Thought you’d like to see a few photos of our “Lovable” Murphy. He has bought us hours of laughter, enjoyment and sometimes frustration but some how we all end up with a cuddle and understanding of what is expected. He has definitely adjusted well into his new life and we have adjusted to him!! . He’s tries very hard to be well behaved, as all he wants to do is please us; this has become more natural and easier achieved after dog obedience training.

He has settled beautifully and sleeps through the night as you will see from one of the attached photos. All in all he seems very content and we love him to bits! Many thanks for all your hard work in caring for him and giving him that second chance in life. Thanks to all of you for bringing my beautiful boy into our life. We wish everyone at the Animal Protection Society a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I’m just writing to you to give you an update on Miss Mackenzie who I adopted from the shelter in October. On arrival home, she was a very timid girl who just hid behind photos on the bookcase, or in the litter tray. It’s been about two and half months now, but you wouldn’t recognise her, I believe.

She sleeps on my bed every night, often waiting until she thinks I’m asleep to rest her front half on one of my legs. By day she likes to find a high spot and watch birds outside and keep and eye on me, Gideon and any activity outside. As it gets later in the day, the more playful she is. She’s finally found her voice, which has earned her the nickname ‘Squeaker’ as it’s very high pitched and not dissimilar to my alarm clock!

I know you wanted me to keep her name, but it was a bit, well, posh sounding. So, she’s been dubbed ‘Mackenzie’, which she happily answers to and is not too different from her original name. All in all, she’s settling in to the home. The two cats get along very well, licking each others heads and sleeping together in the basket sometimes (I must snore too loud sometimes!). She will wait at the bathroom door when I have a shower, I open the door and there she is, squeaking away at me as though to say “where were you?!”

She’s loved Christmas, lots of ribbons all over the house! All in all, she’s a lovely young lady. I just wanted to let you all know she’s well, in good spirits and happy. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and wish you and the shelter all the best for 2009. The work you do is so important. I’m grateful to you every time I hear Mackenzie purr. Sincerely, Jennifer

My name is Molly and three months ago I was adopted by Mick and Vanessa.

My new home is in Chelsea and I have settled in really well and love my new family very much…..and I was even lucky enough to meet one of my Grandads just a few weeks after I got here….he came all the way from Sydney to see me!

I have a big backyard to run around in and I like to dig big holes in the garden. I also like to bury the bones that I get from my friend at the butcher who cuts them in half for me to enjoy.

I love going for “drives” in the car and jump in the car every chance I get.

Before Christmas I completed my training with Underdog Training. It was great and I loved catching up with my old friends from the shelter, and making some new ones. Hi to Ben, Chevy and Gidget, I hope you guys are as obedient as I am at your new homes!! For Christmas I went on a big road trip to Sydney to meet some extended family and friends. I really loved spending time with my Nana’s two dogs, Kia and Chloe….I miss playing with them. I was very spoilt at Christmas with lots of presents from everyone, including a winter hoodie from my Aunty in New York. I also gave my Nana a gift membership to the shelter for Christmas, she was so happy she cried!

I then went on my first holiday to Mallacoota. I had so much fun fishing, swimming, running on the beach and of course having a big rest at the end of each day on my special chair. I have to make sure I put zinc on my nose and wear my hat when I am going out on the boat (the zinc is not too much fun and I make it hard for Mummy and Daddy to put it on).

Thanks so much to everyone at the shelter for looking after me until I found my new home, especially to Danielle who made my adoption process very easy.

Happy New Year to everyone at the shelter and I hope that all my animal friends currently there will be lucky enough to find a loving home like I did. Molly (Mick & Vanessa)

My name is Max. I'm 6months old and at 14kgs I am a Amstaf X.

I was adopted for my mummys birthday on the 5th of November 2008 (her birthday is on the 20th of November), but I was to cute so my Daddy got me early to ensure no one else got me. Before I was adopted I had to meet my older brother SUMO Amstaf X rotti (and he is not light (40kg), just to ensure we would'nt EAT each other.

On the day of my mummys birthday, SUMO decided we would break out of the yard and take a wonder around all day and night and ruin all the plans daddy had for mommy for her birhtday because she was so upset we were missing..... Anyway 10am the next morning Peninsula RSCPA had phoned mom and dad and they found us together.. they were so happy and picked us up ASAP.... They were also happy that they had to pay nearly $1000 to fix a fence we broke and release and multiple fines received from the council...(no, we really were not impressed).

Two months later mum and dad have come to learn that I am allergic to 'neem oil' soap and get very bad hot spots when not washed with dermatologist shampoo..(bonus).. ( Nah we love him!)

Im 9 months old and weigh about 26 kgs, which is not as big as SUMO, but I can beat him up (dont tell him I said that).. I love my new family and am so happy here.

Me and SUMO wrestle and chase each other all day when mommy and daddy go to work and we can prove it (dirt track around yard where they chase each other...was grass).

My parents would like to thank AAPS for giving all dogs a second chance and wish that all the other dogs could findsuch kind and loving owners as SUMO and I have.

P.S- Im the smaller one in the pictures. Thanks---- MAX

Over the holidays we came into the Keysborough shelter and adopted Cleo.

Cleo has a beautiful nature. The first few days she was very unsettled which is to be expected. Over the last week we have found that she favours females and seems timed and scared of males. She is still a little unsure, but we hope that over time, this will change.

She fitted right into our family; she's the most effectionate dog; she can't sit next to you without having a paw on your leg and always has to be touching us. She's house trained, friendly with my nephews and even with my mum's Staffy Milly.

Cleo is just beautiful and we are so happy we decided to adopt a pet. I have attached some photo's for you and your staff. Thanking you and all the staff - you all do a great job caring for all the surrendered pets.

Kristy

Hi, my name’s Rosie. I was adopted in June last year but thought you may like to know how good my life in Altona is now. I love to sleep and luckily have full run of the house. This means I have found lots of cosy places to curl up for a little cat nap. When I’m not sleeping I like to help my family by supervising everything that goes on. I must ensure I don’t miss a thing just in case…!

I keep my family amused by playing games with them, like Hide and Seek. My favourite game is Chase Rusty, but my family gets upset when I play this one. Apparently Rusty is old and shouldn’t be chased. I’m not allowed outside in case I run away or get stolen, because I’m so beautiful. I have a lovely pink diamante harness, befitting of a princess, which I go for walks in. At first I didn’t like it at all and would lay flat like a pancake. Now I’ll walk, as long as it’s where I want to go.

Christmas was great. I got to wear my Santa hat and join in with the whole gift thing and feasting. I even got to visit Santa at my local vet clinic.

My new family loves me to bits – even if I do have to show them who’s boss at times. They are so thankful to everyone at the Animal Protection Society for bringing me into their lives. I would also like to thank you for caring for me and helping me find my lovely new family. Keep up the great work, Rosie and Sue

I'm Thor (the dog fomerly known as Marvin). I've been in my new house for almost 2 months now and I think I'm starting to train my humans.

I get lots of toys to to play with (and usually tear apart), and I go on walks most days even though two of my humans are now broken. It wasn't me, honest!

My new house has a very big yard and I often doze in the sun just watching the world go by on the bike path over the creek. Having the see through fence outside is just fantastic.Then I go inside and sit on one of the humans for a while, they seem to like that.

I have just been to my second obiedience class today and my humans are starting to socialise nicely with the other humans there. We dogs don't have a problem of course.

I get fed well, and my girlfriend next door tells me that I still look good, aparently some dogs get fat, but not me, she can still just see the back ribs and that is supposed to be good.

I have been very healthy since the kennel cough and my new doctor is very nice. He even warms up the thermometer (just a little dog joke ha ha).

I hope my old friends from Stalag Luft Keysborough have all escaped to loving homes too, although we really had no cause for complaint. There was this little curly haired lady in the cell near mine, I wouldn't mind an address if possible... she was very cute.

My new humans got me this tough collar with studs, and I like it a lot, but when they walk me they use this 'gentle leader' thing. It is actually quite comfortable and it has trained my humans to walk properly with me.

Anyway, the sun is shining and there is a German Shepherd on the path, I'd better go to the fence and say hello.

Love to you and all the guards. Thor (And my family too)

I thought I would write in and give you an update one year after we picked up not so little Pepper from AAPS. Pepper was a bundle of energy when we picked her up just after Christmas in 2007. Pepper was about 4 months old when she refused to get into the back of my car at AAPS. I coaxed her in with some food and that has begun a life long love affair with anything tasty. As Tamara at Underdog knows, devon is her favourite. She managed to snack on a whole bowl of devon while were distracted at one of Underdogs trick seminars. I couldn't even claim it wasn't Pepper as she had devon stuck to her face.

She is now a big 16 month old (although still a puppy) pleasure to have. She has taken moving house, 2 levels of dog school (thanks to Tamara and Stuart from Underdog Training) and meeting new friends all in her stride.

Her happiest days were Easter 08 when we took a family holiday to Johanna beach on the Great Ocean Road. Pepper was able to roam kms of beach without the pesky lead and mum and dad worrying about her.

Here are a couple of happy snaps of Pepper living life. Sebastian and Julie.

Where is the owner, oh yeh taking the photo's because there is no room on the bed for human's, Bekkie love's it.

Peter

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