Britain's 'most unwanted dog' still searching for a home after five years in kennels

A dog is still desperately searching for his forever home after spending five years being overlooked in kennels.

Mason, an eight-year-old German Shepherd cross, has been rejected thousands of times since being abandoned in 2019. He was found extremely thin and distrustful before being rescued and given a new lease of life at Hilbrae Rescue Kennels, near Telford, Shropshire.

But lonely Mason has now spent more than half of his life in kennels trying to find the loving new home he so desperately needs.

Marty Burrell, who has run the kennels for 50 years, believes he is being overlooked because of his large size but says he is a '"loving, affectionate dog".

She said: "He is a big dog but he is really affectionate when he learns to trust somebody. He just keeps being overlooked and now he's eight. We find bigger dogs do get overlooked more but not to this extent. Smaller dogs can be rehomed in a week. It may be due to the cost of living or people having smaller houses - but poor Mason is still here. He has a really loving nature.

"He is a big dog, but not a dangerous dog. He was very wary and distrustful at first but we have worked to gain his trust."

Cheryl Gibson runs Shropshire Canine pet care services and works to raise the profile of dogs in rescue centres. She has now relaunched an appeal to find Mason his forever home after dubbing him one of Britain's most unwanted dogs.

Cheryl said: "This boy is so misunderstood. He's spent years in kennels. He arrived as a pup and now he's grey. He shouldn't be spending his whole life in homeless kennels."

Mason is looking for a quiet home, with a family experienced with larger breeds. Staff are confident that Mason could live with a calm dog, with interested families needing to spend some time allowing him to adjust. Anyone interested in rehoming Mason is asked to contact Hilbrae Rescue Kennels.