Rescue dog Achilles becomes unofficial Royal Navy mascot

A nine-year-old Italian spinone called Achilles was adopted from a Tuscan shelter by a Gloucestershire couple and was later named an unofficial mascot of the Royal Navy submarine HMS Achilles.

Achilles is a nine-year-old Italian hunting dog, or spinone, who was adopted from a rescue shelter in Tuscany last year by retired Gloucestershire couple Rachael and David Hyde. He arrived at the shelter undernourished and wary after being abandoned and spending about a year and a half in a kennel. The Hydes say he has gained weight and settled into their home. After reading about a submarine being commissioned as HMS Achilles, the couple contacted Navy commanders and received a letter naming Achilles an unofficial mascot. Key details: - Achilles is a pedigree spinone, reported as nine years old, rescued from a Tuscan kennel after being abandoned. - The Hydes, who live near Gloucester, adopted him last year and say he has recovered physically and settled into family life. - The Royal Navy correspondence included a bandana and navy merchandise and described Achilles as an unofficial mascot of the submarine HMS Achilles. - Italian media reported on the story, with coverage appearing on television and in Vanity Fair. - The UK-based charity Spinone Overseas For Adoption (Sofa) said thousands of hunting dogs are abandoned in Italy each year and warned that a proposed UK bill banning dogs with docked tails could make future adoptions harder; Sofa has urged people to contact MPs to seek an exemption for registered-charity rescues. Summary: Achilles's adoption has drawn attention to individual rescue stories and to the wider situation for some hunting breeds in Italy. Sofa has warned that a proposed ban on dogs with docked tails could affect similar cross‑border adoptions and has urged action to seek an exemption for registered rescues. Undetermined at this time.