Chesterfield priest answers prayers of troubled young rescue dog after reuniting her with brother

One-year-olds Jessie and Luther were part of the same litter sold by an experienced breeder in Huddersfield.

But while Luther arrived in Chesterfield to live with the Reverend Mark Broomhead and his family as a companion for their existing family dog, Jessie was not so lucky.

Jessie’s new family found that she was the wrong breed for them and handed her over to Dogs Trust Leeds in May at just eight months old.

The charity matched Jessie with two potential adopters, but she did not settle in the new homes and both times was returned to the kennels after just 24 hours. All the upheaval took its toll, leaving Jessie with some specific behavioural needs.

Rev Broomhead said: “Luther was so sad after we lost our dog Storm so we started looking for another family dog to keep him company.

“We spoke to the breeder who originally sold us Luther and they said they thought one of his littermates had been handed in to Dogs Trust. We checked some details and sure enough, Jessie was Luther’s sister.”

He added: “We took Luther along with us to the rehoming centre to meet Jessie and the connection was instant. I don’t know whether they recognised each other but they just ran around playing together and there was no apprehension at all. We had to take her home.”

The Dogs Trust arranged for Jessie to have a sleepover with Luther on their first birthday in September, and it went so well that the Broomhead family decided to adopt her permanently.

Rev Broomhead said: “Jessie was very skittish and nervous when she first arrived but she’s settled in very quickly and she’s like a different dog now. Her personality is shining through and she’s very cuddly and affectionate.

“Luther and Jessie just adore each other. They love to chase each other, play tug of war and go for walks together. They can’t be separated, and they’ve definitely helped keep us sane in lockdown.”

The Dogs Trust estimates that up to 40,000 more dogs could need support as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Find out how you can help, at dogstrust.org.uk/changethetale.

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