A former dog owner is now banned from a rescue centre after they returned a puppy claiming "it didn't match the sofa".
Claire Horton, the former CEO of Battersea Dogs and Cats home spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, about the surge of people wanting to be pet owners during the pandemic.
She said that there was a surge in inquiries at the home for rehoming dogs and cats, and that lockdown had meant there were fewer animals being given up for rehoming.
This is partially because people had more time for their animals and that they were finding their pets were helping them during lockdown.
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But also that people were buying dogs off the internet, which she described as an “industry in misery.”
Not all dogs that are rehomed by Battersea stay with there new owners, with Claire saying that around 10% of dogs are later returned to the charity - one dog being returned because the owner complained that it did not match their sofa.
The former CEO said: “Usually it will be a very genuine change in circumstances, so it could be an illness. Someone might die.
"It might be a relationship breakdown, and people get divorced, and we see that a lot.”
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Claire said the high cost of pet ownership with vet fees and insurance also meant some families struggled to keep their dogs during the pandemic after losing their jobs. But for others the reality of dog ownership is too much to cope with.
She said: “Then we'll get people who will bring them back because they hadn't thought it was going to wee on the carpet or chew the bottom of their door.
“We've even had a dog come back once because it didn't match the sofa!”
Claire said that while they never judge an adopter, that person is now banned from Battersea, and their unwanted dog found a more loving home.
The adoption of animals gives pets a second chance of a life with a loving family.
The CEO said: “That's the point of the whole Battersea premise around ‘rescue is our favourite breed’.
"It's not about what breed it is, what colour it is.
"It's about just being a rescue, just being an animal that you've given a chance to that needs a wonderful life and is begging for a fantastic home.
"And all it wants is love. And what you'll get back from that is unconditional loyalty and love forever.”
Listen to Claire Horton’s Desert Island Discs on BBC Sounds here
