A huge border collie known as “Bopper the Whopper” is on the hunt for a home after losing a massive 10kg.
The 12-year-old dog hit headlines last year after ending up in an animal shelter who discovered he weighed 50kg, or 8st.
He was even too big to stay at Gables Farm Dogs and Cats Home in Plymouth, Devon, and had to be taken home by staff.
The pooch has been on a strict diet and exercise regime and is now a svelte 40kg, and looking for his forever home.
Ruth Rickard, deputy manager for the animal shelter, said: “He’s such a loving dog and he deserves to be the centre of someone’s life.
“I could not believe what I saw when he walked in. I could not believe how huge he was.”
“We thought Hattie was the fattest dog we’d ever get here, but Bopper makes her look tiny.”
Bopper was rescued by the RSPCA when his owners became too ill to look after him, was twice the size he should have been when he arrived.
Ruth continued: “He was an unwanted pet and came in to us on 9 November as his owner was seriously ill.
“He was just under 50kg so looked huge in a kennel and can not move around in one so I take him home at night.
“We did not want him going outside and being stuck so he is in the office during the day and I take him home afterwards where he has a whole room to waddle around in.
“He was well loved by his owner but was just given too much food and not enough exercise.
“We don’t know what he was being fed as the owner is seriously ill and we weren’t able to get much information.
“But our plan now is to get him to eat properly – he was not keen on eating when he first arrived as he was miserable about being uprooted.
“He is now in a routine feeling a lot happier and well loved.”
Bopper is about halfway through his weight loss journey and his new owners would need to keep up his special diet.
Ruth thinks it will take three months for the chunky canine to reach his target weight of 27kg (4st).