THE RSPCA has launched a desperate appeal for a temporary home for a distressed dog that’s reached breaking point in kennels.

The tri-colour border collie, housed at the charity’s West Hatch centre during an ongoing court case, is struggling with kennel life.

Anita Clark, deputy manager at the animal centre, said it’s heartbreaking to see the dog “on the brink of collapsing with exhaustion” every morning when she arrives for work because it’s been pacing up and down her kennel all night.

She added: “We have her out with us in reception in the daytime because she’s just getting too distressed in her kennel but this is now just not enough.

“She’s so unhappy and as a result she’s very attention seeking, so it’s a bit like looking after a young child but with so many animals in our care we just don’t have the resource she needs to keep her happy.”

“It’s now urgent that we find her a place she can really call home for a while.

“She just needs a caring, practical human to be her companion in the coming weeks during what’s a very difficult and scary time for her.”

The dog, which the RSPCA is not naming, is described as loving and it adores affection, but it needs a foster home as it is linked to a legal case.

Anita added: “Due to the nature of the case, we also don’t really know whether she’s been in a home environment or not in the past and she’s probably not house trained, so we really do need a collie enthusiast who is willing to put in the work to really help this dog.

“She will ideally need someone who is at home the majority of the day with no young children so they can get her used to being in a home environment.

“We would of course provide full behavioural support for people living locally.

“She will be a challenge but the right person will reap the benefits of making a true and real difference to this girl’s life and show her what a loving home can really be like.”

Anyone interested in taking on the dog should e-mail anita.clark@rspca.org.uk or call 0300-1230747.