Port Macquarie Animal Shelter celebrates 1000 adoptions

For all creatures great and small a Mid-North Coast animal shelter has been finding homes for abandoned animals for the past three years and has celebrated its 1000th adoption.

For all creatures great and small the Port Macquarie Animal Shelter has been finding ‘forever homes’ for abandoned animals for three years and on Friday celebrated the 1000th adoption.

It was another match made in heaven with Jaime Schmidt and Rob Graham from Frederickton making it both 999 and the 1000 with little kitten Jill and huge neapolitan mastiff Barney.

Rob says he’s always loved big dogs and had a rhodesian ridgeback cross bullmastiff many years ago that weighed 70kg.

He and his partner were waiting until they had their own home and weren’t renting to adopt.

“Now we have six kids, two adults, three cats and a dog in the household.”

The 999 and 1000th adoption at the Port Macquarie Animal Shelter with Rob Graham taking on little kitten Jill and big Neapolitan Mastiff Barney.

Barney is just a baby at 46kg and with so many of the bigger breeds winding up in animal shelters Rob said it was a no-brainer to adopt.

“You have to know what you are doing with big dogs — they are confident and intelligent and that can made them stubborn but with lots of socialising they make great family pets.”

The remarkable milestone has been achieved since the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council took over the shelter just three years ago.

Just last week their phones went into meltdown when a litter of dachshund pups were surrendered.

More than 300 inquiries poured in from across the country in just over an hour following the shelter’s Facebook call-out.

Rita Cook with her King Charles cavalier was the first adoption in the first few days of changing management from RSPCA to council.

Shelter team leader Emmalee Andrew remembers the first adoption in the first few days of changing management from the RSPCA to council.

Rita Cook had been trying for three years to adopt a small dog.

“The dog’s owner had passed away and this beautiful adopter Rita had been contacting me for three years looking to adopt a small breed dog and loved King Charles Cavaliers.

“It was fate - she fell in love.”

Lexi the bull arab Great Dane is now two-years-old, weights 40kg and takes up Ray Minett's entire couch but he wouldn't have it any other way.

Willow Sams from Port Macquarie loves having Lulu in her life.

1000 adoptions at the Port Macquarie Animal Shelter.

Emalee Andrew's son with one of the cats they have adopted.

Little Willow a feral cat adopted by Port Macquarie Animal Shelter team leader Emmalee Andrew - her three sons love having her in their lives.

Ms Andrew said most dogs surrendered lately have been puppies bought in the pandemic.

“They are mostly one to two-year-old large breeds – people made the wrong choice and can’t handle them or want to travel again,” she said.

Adoptive families have been sharing their stories from over the years including Ray Minnett who adopted a 40 kg, two-years-old bull arab/Great Dane in February this year.

“She travels everywhere with us and is very loving,” Mr Minnett said.

“I believe she thinks she’s a lapdog as she curls up on us sitting on the lounge or the bed.”