Dillon, a dog from Cornwall, England, has had a tumultuous past. While many people believe their dogs are undyingly loyal, Dillon got the chance to prove that by keeping watch at his owner’s side, even after his owner had died.
“He was found lying with his owner who had passed away and was obviously protecting him right up until he couldn’t anymore — which was very sad,” Amy Hall with the National Animal Welfare Trust told SWNS, according to People.
“He came to us about two years ago from that situation, which is what Dillon wanted and needed, but we’ve been trying to find the right one for him, the right home and family.”
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Despite his clear show of faithfulness to his former owner, “protecting his body until the very end,” Dillon hasn’t found a new family yet.
And there are some reasons — though they’re nothing a caring person in the right situation couldn’t easily accommodate.
Dillon is described as a “lurcher,” a term more commonly used in the United Kingdom than the United States. It refers to a mixed-breed dog that is usually a cross between a sighthound (often a greyhound or whippet) with a herding or terrier breed.
There’s a wide range in variety, temperament and looks with these dogs, but parts of Dillon’s background breeds certainly come through in his personality. He has an astounding amount of energy (especially for a 9-year-old dog), a love of outdoor activities and some nervousness and possessiveness around other dogs and children.
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Staff have worked with him, and he is muzzle-trained to avoid any accidents while out and about. He has made friends with other lurchers but definitely has a strong prey drive thanks to his sighthound blood.
“The thing with his age is he attracts people looking for more of a dog that sits with you, whereas Dillon in his heart is still a bit of a puppy,” Hall explained. “He will settle down with you and relax too, but he likes to go out in the fields and have a nice walk — after which he likes to just chill.”
“We actually sent him out to a foster home a while ago with other dogs, and he got on fine there, absolutely fine, but when they were in the home together, he wasn’t too happy — he likes his owner to himself,” she said.
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“He’s a bit like Joey from ‘Friends’ — Joey doesn’t share. He’s more than happy to go out for walks with other dogs, and he’s more than happy with friends bringing their kids or dogs over too.
“He’s a really great dog, but he just needs the right person. We’ve had a few people interested, but for one reason or another, they’ve not quite worked out. Recently, though, the response has been absolutely amazing.”
The NAWT Cornwell posted on Nov. 20 that Dillon was once again passed over by a recent prospective adopter who found his needs too demanding.
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“Poor Dillon can not believe it,” the post said. “His reserve has fell through yet again. We are absolutely devastated.
“Through no fault of his own the customer decided they would wait for a Labrador as they don’t usually own lurchers and one that could play with family dogs that visit. Dillon wouldn’t want to share his toys and play with little dogs so it just wasn’t going to work. We had all got our hopes up for him and actually thought that he was going to be moving into his forever home.”
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Surely there’s someone out there who can give Dillon the home he needs, where he can be the only pet for his final years.
“My ideal home would be somewhere in a quiet area, with a family who has lots of love to give me,” his adoption page states. “If you can provide cuddles, toys and treats then I will be a very happy boy.”
Hopefully, with all the coverage his story is getting, he will be one step closer to finding the perfect family who will love him as much as he’ll love them.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
