By David Wilkes UPDATED: 01:42 EST, 26 October 2011 They look so cute it is almost impossible to believe these dogs have had their day. But the Sealyham terrier, once beloved of Hollywood stars and royalty, is now ‘rarer than a tiger’ and on the verge of extinction. The staggering decline in the popularity of the little white dogs is highlighted in the latest edition of Country Life magazine as it sends an ‘SOS’ - that’s ‘Save our Sealyhams’ - message to its well-heeled readers. On the brink: Rare Sealyham terriers, which are described in Country Life magazine as 'cheerful companions'
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SOS: Save Our Sealyhams
Sealyhams were originally bred to catch rats, rabbits and other vermin, but @placeholder says: ‘People soon discovered that, although the Sealyham might have the wit and courage to hold a badger at bay, he was also a very charming fellow to have at dinner.