Underdog or top dog? Bruno needs our votes AN Ulster animal shelter owner has urged fans of a pop... This menu uses javascript

Underdog or top dog? Bruno needs our votes AN Ulster animal shelter owner has urged fans of a popular TV programme to back her opinion that a little daschund really is the 'underdog'.

Little Bruno is one of eight dogs featuring on BBC Two's Underdog, which sees eight celebrities pair up with eight untrained rescue dogs to compete in the ultimate battle of doggy discipline.

Bruno has been teamed with sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher and this week the pair faced the first of a series of weekly challenges, competing live in a Crufts-style competition.

Bruno first left his home at the Grove Hill Animal Shelter in Omagh in February for a Dog's Trust centre in the south of England, unaware that stardom was beckoning.

Lynda Hill, who runs the Tyrone-based shelter, said: "We have a strong relationship with the Dog's Trust in England because we have so many homeless dogs here. Omagh actually has one of the highest numbers of homeless dogs in the UK, so we send some of ours to England.

"That's why we think he deserves a chance to stay in the show and we are appealing to everyone in Northern Ireland to help keep him in. It would be nice to see him achieve stardom."

Lynda revealed that on the show Bruno demonstrated obedience to simple instructions like 'sit' and 'stay', something he had never done while he was in the Omagh shelter.

"That's why I would also appeal to people who think that a homeless dog is a bad dog. Bruno is a prime example of how with a wee bit of work, a lot can be done."

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