How Paul Elliott’s Mother Built The Family Pack One Rescue Dog At A Time
Every dog left unclaimed at the rescue kennels had a quiet backup plan waiting in Middlesbrough. That plan was the Elliott family home, and the woman behind it was the mother of heavyweight MMA star Paul Elliott.
Before he headlines ONE Fight Night 48 against undefeated Turkish contender Shamil Erdogan at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, October 2, the 34-year-old Englishman has opened up about the household that shaped him.
His mother volunteered at rescue kennels, walking the dogs and getting to know them day after day. Somewhere along the way, volunteering became adopting.
“She would walk them and spend time with them, so she would get accustomed to seeing them every day. What happened was, every time she realized a dog wasn’t getting taken, she’d end up taking them in. It was pretty cool because we got to see loads of different personalities,” Elliott said.
“As for the cats, there were a lot around the neighborhood, which we might feed, and they might stay at our [house] for a while. We also had a neighbor with five cats, three of which basically ended up being at ours the whole time.”
The roll call over the years reads like a family tree. Gracie, Brooke, Asher, and Casper have all since passed, while Millie, Ava, and Bella now keep the household busy.
Even a pair of goldfish made a cameo at some point. On most days, the whole pack piled into the car for a short drive to the coastline, a small ritual the TFT MMA product still looks back on fondly.
These days, the 6-foot-1 fighter shares a home with his girlfriend, and the couple have yet to bring a pet of their own into the mix. He still sees Millie, Ava, and Bella through a standing Sunday dinner tradition at his parents’ house.
A dog of his own is not off the table, but saying goodbye to the family’s previous dogs hurt, so Elliott is holding off for now. When the timing is right, he intends to welcome a furry friend again, a lesson his mother taught him in those kennels.
“I would encourage humans to have pets because it brings you great happiness, great joy, and they will love you no matter what,” the Englishman said.
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