Spotlight on Our Sponsored Stars
At Premier, we’re proud to support Dogs4Rescue, a remarkable independent dog rescue and rehabilitation centre. Unlike traditional shelters, Dogs4Rescue runs a unique kennel-free environment where rescue dogs can live, play, and heal in a calm, loving setting. Their team works tirelessly to rehabilitate dogs from difficult backgrounds offering safety, medical care and a real chance at a happier life.
Our sponsorship isn’t about spotlighting what we’ve done. it’s about shining a light on the incredible work Dogs4Rescue carries out every day and the dogs whose stories deserve to be heard. Below, we’ve shared profiles of four dogs currently supported through our sponsorship. Each one is a reminder of why rescues like Dogs4Rescue matter, how much work goes into giving these animals a second chance and how awareness can inspire others to get involved too.
To make these stories friendly, fun, and easy to read, we’ve created Top Trumps–style profile cards for each dog sharing their quirks, strengths, challenges and personalities in a simple, engaging way.
Nero is a massive Central Asian Shepherd and a proud sanctuary dog at Dogs 4 Rescue. He was born in Romania where his ears and tail were cropped, and a kind family brought him to the UK hoping to give him a forever home. As he grew, he became incredibly large and struggled with trusting people, and by age two he was too difficult for them to manage. He arrived at D4R in November 2020, where the team quickly realised that his anxiety caused him to redirect and try to control things around him when stressed, so he was made a sanctuary dog where he could live safely and happily. Nero now enjoys a carefully managed, fulfilling life with his special job of looking after Inca and Mindy, which makes him feel content and purposeful. He loves his quiet time too, with the entire conservatory to himself overnight and a huge sofa that feels like a five-star hotel. Not a morning dog, he prefers to wake up in his own time but is often in a cheerful mood. He loves cake, treats, the sandpit, the trampoline and splashing in the paddling pool, and despite his size he often behaves like a big goofy puppy who makes everyone laugh.
Valentino — or Vali, or Tino if you’re a special friend — is a nine-year-old Sanctuary Dog who has lived at Dogs4Rescue for eight years, and it’s now his true forever home. No one really knows what happened in his past, but he has unpredictable reactions to things and can make mistakes even he can’t explain, so staying where he’s understood and kept safe suits him just fine. He’s a fluffy white prince who loves posing for the camera, though his enormous coat means he’s basically a walking fluff bomb and needs plenty of grooming, including a yearly three-hour session where he sheds enough fur to build a small dog of his own. He’s affectionate with the staff he trusts, adores kong time and walks in any weather thanks to his built-in winter coat, and happily wears his muzzle when heading out with volunteers because it always means something good is coming. Although he doesn’t have many dog friends, he loves playing with a deaf Akita, racing and wrestling in the sandpit until they get too silly and need a break. He also enjoys time in the Visitor Park, sunbathing on a lounger, and causing the occasional bit of cheeky chaos, like the time he found breadsticks in Ali’s wardrobe and had a full picnic on her bed. Vali is a champion food-sniffer, a record-speed treat-eater, and the staff work hard to make every day as fun, varied and enriching as possible for this big, loveable rogue.
Lollipop — or as he proudly calls himself, “your boy Lollipop” — is a joyful Sanctuary Dog at Dogs4Rescue whose story began in Ukraine, where he was found as a tiny puppy with paralysed back legs. After being cared for by a shelter there, he later travelled to Handipet Rescue in the Czech Republic, where vets tried their best to save his legs but eventually carried out a double amputation to give him a pain-free, happy life. From that moment on, he was as free as a bird and if you’ve ever seen him zoom across the park, you’ll know exactly what that means. When the rescue reached out to Dogs4Rescue after seeing Sherry’s story, Em said yes without hesitation and a wonderful lady drove him all the way from Prague, keeping him clean and comfortable until she delivered him safely with many happy tears. Now Lollipop has a whole new family and lives life at full speed, zooming around the park in his drag bag, racing other dogs, going on “wheely” good walks, and even riding in his chariot with Odin. He never knows when to stop, and he never lets his disability hold him back. With his own special hashtag — #BeMoreLollipop — he’s a daily reminder to squeeze every drop of joy out of life.
Bear is a gentle, timid soul who arrived at Dogs4Rescue from Romania, originally hoped to be quickly rehomed but soon showing that while he is incredibly sweet, he is also very frightened of people. In his early days he never left the side of his best friend Tiger, and when Tiger sadly passed away Bear was heartbroken. But within a few weeks he found himself a new little gang and slowly began to blossom again. After five years at the rescue, this now-six-year-old boy has learned to take treats from hands, often trotting over hopefully to see if you’re holding something tasty…and disappearing just as quickly if you’re not. He has a special “treat face,” complete with an excited open mouth that appears the moment he senses a snack coming his way. Last year, after rupturing first one cruciate ligament and then the other, Bear needed two major surgeries and months of rest, time the team used to gently build up his trust in humans. Although he now accepts touch, he still prefers the company of his doggie friends and is far happier living at the rescue than being rehomed. One of his proudest achievements is learning to play with toys, thanks to patiently watching Milo enjoy them day after day until he finally gave it a go himself. These days you’ll usually find Bear splashing in the paddling pool, racing to be the first one in, or stretched out sunbathing on warm days. Outdoors is his happy place and life with friends, sunshine, pools and plenty of treats — is finally really good again for this lovely boy.
- The Premier Team
