Gender change fee reduction ‘generous’
THESE adorable before and after pictures show the remarkable recovery of a terrier whose fur was so matted he couldn’t see or move.
When Frankie, a four-year-old Westie-cross, was rescued he was filthy and covered in tight, knotted matts of fur all over his body, meaning he could barely walk.
The coat was so thick around his head he struggled to see, RSPCA inspectors said.
But now he has found his forever home with Tracey Williamson, who had previously vowed never to get another dog after her own Westie died when she was 15.
However, when her daughter spotted Frankie on the RSPCA’s website, it was love at first sight and the pampered pooch is now firmly a part of the family.
Tracey said: “My heart melted when I saw his photo. He looked like our late dog and we completely fell in love with him.
“We submitted an application and kept our fingers crossed but weren’t holding out much hope as we knew how much interest there had been in rescue dogs during lockdown.”
Frankie was rescued by RSPCA inspectors in August last year when he was found abandoned with another dog a fellow terrier called Benny in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire.
He was taken into the charity’s Warrington branch before being transferred to RSPCA Leeds and Wakefield branch for urgent care.
Frankie needed a major haircut and groom to get rid of all of his filthy, matted fur.
In September 2020, Tracey and her family were asked to go and meet Frankie and were matched with him.
Tracey, from Leeds, added: “We were so excited when we were chosen to adopt him.
“He’s settled in really well. He can be a little nervous of new things but he’s really growing in confidence.
“When we first got him he was quite anxious on the lead and going out and about but now he absolutely loves his walks.
“It’s such a huge transformation from the matted little dog who arrived at the RSPCA centre in such a state.
“It breaks our hearts to think how he was treated before and we hope, in time, that he’ll forget about his past.
“Now he gets very spoiled and loves a bit of pampering.
“He goes to the groomer regularly and really enjoys the fuss and attention he gets.
“He’s a little star when he has a haircut.
“He’s such a lovely dog, he’s so affectionate and we couldn’t imagine our lives without him.”
The family are still helping to build Frankie’s confidence and are working with a trainer to help with his reactivity around other dogs.
They have also started to introduce him to toys and teach him how to play.
Tracey added: “I don’t think anyone has ever played with him before as he doesn’t really understand what toys are.
“But we’re going to try to introduce him to games and teach him how to have fun.
“He’s brought us so much joy and love, especially during lockdown, so we’re determined to do the same for him.”
The proposed reduction in the fee required to legally change gender from over £100 to around £5 is “extraordinarily generous” when compared with the cost of applying for British citizenship, women’s rights group leaders have said.
Speaking at a Women and Equalities Committee virtual meeting on Wednesday, charity representatives compared the cost of applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) to applying for British citizenship.
Under the existing Gender Recognition Act (GRA), a transgender person has to undergo a two-year waiting period, a review or appearance before a specialist panel as well as paying £140, before being able to change their gender legally.
Many LGBT+ campaigners believe the current system is not fit for purpose and have called for it to be replaced with a simpler statutory declaration and self-identification. Equalities minister Liz Truss announced last year that the Government had rejected calls for people to be able to self-identify their gender and change their birth certificates without a medical diagnosis.