Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Holiday Special Airs Christmas Day

On Christmas Day dog devotees in the UK will discover that they have a present when they turn on their telly as ITV airs a holiday episode of an award-winning documentary series that shines a spotlight on dogs who receive the gift of a better tomorrow thanks to a renowned animal welfare charity.

The hour-long special Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs at Christmas will feature Fidos from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s three rehoming centers in London, Old Windsor and Brands Hatch, with the presenter (a proud pet parent to a Battersea pup) introducing TV viewers to adorable adoptables whose shared Christmas wish is to find a forever family to love.

• Animal lovers will get a lump in their throat when they meet Peppermint Parry, a pretty Parsons Terrier at Battersea’s Brands hatch site who undergoes complicated surgery to remove a large lump on her neck. The camera chronicles Patty’s progress post-operation as she regains her health and her hope of finding a home in time for the holidays.
• The story of Phyllis, a Bichon Frise thought to be a victim of a back yard breeder, also touches Paul O’Grady during his visit to the Brands Hatch facility.
• Billo, a charming Chihuahua, may have been born with back-to-front knee caps, but he will walk away with the hearts of television viewers as the special tells the tale of Paul O’Grady and the staff of Battersea’s dogged determination to have the feisty Fido on his feet by Christmas after his corrective operations.
• Animal lovers will ask see the adoption process from relinquishment to rehoming through the eyes of Bruno, an 11-week-old mixed breed puppy brought in to Battersea after a clash of personalities with his guardian’s other dog.
• The special also showcases the stories of Cookie the Bull Mastiff, Gracie the Lurcher and Mollie the Shih Tzu puppy.

Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs at Christmas airs December 25th at 5:50 p.m. on ITV.

For more information about Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, which has rescued, reunited and rehomed more than 3.1 million canines and cats since its start in 1860:

• visit www.battersea.org.uk

Photo Credit: ITV