A luckless pup is hoping to find a loving home after a difficult start in life.

East Anglian Daily Times: Emma White with Maverick,the five and a half month Dalmation who is deaf.Emma White with Maverick,the five and a half month Dalmation who is deaf. (Image: Sarah Lucy brown)

Maverick the deaf Dalmatian was found wandering alone in Rendlesham last week.

No one has come forward to claim the five-and-a-half month puppy, so the search is on for a new owner.

Maverick is currently being looked after by the team at Pampered Pets in Glevering, between Woodbridge and Framlingham, which takes in strays picked up by Suffolk Coastal District Council’s dog warden.

Kennel owner Jane Lee said: “He was found last Tuesday night and brought into us the following day.

“We think Maverick has had three homes already but he’s a very happy little dog. We’ve been teaching him to sit and he has been playing with a ball.

“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing with calls from interested people, but it’s all about finding the right home. Adopting a dog in trouble can be a very emotional thing.”

Under the Environmental Protection Act, stray dogs can be seized by local authorities and taken to a kennel, where they are held for a statutory period. A dog can be found a new home if not reclaimed by its owner within that period.

A spokesman for Suffolk Coastal said: “There is a seven day wait before anything can happen, during which time we try to find the owner or wait for them to come forward. If we are unable to find the owner, the dog becomes available for adoption.”

Maverick is not the only current guest at Pampered Pets, where several dogs of varying breeds are still waiting to find new homes.

Anyone who thinks they can offer Maverick or another dog a new home can call Pampered Pets on 01728 747760. The team also welcomes prospective customers at Green Acres, Glevering, Hacheston, between 11am and 3pm. Dogs in need of homes are also online at pamperedpets.co.uk.