Dog adoption: The shocking reason why Sue has become UK's most unwanted dog

Sue, a four-year-old lurcher, hasn’t had the easiest life. She was rescued when she was a little pup, placed in RSPCA’s Bath Cats and Dogs Home and she still hasn't found a forever home since. Over the years, she’s watched more than 900 furry friends get adopted and now she's been dubbed as the UK's most unwanted dog.

Sue’s breed

Sue is a lurcher, which is normally a mix between a sighthound and a herding dog or terrier. Lurchers, much like sighthounds, are known to be calm and affectionate but they have an incredible ability to run for the hills. VetStreet suggests training a lurcher as soon as you bring them home because if you wait until they’re over six months, they could be pretty set in their ways.

Sue, on the other hand, has already gone four years without proper training, and Rachel Jones, Chief Executive of Baths Cats and Dogs Home says that she requires an owner that will put in a lot of effort. She said:

Sue is a sweet and clever pup who can get a little over-excited at times so would benefit from owners who can continue her training.

In fact in 2018, the pup had been briefly adopted but the owners returned her in 2019 because of unknown circumstances. We don't know whether it was because she was too hard to train, but members of the charity have another theory as to why she is so unpopular.

Brindle dog

Jones says the colour of her fur might be a huge factor. She explained:

​​We believe that Sue’s colour may be putting people off. Previous research by the RSPCA has shown that brindle dogs take around 36 per cent longer to re-home than other colours.

Brindle dogs are known to have 'tiger-stripped' coat pattern with a base of red and stripes of brown and black stripes on top. It may be a unique combination of colours, but that's exactly what makes her so special.

The staff are hopeful that she'll find a family that cherishes her features and gives her the love and attention she very much needs. Jones continued:

We believe Sue is around four so she was just a youngster when she came into our care and has spent her whole life with us. It really is time that she makes a fresh start with a lovely new family who can finally show her the love and security that she deserves.