I’ll be your Buddy! Jaws lookalike vows to help lonely lurcher

A giant Bond villain lookalike has pledged to find Buddy the ugly dog a home by sculpting him in wire.

Last week The Sunday Post revealed the heartbreaking plight of Buddy the lurcher, who has been stuck in a shelter for two years, because he is deaf and has odd-coloured eyes.

Bosses at the Dogs Trust in West Calder, West Lothian, have re-homed around 1000 dogs during the time Buddy has been stuck there.

Among the thousands of readers who were moved by the playful pooch’s plight was Gary Tiplady, 54, a 7ft 3in tall James Bond baddie lookalike and professional wire sculptor.

Gary, who has a 56-inch chest and weighs 25 stone as a result of a hormonal disorder called acromegaly, was touched by Buddy’s story because he has also suffered years of being singled out for his appearance.

So, in a show of support for the homeless hound, Gary has vowed to create a wire sculpture of Buddy, which will be auctioned off to raise cash for the Dogs Trust.

“I feel sorry for Buddy because of what I went through when I was younger. My brothers were average size but I had to put up with the comments and people talking behind my back.”

Gary, a former chef, travels the world appearing as James Bond villain Jaws who was played by the late Richard Kiel in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker as well as taking on his own film roles.

His jet-setting lifestyle has brought him into contact with a host of stars, from Michael Jackson, to current James Bond star Daniel Craig and Mel Gibson.

But he only started doing look-alike work after getting sick of people mocking him for his resemblance to the famous baddie and he is desperate for Buddy’s life to see a similar dazzling turnaround.

He said: “I got so sick of people calling me Jaws. I decided if they are going to call me Jaws I will be him. In a way that poor dog sitting in the kennel has been through something similar.”

Newcastle-based Gary began creating art with wire after learning to sculpt with lard while working as a chef. His pieces now fetch as much as £2500 each.

Last night a Dogs Trust spokesman said they are still desperate to find Buddy a loving, permanent home. They also thanked talented Gary for his kind-hearted gesture.

A spokeswoman said: “We are delighted that Buddy’s appeal has attracted so much interest and we have had offers to rehome him from as far afield as Italy. It’s so kind of Gary to immortalise Buddy in wire and his generous donation will go towards caring for our dogs, including Buddy whilst they wait to find loving homes.”

If you are interested in adopting Buddy log on to www.dogstrust.org.uk/our-centres/west-calder/ or call 01506 873459.

For more information on Gary’s art you can visit www.wire-sculptures.co.uk.