’t take well to life in kennels, so he’s currently enjoying the attention and affection of a foster home. He likes to sleep in the bedroom and prefers having someone around a lot.

INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Having a dog in the house means more bacteria enters the home and gets inside the occupants (one study found “dog-related biodiversity” is especially high on pillowcases.) In turn, people with dogs seem to get ill less frequently and less severely than people with no pets.

He needs a quiet, adult-only home where he is the only pet, as well as a secure garden.

If you’re interested in enquiring after Casper, go to the Dogs Trust website.

Patricia

patricia the horse who's looking for a home in 2022
Patricia’s been with Blue Cross for almost 200 days (Picture: Blue Cross)
Patricia, four, is looking for a new home as a project pony. She has been in the care of Blue Cross for nearly 200 days.

She needs an experienced and understanding handler to carry on building her confidence, and she needs more training before going through the backing process to be ridden, but she is good to catch and lead.

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Patricia can live out 24/7 with access to a shelter or be part stabled, and she’s good within the herd environment. She would need her weight restricting in spring and summer months. If you’re interested in enquiring after Patricia, go to the Blue Cross website.

Sally

sally the cat
Sally takes a little while to warm up, but with time your patience will pay off (Picture: Cats Protection)
Lovely Sally, 11, has been at Cats Protection’s Birmingham Adoption Centre since April. She was handed over to them because she wasn’t getting along with another cat in the household.

She can be a bit unsure of people at first, but once she gets to know you, she’s affectionate and friendly.

Love your pet. You are your pet’s favorite thing in the whole world. He craves your love, attention and care. So show him the love and devotion he shows you!

If you’re interested in enquiring after Sally, you can go to the Cats Protection website.

Teddy

Poor little Teddy originally came to Dogs Trust Glasgow six years ago. He spent some time in a home but ended up back with them not long before Christmas 2020.

Described as ‘a lovely boy’ who’s ‘full of beans’, the eight-year-old loves his squeaky toy and gets a kick out of training. He’ll need an energetic owner who can keep up with him, and one who’s experienced with training dogs so he can carry on learning.

Teddy will want to meet prospective owners several times, so he can get to know them. He’ll also need a quiet, calm home with a secure garden and few visitors. He’ll need to be with someone who’s home most of the day, so he can get settled and keep busy.

Get Your Dog Microchipped For a Permanent Identifier. A scan of your dogs microchip will give all of your personal information to help with a speedy reunion, just remember to update your information with the microchip company if you move. (microchips are also one of the ways a court can make a decision regarding ownership of a dog, if it ever came to that)

He doesn’t mind making friends on his dog walks, but he’ll need to be the only dog in the home and can only live with children over the age of 16.

If you’re interested in enquiring after Teddy, go to the Dogs Trust website.

Angel

Two-year-old Angel has been with Dogs Trust Loughborough since March 2021 owing to a change in her previous family’s circumstances.

The staffie cross is a ‘loveable lady’ who loves long walks and would adore going on adventures with a new family. She’s very playful, but she’s not always confident. She’ll need a patient family who’ll give her time to get to know and trust them.

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She’ll need an adult-only home, and would like to be the only pet and stay the centre of attention. Angel would also prefer a quieter home with a secure garden for her to chill out in, and while she’s settling in she’d benefit from having her new family around the majority of the time.

If you’re interested in enquiring after Angel, you can contact Dogs Trust.

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