RSPCA seeks home for deaf Frenchie
The charity hopes new owners will teach Patch sign language
A French bulldog, born deaf due to a genetic mutation that leads to an unusual and desirable coat colour, is looking for a new home, with owners prepared to teach him sign language.
Puppy Patch was underweight when he was rescued by RSPCA officers and signed over into the charity’s care. RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch took him in and has been rehabilitating him.
Now, Patch, thought to be between six and 12 months-old, is ready to find a very special home.
Lily Dickinson, from the branch, said: “Patch was very nervous and shut down when he first arrived with us. He’d been neglected in his previous home and it had left him anxious and struggling with separation-related behaviour.
“Patch is deaf and we initially thought he may have impaired vision but he responds well to light and movement and can navigate around well so we feel he could respond well to training for visual cues as he can’t hear.
“Patch is really affectionate and absolutely adores people. The outside world can be a little overwhelming for him, so his new owners will need to gradually and positively introduce him to new experiences and places.”
Patch is a young, friendly and fun-loving dog, who loves to play with toys and spend time with people.
He has his whole life ahead of him and staff are sure he’ll come out of his shell once he’s settled in a forever home.
But, he’s just one example of a ‘generation of dogs’ being bred with life-changing and life-limiting health problems, such as deafness, due to a desire for a certain look; an issue outlined in the RSPCA’s new report: The Shape of Suffering
The RSPCA is calling on prospective dog owners not to buy these puppies but to re-home those who find themselves in rescue centres, like Patch.
RSPCA Scientific and Policy Manager, Ashleigh Brown, lead author of the report, said: “The intentional breeding of animals for exaggerated physical features is one of the biggest welfare problems our pets face today.
“We’ve created a generation of dogs who struggle to breathe, sleep, play and live a normal life, purely because they’ve been bred to look appealing to humans.
“We always encourage prospective pet owners to adopt rather than shop whenever possible, as there are so many wonderful animals in rescue centres in need of loving homes - including popular purebred pets.”
The RSPCA’s new strategy report sets out what the charity, and other key stakeholders, can do to end breeding for extreme traits across all species, including dogs, cats, rabbits, fish and reptiles.
Ashleigh added: “French bulldogs, like Patch, are already plagued by health problems due to being bred to have flat faces, bulging eyes, facial skin folds, and corkscrew tails. Add in the desire for unusual and unique features, like coat colours that are created by genetic alterations and you can also end up with pets who are deaf and blind, when breeders have not taken precautionary measures to avoid this.
“For those intending to buy, we’d encourage them not to choose pets who have been bred with harmful physical traits, which fuels this serious welfare problem. And we’d like to see responsible breeders only producing animals with moderate features who are happier, healthier and able to perform natural behaviours.
“Meanwhile, we will focus our attention on caring for those animals who come into our care, and giving them the best chance at a happy life with loving new families who can give them the very best care.”
Merle is an inherited colour trait that can affect a dog's health, because offspring from two merle parents have notably increased risk of deafness, blindness and skin cancers. The impact of the merle gene is to dilute some coat sections to a lighter shade of hair colour, resulting in random patches of the original solid colour remaining.
Patch wants to be with people and seeks comfort in their presence. He struggles when he’s left on his own, or shut in a separate room, so adopters will need to give him time to build his confidence.
Patch would ideally be the only pet in his new home although he may be able to live with a calm, neutered older female dog, if introductions were successful. He wouldn’t be able to live with cats and would be best in a family home with older children.
Lily added: “Patch has already come so far. All he needs now is a patient, understanding family willing to see the amazing little dog behind his difficult start. In return, they will gain the most loving, loyal companion who deserves the chance to finally feel safe.”
The RSPCA is running its ‘Cruelty Hurts Love Rescues’ campaign, to help care for pets like Patch after revealing it has seen a massive 64% increase in summer cruelty over the last five years. In June, July and August (2025), the RSPCA took 6,322 cruelty calls to their emergency line (one call every 10 minutes) compared to 3,852 in 2021.
• Find out more about Patch online or contact the Southport team on [email protected] or 01704 567624.
• To see all of the animals in the RSPCA’s care looking for homes, visit www.rspca.org.uk/findapet