The Dogs' Refuge Home

Gillie is full of surprises

Sat, 12 May 2012 19:09:00 +1000

We've only had her three weeks ... and thank you so much for Gillie ... she is too good to be true. We have discovered bit by bit how well trained she is - she sits, shakes paws, stays, has been fine off leash for short runs and we discovered today she won't take her food until you tell her! Unbelievable.

However we have also discovered she loves to get into cars so this afternoon some friends came to see me and she jumped straight in and would not get out. We had to lift her out in the end. She is also a bit of a couch hog and sometimes will not move off until we firmly insist. She is great with Finn although I don't think she has lived with kids before and I can see she finds him a noisy being.

We have been out for walks with her and Finn introduces his new dog to all we meet, much to everyone's amusement. Yesterday I had 7 kids here and 4 mums and Gillie coped very well. She preferred to be outside and didn't bat an eyelid at all the boys playing around her. Her paw has been okay, only a little limping when running. She has visited a big park where she enjoyed a big run on her long legs. She jumped in for a swim so she has had a bath as well.

She is a man's dog and loves Darrell deeply despite my being the food and walking source. I think it is not only because he is a man but because he drives. As soon as he picks up his keys she is ready to go so she has been going to the shops with him and is in heaven. She must have been much loved and I can't help but wonder what happened to her.

I set up beds for her and Finn promptly moved on to them, so I think there is some pack order to sort out.

I am looking forward a higher fitness level as Gillie and I go on lots of long walks. We love her and she now a loved member of our family.

Helen.

Murphy and Manfred the dynamic duo

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:30:00 +1000

Just a quick update, we are both very happy in our homes. We are dearly loved and spoilt and we are enjoying all the home comforts that our owners enjoy. May all our doggie friends find good homes especially in the winter months as we don't like getting our paws wet and the thunder is quite daunting.

We have brought so much joy and life is always better with pets! Life is beautiful and we know that we have our family wrapped around our little paws, well maybe not so little! My grateful owners will never forget your kindness, hence our regular updates.

Judging from our poses, we are certainly not camera shy and it is hard being this cute!

Cheeky Cisco has found a place in our hearts

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:22:00 +1000

Thank you so much for landing us with our cheeky boy! We have had Cisco since February last year and even though his ability to chew up every bed we throw at him, we love him to bits!!!

Thanks again and all the best at the refuge!!!

Britt has transformed into one happy dog

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:18:00 +1000

I thought it was time to send an update on our beautiful Staffy X Britt. We adopted Britt in May 2010 and have never regretted it. When we first met Britt she was about 15 months old, and staff at the refuge told us she was extremely depressed as her litter of pups had just died and she was not happy in the refuge environment.

All we knew about Britt was that she had been rescued from a council pound heavily pregnant after she had been found wandering by rangers. It quickly became apparent to us that she must have had a traumatic start in life as to this day she will take off and hide behind one of us or trembling in a corner at the first sign of any raised voices.

While it hasn't always been easy - Britt doesn't like most other dogs, will still not behave appropriately on a lead no matter what we try and has cost us a small fortune in vet bills (she needs safety goggles as she is the most accident prone dog I know, and is constantly running into things and injuring her eyes) - she has been an absolute delight and she has gone a long way toward filling the void left in our lives after we lost our 14 year old dog shortly before we adopted her.

Britt is never happier than when she is sitting on someones lap or snuggled up next to someone in bed. Apparently she believes she is a lap dog, and we just haven't had the heart to tell her she isn't. She is pretty much universally loved by everyone who meets her and we couldn't imagine life without her. I think the whole family would agree, in the two years since we adopted Britt she has found a place in all of our hearts, and as the photos highlight she has managed to find a place in most of our beds too!

Thanks so much for all you do at Shenton Park, what you do is more than rescuing dogs, it is also enabling people to experience the joy of having these beautiful dogs in their lives.

Best wishes

Britt's family

Pippa has a cheeky side

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +1000

I just wanted to give you an update on one of your adopted friends! Pippa, or Peppa has she was known in the short time spent with you all at Shenton Park, has settled into her new life wonderfully!

Miss Pippa is a loving addition to my home, she is fun, cheeky, full of life and incredibly intelligent (when she wants to be!) and has brought so much to her family I don’t know how we lived without her! When she first came to me she was a quiet little girl who was funny with her food and very skinny. I don’t know where this dog has gone, but we now have a happy, healthy, noisy little girl

She has had some challenges settling in, she has been taught some strange habits with her previous owner, and has been let to get away with some silly behaviours. I have managed to nearly completely stop her incessant jumping up at us when we get home, or at new visitors. When she first arrived I was concerned as she was very rough when she got excited, she would jump, bite and become out of control with excitement. However with some attention and training these behaviours have nearly disappeared (she tries so very hard to be good, but sometimes the excitement is just too much!). We are currently working on sitting and waiting, but I cant use the command “stay” as this command appears to have been previously used to get her to jump, the reasons for which baffle me!

After 6 months Pippa and I have developed an excellent relationship, she appears to trust that I will come home to her (when she first arrived she would howl, cry and become overcome with desperation to follow me as I went out the door....i’m not sure was more traumatised about this!). She also follows instructions really well and is slowly learning that her new family will not hurt her. Most of all she is absolute pleasure to have around, she is the best of company and slots into my life seamlessly.

Not long after I adopted her, I invited a good friend of mine over to meet her, my friend is in an electric wheelchair and I was worried that Pip would get too excited and knock my friend around too much. I was wrong! She was most gentle with her and seemed to know that she needed to be extra careful, which was a pleasant surprise!

Pippa loves her new family, she lives with me, and goes to visit her grandparents regularly if I am going out for long periods. She LOVES going there, she gets spoilt rotten and is the favourite “grand-puppy”! Not long after Pippa came to join me, my brother also adopted a small shitzu“Buddy” from safe Perth. Pippa and Buddy get on like a house on fire, and it has been great for them both to socialise with one another as this was an area where they both needed some lessons!

As you can see from the attached pictures, Pippa has many interests and loves life! She LOVES the beach, even though she is petrified of the waves, she runs happily along the beach off her lead. This is the only place I am willing to let her go, she is a little bit flighty for open parks, and once she starts to run, she goes so very fast, I have never seen a dog move so quickly, it is something else alltogether! She enjoys bushwalking and chasing cats in our neighbourhood. Her favourite place to nap is at the front door where she can keep a check on everything that is going on in the neighbourhood!

Anyway I could talk for hours about Miss Pippa, she has been a wonderful addition to our family. I would just like to thank you all for your hard work and dedication in helping animals like Pippa to find a new life.

Sincerely,

Emily and Pippa J

Internationally renowned art up for auction

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:26:00 +1000

Internationally acclaimed artists, Gillie and Marc Schattner, not only love to paint dogs in their works of art but also love to support pooches in need. To support our Hounds Housewarming Appeal, Gille and Marc have donated a fantastic piece titled 'Sometimes you just have to say what the hell' which will go up for auction at the upcoming Quiz Night on Saturday, 9th June.

Valued at $3,900 and measuring 77cm high x 60cm wide, this is a great opportunity to nab yourself some fantastic art while supporting a fantastic cause. Due to the popularity of our Quiz Night, we know that not everyone interesting in bidding on the item will be able to attend, therefore we are opening up the bidding before the event. Submit your bid by emailing events@dogshome.org.au

Gillie and Marc are returning to Perth with an enchanting collection of new works in their exhibition 'Animal Attraction' to be shown at Linton & Kay Gallery. Our volunteers and supporters are kindly invited to the opening of the exhibition on Thursday, 26th April from 6.30pm to meet the artists and view some of their fantastic work. We have a limited number of invitations available from the Refuge, so please call in and pick up an invite if you would like to attend. RSVP is essential.

Oakley - The Friendliest Dog In The World!

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:16:00 +1000

We adopted Oakley in November at 7 months old, making this Sunday his (our best guess) birthday!

Oakley is the best companion a girl could ask for. My partner works away at the mines so Oakley is great company when he is away. Always great to have someone with a smile and a wagging tail excited to great you every day when you walk in the door. Having said that though, when daddy comes home for his week off, the excitement can hardly be contained!

Oakley is one friendly dog (as I’m sure Labrador and staffy owners can attest). When he’s at the park he considers it important to say hello to everyone - human, dog and cat (although the cats don’t like it so much!). And be careful if you pay him too much attention because he’ll just keep on wanting to play with you. He loves chasing his tennis ball but loves to keep it off us even more. And a day at the beach or dog park is heaven. He’s also got me moving - a big walk every morning before work certainly can’t be bad for the waistline.

We have been lucky that he is pretty obedient and a quick learner. He just sometimes forgets to listen when there are too many other exciting people and dogs around. He’s very content, rarely barking or whining. We go to Cloverdale Canine Companions frequently which is a big help with training, plus he likes the social scene, making a few more friends.

Oakley puts a big smile on my face and is great company whether it be out on our walks or chilling out on the couch. Thank you for rescuing him for us!"

Regards, Yael

The pure joy of an older dog

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:37:00 +1000

While many of you volunteers may not have met Boris (I fostered and adopted him shortly after his arrival) I wanted to write this in the hope that somebody looking for a dog will read this and realise how much the older dogs have to offer.

It wasn’t love at first sight, Boris needed somewhere to go over Christmas where he could recover from the traumas of a past life, and so I took him in. I soon discovered he had issues with resource guarding, separation anxiety, was deaf, and older than first thought. But the most rewarding thing my partner and I have ever experienced, was watching the years and troubles fall away from the little dog, and all it took was love and a bit of training. He seems to get younger every day, and amuses us with his antics.

Every morning he waits to see a sign of life from mum or dad, and then immediately proceeds to flop with all his weight on top of us for cuddles. Then comes walk time, and he just radiates pure joy while he runs this way and that around the local park. His funniest antic is when he takes trips to the farm and notices the other dogs barking, he then takes it as his duty to protect the farm with all his might, but unfortunately, there he is left turning in circles barking with obviously no clue what he’s barking at, when all the other dogs have moved on. Despite being deaf, he learnt hand signals incredibly quickly, and sits, drops, and shakes hands. He may not be with us for as long as some dogs, but we wouldn’t trade in the time we’ll have with him for anything.

Thank you so much Shenton Park DRH, for giving this little man the chance in the first place.

Love Jess, Greg and Boris.

Chilli is one big sook

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:00:00 +1000

I was lucky enough to go to a new forever home just in time to start the New Year in 2012. My name was Tilly, but my new Mum and Dad changed it to Chilli straight away and I love it when they call me "Chilli Dog!"

I was very shy when I first went to my new forever home as it was all new and scary. I have finally settled in, although it has taken me a few months. At first, I used to get beaten up by Ricki, one of the cats that live here, so I soon learned not to chase them anymore. It was a sad day when Ricki passed away and I'm glad I got live with her for a little while. She was very old and made it her job to teach me the house rules and not to pick on the 2 younger cats, Des and Troy! But I love to chase the possums outside!

My new Mum takes me for a walk every morning and night and it has taken me a while to get used to all the things I encounter! I greet horses, goats, kangaroos and really really long grain trains on just about every walk!!!

I get to spend every second weekend hanging out with my Mum's 4 children when they come to stay. We have the best times and I love watching movies with them! (only because I get to stretch out on the lounge and they sit on the floor!!!) The lounge just isn't big enough for them and me..lol! I'm really looking forward to the school holidays as I get to spend 10 whole days with them!

Mum bought me a big rain jacket today so I don't get wet when we go for a walk.......She definitely spoils me! (although I'm not sure if I like it yet!)

So I just wanted you to know that I am doing well xx

Chilli

A message from Chilli's family

We just wanted to thank you guys for bringing Chilli into our lives! She is such a joy and has definitely brought so much love to our lives.When we brought her home, it became apparent to us that she was hit or abused with her previous owners as she is scared of the broom and if you hold anything over your head, she cowers!

It has taken lots of time and patience to gain her trust completely. She has only just started to play. Chilli wouldn't play at all!! I bought kongs and squeaky toys, tennis balls and soft toys but she wouldn't even pick them up. Only last week she has started dragging a soft toy around the house and wanting to play tug of war with her tennis ball. ( I had to race out and buy one with a rope attached so i had something to hold on to!) But if you make a loud noise while playing with her, she stops and cowers. It's been a lot of trail and error, but she is becoming more relaxed and trusting with us.

She has built a strong connection to me and follows me from room to room in the house, but she is going to training next term, so I'm hoping she will learn what "stay" means.

Chilli still needs to gain alot more confidence in herself. She is scared of thunder, fireworks, grey skies???, rain???, loud music, water, trucks, and the dark!!! She is such a sook!

So once again, Thank you <3

Carly and Cassie are a happy little duo

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:41:00 +1000

Here is a long overdue note about Carly and Cassie Shannon....they have happily settled in their new home.

Carly stopped walking in circles straightaway. She still likes to check the boundaries, but with a very big backyard she can do this at a satisfying gallop!

Their twin doggy beds both have comfy pillows on top. Cassie likes to sleep inside the pillow case! When she first did this I thought it was a 'one-off', but 9 times out of 10 when I open an eye in the morning, there's Carly peacefully asleep on one bed, and a bulgy pillowcase containing Cassie on the other.

Carly isn't as photogenic as Cassie and often looks rather worried , but I believe she's a happy little dog.

Cassie has appointed herself the guard dog and barks if anyone she doesn't know turns up on the door step. She is however, petrified of thunder and fireworks. Carly, on the other hand, takes no notice. We think she's a) untroubled and b) fairly deaf.

With best wishes for the great job you do at the Refuge

Shelagh

Hamish is loved in his desert home

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:18:00 +1000

Hi to everybody at Shenton Park! This is a late, but very big hi from Hamish!

We’ve had the pleasure of having Hamish for almost 6 months now, and what a journey it has been. Just to get it out there: We LOVE this guy, he is so much fun and has brought a lot of love in to our home, (and we still can’t get over how handsome he is!!!).

When we got Hame he came in the car with us and we went straight to City Farmers to get him a crate. I’m from Norway and it is unusual not to have a crate for your dog in the car, though I did learn that it’s not so common here. To everyone who might think of getting one, you should! It its such a great thing to have in the car, at home, travelling, etc. He was fine with it from the beginning (especially in the car) and we drove down to Dunsborough that first day. And here started the fun.

His tummy was not happy the first week or so that we had him, so every night I got up 2-3 times to let him out to go to the toilet. Which ended up in me not sleeping at night, but therefore doing the night shift and my partner getting up early and taking him for a long walk so I could sleep. It worked but it was a hard start! He also had none or few indoor manners so he could not be left alone inside if we were going somewhere, but there the crate came in handy.

We took him camping the first week, for one day/night. He had a great time walking for hours, never stopping. We met up with some friends halfway through the day, but here we had some trouble. Hame is a very talkative dog, and when these two guys came to where we were waiting he barked at them and was very nervous because of the big backpacks. After a while we calmed him down and he said hi and seemed fine, though later it went wrong. We started walking, ahead of our friends and suddenly he turned around really fast as if something scared him and started barking at the guys, and he did not stop. It ended with us walking behind them the rest of the day, and when we got to the camp he started all over again with all the people there so we had to turn around. 2km after we made our own camp and the night was great. He loved sleeping in the tent with us.

Anyway, the barking was a problem and I called Shenton Park and talked to Tracy and the other trainer who was there when we got Hame. They gave us some advice on how to work with Hame so that he would feel comfortable around our friend again. We did as they suggested and it worked, mostly. Our friend is a bit scared of dogs, so that made it a bit hard getting to the point that we wanted. It did teach us a bit about Hamish though. He can still start barking at people, it is usually big men, with dark hair... If the person he barks at gives him a hi and a pat he’ll be totally fine, but if they walk away he’ll be a bit nervous and may still bark a bit. Today we don’t have too much of this happening and have strategies to get his attention and make him stop. Thank you so much to the trainers who did get a few phone calls those two first weeks but kept on being happy to have a chat and give some advice.

The first period was very full-on, though good too. After long runs he always calmed down and wanted cuddles. He loves play and will keep on going all day if he’s allowed! We could not believe how he could have been with you for so long without being adopted.

Today we’re still working on his indoor manners, but its getting so much better and he had his first time home alone (inside) just the other day and it went great. We have a big backyard where he has a dog pool, a couch and heaps of space to run around when we’re at work. The pool is great since 40 degrees + is not uncommon here and he knows how to cool down in it. The rest of the day he is inside with us getting heaps of cuddles and love. Hame is happiest when you’re close, preferably when he’s sitting on you or lying in your lap. There are friends for him to play with, the next door dog is a Kelpie puppy who he loves playing with. They are such a couple.

Another friend here in Wiluna is Jack, the Husky, who also came from Shenton Park! Jack doesn't really get along with the other dogs in town, he thinks they are boring, but he loves Hame. It is so good to have a dog who goes well with (so far) all other dogs we have met. We live out bush, in a small town with desert all around, and it is all his backyard that he can play in. Everyday he has 2-3 walks, one being a long ride out bush and because of exercise and I guess food he has gained some kilos, both muscle and fat. In the school holidays we go down south for 2 weeks and go to the beach every day. Hame absolutely loves the beach. At first he did not totally get it but now he reads the waves, he jumps in, ducks his head under, swims out to you and chases the waves km after km.

One more thing that I want to mention is how smart Hame is. He knows how to open every single door in the house, including the glass sliding door (when it’s locked) to go out the back. He jumps up, flicks up the lock and pushes it open. Morning and night he sits and looks at you before his dinner, he knows over a dozen commands including “on your bed” and “in your crate” and we’re working on more. All good, though he is still a bit of a puppy and loves taking shoes and socks, pillows and more to get attention.

Thank you to everybody at Shenton Park for the great work you do for these dogs. Thank you for making it possible for us to find this beautiful, energetic, cuddle-bug of a dog who suits us so well!

Hamish, Tash & Monja =)

Patches is loving her retirement

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:17:00 +1100

My name is Patches. I guess they called me that because I have a few black patches of colour on my otherwise white body.

I was adopted by Bill and Mona along with my brother, Buttons. I’m not sure why he was called Buttons, but I suspect it was because he has these rather largish round black eyes that look a lot like buttons.

Soon it will be six months since we were adopted. My facial hair is starting to turn grey now, but ‘Dad’ tells me that I am still as lovely as I ever was. He sometimes calls me his ‘Lovely Lady’. Buttons still looks much the same, but then, he is two years younger than I.

Recently it was 38 degrees outside, but we didn’t care. Our new ‘kennel’ has ducted air-conditioning. This couch is my daytime sleeping spot. Mum bought me a new cotton sheet as the woollen blanket did get a bit warm during the summer. I like lying here on my back with the air-con blowing over my tummy. Sometimes I share my couch with Buttons, though he is usually in the next room with ‘Mum’, sleeping on his new rug, whilst ‘Mum’ watches her Mid-day Movies.

Buttons loves to take a nap on Dad’s computer chair. Bravie, Dad’s Cockatiel, also naps there; so does Kim, Mum’s Cockatiel and also Cocky Boy, the family Galah. Sometimes they are all there, sleeping together with Cocky Boy on Dad’s left shoulder, Bravie on the right shoulder and Kim on the left thigh. Dad takes his daily naps on this chair and sometimes Buttons will jump up onto dad’s soft belly and nap with him.

At night when I see ‘Dad’ with his toothbrush, I jump up off the couch and race up the passage and plop myself at his bedroom door. I want to be there when he awakens in the morning. Buttons will come and join me. We have these two comfortable beds that mysteriously appear in the passage-way around bedtime.

Since we have been at our new home we have not eaten dry dog food. Mum did buy a bag, but we refused to eat it. Mum bought another bag of a different brand, but we didn’t touch that one either. We know that if we hold out we will eventually get some oregano-flavoured grilled chicken or some of ‘Mum’s’ Asian style cooking.

Well! We are in our senior years now and there-fore we deserve to have the best. Dad usually keeps his eye out for people-quality meat that’s going for a good price and gives us a treat. He reckons we go through ‘people-food’ like steam shovels.

Mum has an extensive garden. It covers all four sides of the house and has trees, shrubs and undergrowth. The garden is a Mecca for bird-life. Many birds have been born there. One mother bird has been breeding there for years now and accepts Mum and Dad as a part of her natural surroundings. Dad has rescued a few babies that came to grief during their early attempts at flying. One day Dad was in the garden imitating bird sounds when a baby bird flew out of a tree, landed at his feet with its mouth open and wanting to be fed.

Unfortunately the local cats also know of this garden and a few birds have been lost. Buttons and I have a total dislike for cats and we help to control the situation. When we get the aroma of a cat in the area we race outside and patrol the yard. Dad has taught us to let the birds do their own thing, as they feed in the yard or sun-bake on the drive-way.

Recently Dad was reading the local paper. The local wildlife sanctuary has a dingo named Rebel. Rebel is the same age as Buttons. Rebel has cataracts and is now blind. The lovely people at the sanctuary will be holding BBQs and Fetes to raise the many thousands of dollars needed to restore Rebel’s sight. Dad put down the paper, jumped on his little scooter and raced over to the sanctuary and asked to meet Rebel. He then presented the folks there with a cheque to be used towards Rebel’s operation. I know my Dad is an old softie, I can see it when he looks me in the eye, but he doesn’t like the word to get around. Mum did ask him what he did with the cheque, but he would not say.

I, too, have cataracts. It says so on my Veterinarian’s Report, diagnosed in March of last year. Should Rebel’s fate befall me I know that Mum and Dad will look after me.

My regards to; Andrea (Dad gave me that big hug from you), Linda, Sonja and all my other old friends at Shenton Park.

My Dad says that despite having so many friends at Shenton Park, I will never have to go back there.

P.S. Monday, on the way home from our morning walk, Dad stopped off at a Vet. Surgery, thinking it might be where Rebel will have his operation. It was and Dad was informed that Rebel will have his eyes operated on the very next day. Later that day Mum spoke to the Ophthalmologist and ascertained the cost of an operation, if needed. She then made an appointment for Thursday for my eyes to be checked. Mum and Dad feel that I cannot be allowed to have failing eyesight in my twilight years, no matter what the cost.

P.P.S. Thursday: Today I had my eyes checked by the Ophthalmologist. He carried out a number of tests. He was so very thorough. Diagnosis?: According to the Ophthalmologist, I do not have cataracts. He says my eyes are perfectly normal – well, for a lady of my years.

ISN’T THAT GREAT NEWS?

Almost two decades of pound pooch love

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:33:00 +1100

Just wanted to thank the staff at Shenton Park Dogs Refuge Home for introducing our family to two lovely dogs.

In July 1994 we brought home our first dog from Shenton Park. Sasha (#62) was extremely intelligent and loyal. She was easy to train and we couldn’t have asked for a nicer dog. Unfortunately, dogs don’t live forever and at the age of 17 we had to have her put to sleep. We missed her so much that we couldn’t live without a dog in the home, we then found Zach (formerly Johno #853) in September 2011.

Zach is a very cheeky and playful Rottweiler cross and is extremely social with other dogs and people. We put him into dog training and we found him to be a quick learner but he definitely prefers to be playing ball or fetching sticks with the other dogs in the park, followed by a long snooze. One of the good things we have found about adopting a dog from the Shenton Park Dogs Refuge Home is that they don’t bark all night like puppies from breeders or pet shops.

We tell everyone we know to adopt a dog from the refuge home because that’s where we found two of the best dogs in the world.

Thanks from the Wintle family.

Purchase Your 2012|2013 Entertainment Book from the Dogs Refuge Home and Help us Fundraise!

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:03:00 +1100

Our goal is to sell 1000 books – can you help?

The new Book is packed with hundreds of up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers.

Be one of the first to order and pay for your new 2012|2013 Entertainment™ Book and you could receive over $150 worth of Bonus Offers you can use straight away! Bonus offers are in limited supply and can be collected from the Refuge from early April (date to be advised) to people who have pre-purchased and while stocks last.

Please note: we are currently taking pre-orders. Books will not be able to be collected or posted until early May. We will advise you by email when your book has arrived.

How To Order Your Book

The simplest way is to order your book online. You can then choose to have your book posted or collect from the Refuge.

Alternatively, you can download and complete an Order Form. You can post, fax, scan and email or bring this form into the Refuge reception.

Scan & Email to ebook@dogshome.org.au

Fax: 9381 3187

Post: Entertainment Book Orders
30 Lemnos Street
Shenton Park WA 6008

Help us Fundraise - Tell all your friends

Share this page with your friends on Facebook.

Print the Order Form and share at work and with friends and family.

Billy Dog is still a faithful mate...warts and all

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:17:00 +1100

I've attached a reasonably recent photo of my best mate, Billy Dog.

He came from the shelter there into my life in July 2000. He still eagerly and briskly walks 20km with me every day, still lies on my pillow if I'm out, still stays quietly and faithfully at my side... He's getting a few warts and lipomas now he's 12... But I ain't the smooth-skinned beauty I was when we met either lol

This fella and me have had and still have the best life together.

Thanks Shenton Park Shelter!!

Jax and Luda are real snuggle pots

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:54:00 +1100

I thought we'd give an update on Jax and Luda.

We have been more than lucky to have Jax and Luda with us for 2 weeks now and they are already very happy at home. Jax and Luda love playing together, and often cuddle and kiss when we sit down to relax at night. Jax is still ball obsessed, and Luda is now joining in too. She is has come out of her shell and now not only tells Jax what to do, but also sometimes takes his ball and won't give it back!

We love our new family members, they are so perfect for us it feels like we have always had them. Thank you so much Susan for recommending them.

To anyone thinking of adopting - we highly recommend it and will definitely adopt again. You give fantastic dogs a good home, and the adoption staff at Shenton Park are excellent at ensuring your new family member (or members) are perfect for your situation. If can't decide on a dog, just ask for a recommendation like we did - they certainly know their stuff!

Thank you again everyone :)

From Michelle

Vector loves the active life

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:50:00 +1100

We adopted Vector just over a month ago and it certainly didn't take long for Vector to adjust to his new home.

Within the first week he had already claimed his spot on the bed and decided that the living room carpet was the best place for chewing both doggy snacks and squeaky toys! He is loving his morning runs and afternoon playtime in the park, home cooked meals, new toys and endless cuddles and attention. He loves meeting other dogs and has had countless play dates at the local park.

He is very active and has a lot of energy but loves nothing more than to cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie with us.  He makes us laugh every day with his silly antics and playfulness. Although he still has a way to go, he is slowly improving his doggy manners and is certainly a fast learner!

We just want to say thank you for giving us the chance to save a life! It was definitely the right decision and we look forward to many happy years with Vector J

Craig and Dea

Holly's a great little farm dog

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:45:00 +1100

We have always had dogs on the farm but sadly lost both our dogs within a couple of weeks to different illnesses. We decided to wait a little while to get a new one as our youngest was 1 1/2 years old and we wanted her to get a bit bigger. The farm didn't seem right without a dog and we missed the company. (our dogs were always more pets then workers).

We have always got our dogs from local farmers and breeders in the past but thought we would try the rescue homes instead. Boy are we glad we did!!!

When we first arrived Holly wasn't there but another little dog had caught our eye so we filled in the paper work and waited. On reading our application the carers decided the dog we were looking at would not have been suitable around young kids and livestock (glad you guys are so thorough). We were going to head on our way but after a bit more of a discussion someone remembered that Holly had just arrived back and would probably be suitable so we went to the meeting area and waited. I must admit I was smitten from the start. She was a beautiful looking dog, very clever and so well natured. It didn't take long to know she was the one for us.

Holly settled in at home immediately. Her days begin with a run, first with me then with my husband (we take turns as one stays with the kids, which means a great run for Holly) then she spends the day with my husband checking sheep, cleaning troughs, lazing around the workshop or up at the house with Sophie and I. She often sits patiently while Sophie does "Round about the garden" on her tummy or pretends to feed and wash her. On the weekends we like to go for a walk through the bush on the farm or stop at a dam for a play. Holly is not interested in getting in the water for a swim yet, maybe one day.

Holly had her first day in the sheep yards the other day and instinct definately kicked in. She was fantastic and now always stops for a sniff around the yards as we go passed just to check there are no sheep in there. She has learnt quickly to leave the chooks alone but is more than happy to give chase to any parrot or pink and grey that's brave enough to settle near her.

True to her breed Holly is very intelligent and she picks things up very quickly. She is amazing with the kids and adjusts her "playfulness" to suit whoever she is with! I can't imagine being without her! It must have been fate that she arrived back just as we came looking!

Thank you for the good work you do, I only wish there was no need for you to do it in the first place!

Karen and Holly

Old Bear Boy..10 years on

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 03:43:00 +1100

Hello there, I just went onto your website for the first time in ages and was reading "Abe" 10 years on", when I thought I could write the same thing, only it's "Bear" 10 years on...

I remember going to your Refuge searching for a suitable dog for my then 11 year old daughter. I have to be honest I was never really a dog person, always preferred cats....or so I thought. Anyway my youngest daughter really wanted a dog for her birthday but I was not keen to get a puppy even though she promised she would do all the looking after, walking, feeding, cleaning etc etc....however I thought I would do the groundwork first and check out the refuge home on my own to see if there was any dog suitable before the rest of the family came to look because I knew they would want to adopt them all.

I actually went to see another dog that I had seen on your website but on the day that dog was away from the other dogs with kennel cough but I was then told about "Bear". Well it was pretty much love at first sight, or for what I could see of him...I was shown to his cage and he was laying down very quietly with these big brown eyes just looking at me. He was a little off colour but nothing serious and he just looked beautiful. He also had apparently just been returned to the refuge for the second time.

Someone from Bunbury had adopted him but she had to return him because the lady was in a rental and was unable to keep him so here he was back at the refuge.....it was meant to be. I was told that he was cat friendly also which was a big help because we already had a cat at home. I then got the whole family to come see him and we all fell in love with him at once.

It was the 4th July 2002, a cold and wet afternoon as we took him home. It was a mad rush from the refuge to get to the shops for all the dog food, bowls, bedding etc for our new house member. We could have probably picked him up the next day but once we all saw him we just decided to take him home there and then.

Well there he was home and happy, loving all the attention, except the attention from the cat...turned out he might have been cat friendly but she certainly wasn't dog friendly. So we got through the first night with our new family member, it was so lovely to see this new friend in the morning, wagging tail and smiley face. It was hard to leave him as we all headed off to work and school drop off's etc but then when I returned about an hour later .... "No dog"! OMG, he had somehow managed to jump the back gate. We were so excited to have him, we hadn't even got around to putting his collar, name tag or anything on him. So there we were, not even 24 hours later and he's gone. I remember ringing the shelter because you had said we have 7 days (I think it was) to see if your dog settles in with your family and if not we could exchange or get a refund or whatever, so I rang you and said he's gone, how about a refund? But of course to be refunded or exchanged we needed to bring him back....unfortunately we had no idea whether we would ever find him again, but at least thanks to you fabulous people he had been microchipped.

Thankfully the story has a happy ending, after searching all around our suburb, which seemed like an eternity, we were very lucky enough to see him walking along nicely with a gentleman and his own dog at one of the parks. We were so happy to have him back and it was straight on with the collar, tag etc and attended to the gate that he, (god knows how), jumped over. So no more escapes but instead so many memories of holidays down south, swimming and running along the beach, playing cricket in the street with the neighbours and fetching the ball, big long walks and just loving life really. He'll be 13 in July.

Sadly the big long walks have now turned into big long sleeps these days for our "Old Bear Boy" and his once black coat is now very much grey but he is so loved and he's the most wonderful dog ever. We have been so blessed to have him.

Thank you Shenton Park Dog Refuge

Bruce is too good to leave

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:23:00 +1100

I just wanted to thank you for bringing Bruce (you knew him as Spencer) into our lives!

We are so glad you found him for us. He settled into our home immediately, and learned his new name as soon as we called him Bruce. He is so sweet and loving, well trained, smart, and friendly with people and dogs. We take him to the beach and park and he is fine off of his leash. He loves his daily walks, doesn't bark or whine, in fact his only sneaky habit is trying to jump onto the couch or bed with us ;-) which we can't ever really get angry about because he is too darn cute!

It's been four weeks now and we love him so much. He's doing great, and we are too.

Thanks again.

Carissa Garza & Andrew Burns

P.S. the only possible drawback is that I don't have much time to come volunteer with the other dogs now! All I want to do is spend time with my sweetie - but hopefully I'll find time to do both soon!