A dog brought to a rescue centre after a vet refused to put him down is now looking for a new home.

Buddy the terrier is the longest resident at the RSPCA Brent Knoll centre - spending more than 500 days looking for his paw-fect match.

The 10-year-old terrier came into the care of the rescue centre after a vet refused his previous owner's request to euthanise him because of his challenging behaviour.

Since his arrival, Buddy has worked hard with behaviourists to try to tackle his issues and identify triggers.

They discovered that Buddy loves toys, in particular squeaky balls, and have worked hard to encourage pleasant play routines via swapping and positive reinforcement training which has helped avoid old patterns of behaviour repeating.

He has also become used to eating from activity feeders which provide him with extra daily stimulation.

Katy Darelli, deputy manager at RSPCA Brent Knoll, said: "This cute lad is an affectionate chap who sadly had a less than ideal relationship with his previous owner.

"There was a clear breakdown in communication between them and this resulted in confrontational misunderstandings.

"Buddy began to retaliate to these experiences, at which point ownership was relinquished to us after a request for euthanasia was rejected by his vet."

Weston Mercury: Buddy needs a new homeBuddy needs a new home (Image: RSPCA)

She said Buddy needs a very special home, with conscientious owners who have time and patience to help him avoid confrontation, other dogs and other identified stressors.

"Like so many animals who come into our care, it can take months of care, time and love to get them to a stage where they are ready for a new home but we don't give up on these animals, everyone deserves a second chance," Katy added.

For more information on Buddy - and other animals in need of re-homing - visit www.rspca.org.uk/local/north-somerset-branch/help