International Homeless Animal Day
August 19, 2022
At Painted Dog, we’re suckers for pets! We often have people bring their dogs in for the day – but to us, it’s about more than just some cute furry visitors!
And 20th of August is International Homeless Animal Day – a day to spread awareness of over population and encourage adoption of animals worldwide. Here in Perth, many of our local shelters have made public cries for help after declaring their shelters are operating over capacity and are unable to take in any more animals.
Adopting a pet is a huge responsibility, but if you have room in your heart and your home, you could consider adopting an animal that is currently homeless and save a life.
Enjoy a few of our staff’s feel-good stories about their own adopted animals:
Our family was searching for a furry companion and we immediately fell in love with 6mo Santi. She won us over immediately with her friendly personality and there was no leaving her behind – she was the pup for us! This little dog has a zest for life, loves attention, hanging with the family and takes guarding her house and her people very seriously. She loves her mum the most.
Jordan
One day after work my partner and I decided to go to Cat Haven to try adopt a beautiful senior we’d seen online. However we were too slow as by the time we got there they were already adopted! We decided to look around and this gorgeous 6 month old caught our eye, she was lazily laying on her back, half sloped off her perch and instantly we wanted her! So glad to have her: she’s the cutest, friendliest, yet naughtiest, cat we could’ve asked for!
Catherine
This is Tess. We adopted her at 4 years old and were her third home after her racing career was ended at 12mths old – apparently doing a 180 back to the start line was undesirable. We had been searching for the right greyhound for months and I got a phone call GAP had found a good match: we took her home that same evening. I remember taking one look at her and reaching for the paperwork.
She raced a total of 6 times under the race name “Silver Dingo” then spent the following few thousand days of her life asleep on our couch. She was sassy, a true Princess, refused to go out in the rain, loved her couch and the occasional pat, held serious grudges and refused to do anything she didn’t want to do.
Imogen
This is Rocket and Goose, AKA the Naughty Torties.
In March 2020, just weeks after moving into our new house, we decided we needed some furry companions to share it with (as did every single other person in Perth as the threat of the first city-wide lockdown loomed). On the day before the first lockdown, while everyone else was out stocking up on toilet paper, we were searching high and low for two bonded kitties who needed a home. We ended up at an external Cat Haven adoption centre at the Joondalup City Farmers late on a the Sunday afternoon, where the manager told us she had turned away three people that weekend who only wanted to adopt one of the tortoiseshell sisters and leave the other behind, and so was delighted that we wanted them both.
Now both 3 years old, Rocket is obsessed with stealing socks and eating her mum’s houseplants, while Goose enjoys chewing her dad’s Lego and dragging her favourite toy around at 1 in the morning while yowling for someone to play with her.
Hayley
This is Bear, a staffy cross other things who is not as fat as he looks he just has excess skin around his neck. Look at his dainty front legs and unilateral back sploot! He’s about 5 years old now, but we rescued him from Shenton Park Dog Refuge when he was 1 so he’s been our boy for 4 years.
When we got him, he didn’t know how to play with toys and couldn’t even sit! Now he doesn’t know how to play with toys and can sometimes sit, so that’s progress. And yes, he does sleep in the bed with us when it’s cold.
James
This is Tigger (AKA Kit-Cat). Tigger came into our lives when she was left by her previous owners at a friend’s rental property. Our friend found Tigger thin and hungry with nowhere to go. When our friend started asking what sucker would want to adopt a cat…of course my family said yes.
Tigger has lived a good life with us for 12 years and counting. Tigger never come inside and is an outdoor cat by nature. Tigger isn’t a hugger, but you may be lucky enough to get a cheeky pat if you’ve got food (Tigger loves a good can of tuna).
Fun fact: The vet could not tell us if Tigger was a male or female…
Tara
This is Kiki. She’s almost 9 and spent the first 7 years of her life in the shelter. She now lives a full life with us and her rescue brother (Bean) and practically runs the show! We picked her up from the shelter she was at because they had to evacuate due to nearby bushfires with the intention of just fostering her, but we quickly realised there was no way we could give such a sweet girl up!
Fun fact about Kiki: if it’s 2 hours before meal time, it’s time for her to start screaming for said meal until it arrives…
Noah
