Paul O'Grady: For The Love Of Dogs 2021 is about to arrive on ITV for its ninth season, where the presenter and dog lover will be meeting with more canine residents looking for their forever homes. As ever, emotions run high in this series as Paul learns more about dogs, their stories, and helps to care for them too.
Speaking about the new series, Paul O'Grady talked about the challenges lockdown had brought when it came to pet ownership in the UK. He said: "I think that because people were in lockdown, they wanted a dog, it felt like the perfect time to get a dog. And of course, then the puppy farms had a field day.
"A lot of the dogs at Battersea went off to foster parents during lockdown, but people were still bringing dogs in. But I don’t think they have had that many puppies actually because there is such a call for them."
Here's everything we know about the new season...
Paul O'Grady: For The Love Of Dogs 2021 release date
Paul O'Grady: For The Love Of Dogs 2021 starts on Wednesday April 7 on ITV at 8pm, and the first episode can be streamed on demand via ITV Hub. There's four more episodes to enjoy over the coming weeks too.
What happens in episode one?
The first episode of Paul O'Grady: For The Love Of Dogs sees Paul meeting two Maltese Terrier puppies who staff suspect may have come from a puppy farm in Romania, after being sold to a family in the UK for £4000. The puppies were brought to Battersea because the family struggled to cope with looking after them.
Vet nurse Claire explains: “Unfortunately, people are so desperate for dogs, they are paying any money and are just not thinking about where they are coming from.”
In addition to this, he meets an 18-month-old Rottweiler named Jenny, who arrived at Battersea after her owner became ill and could no longer take care of her. She's extremely timid and scared of strangers, but Paul is determined to win her trust and help her to build new bonds so she's got a chance of being rehomed with a new owner.
It's almost time for #POGDOGS to return to our screens! 🎉💃 Tune in to @ITV tonight at 8pm to catch up with dogs like Jenny here, the nervous Rottweiler who melted when she met Paul. 😍 @RealPOGDogs pic.twitter.com/8TJLTJUdWdApril 7, 2021
What else should we expect from this season?
Paul O'Grady: For The Love Of Dogs sees a new arrival this season, as Paul is surprised to find that there's a new furry friend at Battersea. They welcome a surprise arrival of rabbits that have been left at a bus stop, including dad Cinnamon, mum Nutmeg and a litter of babies. The RSPCA are called in to support the rabbits, as Battersea don't have the facilities to care for them properly.
As he meets the rabbits, Paul exclaims: "They were gorgeous. I thought, ‘Oh, no, I can’t have rabbits again’. Especially with my dogs, they’d have the poor things demented. But they were so lovely and the RSPCA took them off and as soon as they took them, the mother gave birth to another litter! Rabbits everywhere!"
