A loveable pooch has been dubbed 'Britain's loneliest dog' after spending 901 days in a shelter waiting to find a forever home.
Eight-year-old Sam is a lurcher who has been living at a shelter in Bolton since 2017 and staff are desperate for him to find someone to take him home with them.
He's the longest serving resident at the Destitute Animal Shelter in Bolton, Greater Manchester, having arrived in February 2017.
Despite being adored by the shelter staff, Sam - who was first rescued in 2014 - has been in and out of the shelter through no fault of his own after several homes didn't work out.
Now, he's now on a 901 day streak that shelter staff hope will end for good soon.
Karen Rickards, who is the manager of the Destitute Animal Shelter, said: "Sam has been so unlucky, and it's through no fault of his own.
"His last owner died in 2017 - which was his third brief attempt at being re-homed. He was there for six months and he's been here ever since."
"It's never anything Sam's done, he's just constantly found himself in the wrong home at the wrong time.
"He's currently our longest-serving resident. And yet he's playful, gentle and absolutely loves people.
"We need to find someone who can take care of him. He deserves nothing less than an amazing home."
Alongside Sam, the shelter is home to 12 cats and 20 dogs, all in need of a loving home.
Another unlucky resident is Blake, a seven-year-old greyhound who was nearly killed last year after being attacked by another dog.
Rickards continued: "It's a miracle Blake is still with us.
"His owner took him to the vets and asked for him to be put down after he was attacked by another dog, as they couldn't afford the vet's fees to patch him back up. His wounds were horrific.
"Thankfully the vet rang us and suggested that if they operated on him for free, we could take him in and re-home him. Of course, we said yes.
"Blake's fur grew back and the attack didn't seem to faze him too much. He recovered well and was adopted in October last year.
"But he was returned in April this year, as his new owner moved to a new home that didn't allow dogs.
"So, he's also still looking for a new home. He's a gentle giant, but he loves an energetic game of football!
"The sad thing is, 90 percent of the animals are brought in by their owners who simply no longer want them.
"They either admit that or pretend they've just 'found' the animal. If you're not committed to caring for a dog in the long term, don't get one."
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The Destitute Animal Shelter has recently been chosen by Bolton firm, Love Energy Savings, as their chosen charity partner.
Phil Foster, CEO, said: "While none of our animal-loving staff have adopted directly from the shelter, many know someone who has, so we're thrilled to be able to help out.
"The shelter needs £180,000 per year to survive and is in constant need of repair. We really hope we can raise enough money for them to make a difference."
If you fancy having a look at the shelter's animals or helping out in any way, visit their Facebook page or call 01204 526 486.
Featured Image Credit: SWNS