Weighing 132 lbs. and standing 6 ft. tall didn’t put Basher on the shortlist for adoptions at the shelter.
The folks at RSPCA Cornwall were concerned that the dog’s size might prevent him from finding a forever home.
Basher arrived at the RSPCA Cornwall in 2021 after being transferred from a different shelter.
Poor Basher had spent three years living in kennels.
Though Basher may have been a huge dog, there was nothing intimidating about him.
Basher was nothing but a gentle giant. But that’s not what many people believed when they spotted him.
“Basher is so gentle-hearted and goofy,” RSPCA Cornwall staff member Sammy Howard told The Dodo. “People would probably see him and think that he is big and scary, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body.”
The staff at the RSPCA became more and more disheartened the longer that Basher stayed at the shelter.
“It’s always heartbreaking to see the amount of animals waiting in rescue shelters, but Basher was especially difficult because we all had such a strong attachment to him and we just wanted the best for him,” Howard said. “As the months went on, though, we never lost hope that there was someone out there for him.”
But one day, their hope had been restored. That was the day that Basher was finally adopted.
He had been in the shelter for 448 days.
“The feeling was indescribable,” Howard said. “The team that worked closest with him were in tears when he left.”
The RSPCA staff was determined to make sure that Basher would be a good fit and that he would fit into his new home.
They didn’t want to run the risk of having him returned back to the shelter.
So, Basher’s new mom would come to visit Basher at the shelter and take him on trips to her house before bringing him home.
They did this for three months. Basher had an outdoor kennel and had to be slowly integrated indoors at his new home.
“We’re so grateful to Basher’s owner for taking him on, we know you’ll all be so happy together!” the RSPCA wrote on their Facebook page.
And they certainly are! It may be a touch challenging and not completely perfect, but they are definitely a happy forever family.
“So so proud of this boy. 3 years in kennels, his life looked so bleak and he’s continued to prove his gorgeous self. I actually can’t put into words how proud of him I am,” his new mom wrote on his Instagram page.
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“OK, he’s shredded 3 sofas… but he’s made friends. He gives big love, he has no malice even to the dominant mouthy collie. He’s bonded with Pup Pup, and they snuggle on their bales and rug. He has the deepest bark, he’s keeping us safe, and gives the best cuddles ever. Just so blinking proud of him.”
You can follow Basher on Instagram @basher_rspca. Check out a video of the pup below!
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