Meet 11-year-old Siberian husky rescue dog Sicari, the love of Erin Holland’s life
She is the four-legged friend giving model-presenter Erin Holland a glimpse into what her fiance would be like as a father. Meet her adopted addition and see the dog-friendly activities near you.
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It took a special girl for Brisbane Heat all-rounder Ben Cutting to finally accept the idea of having a dog.
Despite constant pestering from his now fiance, model and presenter Erin Holland, it was an 11-year-old Siberian husky rescue dog named Sicari that eventually changed the Australian cricketer’s mind.
“Erin was always at me to get a dog, and I said that when the time was right, we’d get one,” Cutting said.
As it turns out, the “right time” came when Cutting was out of action for three months with an injury and was also in recovery after a hernia operation.
There were a few initial hiccups — one saw Sicari escape through the garage door not long after she moved in with the jetsetting pair.
“Two days after surgery I’m scrambling down the road after her, and eventually tackled her,” Cutting said.
Despite having never been a “dog person”, Cutting was instantly smitten.
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“We thought it was just going to be a couple of weeks and we’d give her back when I was playing again,” he said. “But within a week or so we said we’d keep her.”
Now, the pair can’t imagine life without her and credit Sicari – who is surprisingly camera-shy despite her reputation for talking on Holland’s Instagram stories – with keeping them active and grounded.
“She makes me get up in the morning and go for a walk and gets me ready for training,” Cutting said.
“But also, when I come home from having a shit game, she doesn’t care. She just howls at me to take her for a walk.”
Holland, who insists she’s Sicari’s “favourite”, enjoys the welcome reception she gets after returning from Sydney work trips.
“And for me as well, you kind of want to see what your potential life partner is like taking care of something smaller than themselves,” she said.
“I’m so shocked at how well Ben has taken to having a dog. For one, he’s severely OCD — [balls of her hair] rolls around the house on a daily basis.”
Cutting invested in a Robovac to go on whenever he’s out.
“[Sicari] even sleeps on the bed, which I never ever thought would happen,” Holland said.
When the couple are away — Cutting’s cricket roster often sees him on the road for nine months a year, while Holland spends her time between Sydney and Brisbane and has brand ambassador commitments in various parts of the world — Sicari is well taken care of by her doting grandparents.
Cutting’s folks live nearby while Holland’s have been known to make the journey from Cairns to look after their fur grandchild.
“We’ve kept it pretty constant so she’s not unsettled,” Holland said.
“She’s had a few homes, but I think she finally realises that she’s not getting moved on. It’s nice to see that every time we pick her up she realises that she’s getting moved on again.”
When asked about wedding plans, Cutting said they’re going pretty well so far.
“How would you know?” Holland said.
“Rule number one – say yes to everything,” Cutting said.
Will Sicari be a part of their big day?
“We’re very mindful of the fact that while we would love it, she’d hate it,” they both agree.
For those thinking of adopting, the couple said it’s good to be realistic.
“I think you’ve got to pick a dog that fits into your lifestyle,” Cutting said.
“Everyone would love a puppy, but we couldn’t; absolutely not,” Holland added.
“We couldn’t imagine our lives without her now, and I think we’re husky people now.”
Originally published as Meet 11-year-old Siberian husky rescue dog Sicari, the love of Erin Holland’s life