Buster the dog - the longest staying resident at Battersea Dogs Home's Brands Hatch centre - has found a loving new home, making best friends with a three-year-old girl.

Buster, a Staffordshire bull terrier cross, spent nine months in kennels at the Kent centre - the average stay before rehoming is 29 days - leading to an appeal which appeared in News Shopper.

News Shopper:

Jane Wayling, 41, of Elsa Road, Welling, never saw the appeal, but fell in love with Buster when she saw a picture of him on the Battersea website.

The full-time mum said she was looking for a companion for her three-year-old daughter, Holly.

She said: "The reason we got Buster was because of our daughter. 

"She's only three years old and she's slightly behind. She has special needs.

"She's an only child, she's an animal lover and she absolutely adores him.

"You cannot fault him - he's a perfect dog. He's fully house trained, there's no wrong behaviour from him and he's constantly with my daughter - he's her companion.

"If she’s asleep on one end of the sofa, he’ll climb up and fall asleep at the other.

"They are absolutely inseparable - he's three so he's even the same age as her."

News Shopper:

Buster came to Battersea in December last year when his original owners decided they couldn’t cope anymore. 

They already had other dogs and were finding it too much to manage. 

Mrs Wayling added: "He had some separation anxiety when he first came home with us. 

"Wherever you were standing - he was standing right there too.

"But he’s starting to relax now, happy to wander around in other rooms and let us leave him for a little while - he knows we’ll always come back for him.

"He's absolutely amazing - even with other dogs, he doesn't take any notice of them, he's not tearing your arm off trying to eat them or anything.

"He likes sleeping and he likes watching Emmerdale."

News Shopper:

Rehomer Lara-Jane Gillings from Battersea Dogs Home's Brands Hatch centre

Michelle Bevan, rehoming and welfare manager at Battersea Brands Hatch, said: "We were all so sad to see Buster go - every member of staff came to give him a hug and a kiss goodbye. 

"But nine months in kennels is too long for any dog and we’re so pleased that he’s found a lovely home with the Wayling family."