A dog abandoned outside an RSPCA animal centre has made his name as a flyball champion.

Rufus, a plummer terrier formerly named Rocky, was abandoned by his owners and tied to the gate outside the RSPCA Leybourne Animal Centre in February 2020.

At first, staff could only find a blanket and dog coat on the ground, and a collar and a lead attached to the gate. Rufus had slipped his lead and escaped, but was picked up by a passer-by on the main road, who brought him back to the centre.

Two months later, he was rehomed with Fiona and Ian Eyres, in Chelmsford, Essex.

Fiona said: “It was a strange time as it was at the start of the pandemic. We’d seen him and visited him and then we went into lockdown and we couldn’t rehome him.

"In April, the centre got in touch with us to say that he was really struggling in the kennels and asked if we were still interested in him, which obviously we were! Then due to the pandemic, they literally delivered him to our door."

Fiona and Ian were Rufus's fourth home, even though he was just a year old.

Fiona continued: "It did take a while for him to settle in. He’d been passed around so much, it’s no wonder he had some trust issues.

"Now he’s absolutely lovely and he loves flyball. He really needs something like that to keep his mind and his body active, it’s brilliant for him.”

Although Rufus struggled in the kennels and had trouble trusting men at first, he has bonded with Ian through taking part in flyball and Fiona says he loves it.

In flyball, teams of four dogs take part in a relay, where they run over four jumps to a spring-loaded box. They then turn around on the box, which triggers a ball, which they catch, before returning back over the four jumps for the next dog to take their turn.

Fiona said: “It’s a fast and furious sport and Rufus loves it. Rufus really enjoys walking in general and I love walking so he gets a lot of exercise, but flyball gives him that high-energy exercise he really needs and then he gets lots of time to chill afterwards.

"We stay in our campervan for the flyball competitions and being only a small club we were really excited to win.”

Rufus's flyball team is named "Be Right Back in a Mo", and includes Caspar, Rufus, Molly, Eddie, Dexter, Flash, Jyango, Skyla and Nikita.

The pups are part of a larger group named "Be Right Back", which has different teams for different speed-based divisions.

Rufus and his team won Division 11 at the British Flyball Association National Outdoor Championships at Driffield Showground in Yorkshire, which took place between Thursday, August 18, and Sunday, August 21.

The team took home a shield they can keep for a year, and each dog got a rosette, which for Rufus is now displayed alongside his others on his achievement board at the Eyres' home.

Fiona said: “He’s an absolute superstar in our house and we are so proud of him. He’s such a lovely dog.”

Angelina Allingham, deputy manager at RSPCA Leybourne Animal Centre, said: "We are so pleased to see Rufus loving life in his new home.

"He had a sad start to life, being passed around and then abandoned, so it's amazing to see him so settled and happy now.

"He's always been a champion in our eyes but now he even has some rosettes to prove it."

This month, the RSPCA has launched its annual Adoptober campaign, which encourages prospective pet owners to consider rehoming a rescued animal. This comes after new figures raised concerns that more animals are being given up to charities.

It has been found that animal intake at charities is up 8.4% year-on-year, but rehoming has dropped by 8%.

The charity's rehoming drive will promote adoption and showcase the many animals waiting for a home.

Anyone considering rehoming a rescued pet can click here to visit Find A Pet and see all animals in the RSPCA's care.

People can also visit the RSPCA website.

Alternatively, call the donation line on 0300 123 8181.