Can you help? Teddy boy Bruce wants someone to foster him after chalking up 250 days in kennels ...

The lovable Staffie was sadly returned to the care of Cheshire branch.

A dog with an affectionate personality is still looking for his forever home after finding himself back in the care of the RSPCA - with whom he has now spent just over 250 days.

Bruce, a Staffie-cross, passed the unwanted landmark recently with the RSPCA Crewe, Nantwich and District branch whose volunteers were saddened to learn that his stay with the new owners they found for him had been cut short earlier this year.

Bruce's plight comes as the RSPCA has launched its Cancel Out Cruelty fund-raising campaign to help more animals in need during the summer when we see a rise of animal cruelty with 245 reports of cruelty every day. 

The 11-year-old arrived at the branch in March 2021 with two other Staffies, Alaska and Terry. Bruce was adopted two months later, but, sadly, he made a return to the south Cheshire branch in January and has remained in its care since.

While volunteers have, again, been bowled over by Bruce's friendly nature, they are bemused why he is still with them.

He is playful and affectionate in human company and has proved to be a very low maintenance dog. He doesn't require much walking and is quite happy pottering about in the garden and spending time with his human pals.

While partially deaf, branch volunteers say that doesn't appear to cause Bruce problems in day-to-day life, although potential owners or fosterers will need to be vigilant when he is outside the home and not let him roam on his own.

They will also have to be aware that he does possess a reactive nature when around other dogs.

As the branch does not have an animal centre, Bruce is living again at local boarding kennels and although he is being very well cared for, the RSPCA Crewe, Nantwich and District Branch's dog rehoming co-ordinator, Angela Chan, says he is looking so sad that volunteers are desperate to find him a foster carer who may be able to adopt him permanently later.

"Coming back to us after seven months must have been just so awful for Bruce after we'd found a new home for him last May," said Angela.

"He'd lived a sad life before that, spending most of each day in a rusty crate at a property where he was neglected along with Alaska and Terry.

"They weren't socialised and they never went on walks. We took all three of them in and despite their difficult pasts all three dogs were immediately friendly and affectionate and a delight to spend time with. 

"They quickly learnt to walk nicely on leads, to sit and give a paw.

"We found a foster home for Alaska in February and she was recently adopted by her fosterers.

"Terry was adopted last year, so we are just so sad that Bruce is still with us. He has such a nice personality - he is really just a teddy bear. He is house trained and travels well in a car. 

"We were told by his previous adopters that he is good with children. However, we don't know how much contact he's had with them. We think he would make an ideal companion for an elderly person or a retired couple. He likes playing in the garden, but he also likes cuddling up and falling asleep on the sofa."

The branch has a track record of patiently accommodating long-stay dogs, but its volunteers would like a helping hand so they can carry on caring for the many canines who pass through their hands.

On arrival, Alaska (pictured in Dalmatian blanket) was diagnosed with a chronic gut disease and she was also treated for a cancerous lump early in her stay, which stretched to just under a year until she was fostered.

Bruce had a large lipoma removed at the vets and the branch believes his deafness has been caused by repeated painful ear infections that were left untreated.

His hearing is limited to high-pitch noises and although he responds best to visual commands, he does answer to his name. 

"All our current dogs are long-stayers," added Angela. "When you combine his two stints with us, Bruce's 250 days is among the longest stays we've had. We also have a German Shepherd and a Border Collie with us who have been here slightly longer than Bruce.

"We get some dogs with behavioural or health issues and we're not able to offer them up for adoption as quickly as we'd like.

"It is so sad when any dog is in kennels long term, although in a lot of cases they're in a much better situation than before they came to us.

"Bruce would make a wonderful companion for someone and would fit in perfectly into a quiet, adult-only home as the only pet. 

"Walking him on a lead away from popular dog routes would also help him immensely.

"It would be great to find a foster home for him as it would get him out of the kennels and get him on the path again to leading a normal life with loving owners. But we are also happy for Bruce to be adopted straight away."

All expenses incurred for fostering Bruce and any of the dogs will be covered by the branch.

If you can offer Bruce space in your home and heart then email the branch at https://www.oldies.org.uk/2022/bruce-rspca-crewe-nantwich-and-district-branch or ring 07748 400919.

The RSPCA is bracing itself for more animals coming into its care at a time when rehoming has slowed - with the increase in pet ownership and the cost of living crisis putting a strain on people's finances.