There will probably be a Hollywood film version soon. A stray dog that was just days from being put down has become the canine star of a hit musical.
Last year Kym, a staffordshire bull terrier, was on “death row” facing a grim future after she was found abandoned. But the staffie has now been rehomed and has just finished a run of appearances in the musical Oliver! at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh.
The rise to glory came after Kym was rescued by the charity Staffie Smiles and adopted by Louise Lessels, her husband Bryan and their two children from Freuchie, Fife.
Staffie Smiles works to improve the breed’s image and rescues terriers when dogs have been abandoned by their owners.
Mrs Lessels, 36, who works as a practice nurse, said the family had fallen in love with Kym as soon as they set eyes on her.
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She said: “After only a few weeks, she settled in and her true sweet nature shone through.
“It breaks my heart to think it was only in April last year that this sweet little dog was picked up as a stray and, as she was unclaimed, was on the ‘put to sleep’ list. We’re very proud of Kym as she’s a great ambassador for the breed. They are loyal, loving dogs that deserve some much-needed good press.”
When Mrs Lessels spotted an advert looking for a dog to play the part of Bill Sikes’s ferocious dog Bullseye in a production of Oliver! a few months ago, she immediately decided to put her new pet up for the role.
However, friendly and good-natured Kym struggled to turn into the mean-spirited bull terrier of the classic Dickens tale.
Natalie Dewar, part of the cast, said that Kym had initially wanted nothing more than a pat and a treat from her fellow cast members.
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Ms Dewar said: “She’s great on stage. She had a couple of little things at the beginning, where — because we have all been going up to pet her all the time — she would just come up to us and be really happy and want to be petted.
“I think she’s got her role nailed now but she still wags her tail a lot. She has to stand there and look mean and menacing.”
Kym is reluctant to take the limelight at the end of the shows, however.
“The only thing she has issues with is at the end when the audience are applauding,” said Ms Dewar. “She comes out for a few moments, but then she just wants to come off and be with her owner.”