Murrary the Golden Retriever rehomed after nearly 700 days at Dogs Trust Snetterton

A Golden Retriever who is ‘full of love’ has found his forever home after waiting nearly 700 days.

Murray arrived at Dogs Trust Snetterton after his original owners could not meet his needs.

He was briefly rehomed but returned to the charity soon after when the new environment proved unsuitable.

Staff at Dogs Trust created a tailored training plan to help Murray build confidence and reduce anxiety.

His handler, Leanne Bowler, also took him into her own home where he thrived with another dog and showed a love for canine companionship.

He was also diagnosed with hip dysplasia and began medication to manage the condition.

Despite interest from other potential adopters, staff at Dogs Trust were determined to find the right home — one that could continue his training and provide another calm dog to guide him.

The perfect match came in January when Jane and John from Bishops Stortford, along with their dog Sid, welcomed Murray into their family.

Jane said: "We lost our 15-year-old golden retriever Alfie in October and I was really struggling with his loss. Sid had always been devoted to John, and I missed Alfie terribly.

“In January, I felt ready to love again, and when we saw Murray on the Dogs Trust website, I knew he was for us. We fell in love straight away.

"We knew Murray would need some help through medication and training, but the Dogs Trust team has been amazing and given us so much support, which has helped him settle into our home so well.

“Murray has made great progress and is still a cheeky chap full of love and life. He has helped heal me and we couldn't be happier with him."

Kelly Smith, manager of Dogs Trust Snetterton, said: "We have lots of dogs, just like Murray, looking for a second chance at happiness.

"As every dog is unique and finding the perfect match can take anything from a few weeks to several months.

“You only need to apply once every three months and our team will do all they can to find the right dog for you, however long it takes."