Animal Matters

It is a very sad fact that this wonderfully friendly breed of dog, with a Kennel Club Pedigree Class for the past 80 years and from an historic line stretching back over 200 years, has acquired such a negative reputation in the minds of the general public in recent years.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Oct 2016, 14:00 BST
Updated 25th Oct 2016, 18:31 BST
For the past three years, on average, around 50% of all dogs in rescue centres have been Staffordshire or Staffordshire Cross.For the past three years, on average, around 50% of all dogs in rescue centres have been Staffordshire or Staffordshire Cross.
For the past three years, on average, around 50% of all dogs in rescue centres have been Staffordshire or Staffordshire Cross.

Due largely to their overriding desire to please they are easy to train and, unfortunately, those individuals that wish to use this trait to imbed aggression find the Staffordshire ideal for their warped aim.

The unfortunate effect of this small minority of bad owners is that the breed has become the stereotypical ‘dangerous’ dog. The nett result has been that almost a culture of fear has developed in the public’s mind and we hear the result of this on a daily basis at our centre.

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We take a great deal of care to assess each individual prior to admitting it to the centre and undertake an initial viewing at the dog’s home followed by an in-depth assessment at our facility. Only if we feel that the dog is suitable for rehoming do we take it into our care.

We, and probably every rescue centre in the land, would simply ask that you look past the stereotype that has built up around the breed. They really can make fantastic family pets. In addition they are often receptive to training, enjoy playing a full part in the life of the family as well as relishing an active lifestyle. In short they can be seen as a great all round dog with so much to give to the right home.

So if you are looking for a new four-legged friend please consider them as part of your search and you could be rewarded with a fantastic addition to your family.