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Jilly Beattie

Hope Street actor stops filming to make plea for starving dog found with rope around neck

Hope Street actor Ciarán McMenamin stepped out of filming this week to try to help a stray dog find a loving home.

The award-winning actor, who has starred in TV movie David Copperfield and the science fiction hit, Primeval, heard about Sid the sighthound who is being cared for by a rescue in his home county of Fermanagh.

And he was so moved by Sid's story that he decided to call on the public to help him create a new life for the young dog.

Read more: Dog sniffs out live saving organ donor for mum

Sid, the Greyhound Saluki mix was found in an emaciated state with rope tied tightly around his neck last July. He was picked up in Kesh by Pets Lost and Found Fermanagh before being taken in by Bright Eyes Animal Rescue in Ballinamallard.

(Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary)

But after almost 10 months looking for a new home, hope is fading for Sid who has been repeatedly overlooked by prospective families, and without a fosterer is facing more time in kennels.

Ciarán said: "The guys are really struggling to get a home for Sid, a gorgeous young dog who is struggling to cope with kennels. He's timid and frightened and he really needs to be around people to build his confidence. The brilliant team at Bright Eyes have been brilliant but they are desperate to find him a loving home or even a foster home.

(Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary)

"So please watch the video of Sid, please think about whether you could offer him anything, or please share this appeal to help him and all the other dogs in their care. Let's get Sid homed before the summer so he can have the wonderful life he deserves."

Diane McGivern is a trustee at Bright Eyes. She said: ""If you met Sid, you'd fall in love but he keeps getting overlooked and we just don't know why.

"We believe he had been tied up for some time and had chewed through the rope around his neck to escape. We don't know anything else about his history and maybe we're better not knowing what he's been through.

"What we do now if that now he's a fantastic boy who aged about two, was found starving and roaming the countryside with rope around his neck and he would have died without urgent help.

Actor Ciarán McMenamin made an appeal to help homeless Sid find a family (BBC and Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary)

"We need a special foster or permanent home for him. As a sight hound he has a strong prey drive which a perspective foster family or new home would need to understand. And because he has been so stressed in kennels he is suffering with separation anxiety which can be worked on."

"To get him there we need help, we need a foster family to step up and keep building his confidence. He has come on in confidence and gets on well with his foster sister so could possibly be rehomed with another dog depending on a successful meet.

(Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary)

"He loves his toys and going for walks but also loves cuddles on the sofa so please don’t be put of and think he is going to need lots of exercise as this is not the case. He will require a fully enclosed garden and someone who can spend time with him to reassure him that the world is not all a bad place."

If you can help Sid please PM the team at Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary by clicking here.

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