Melbourne celebrities love their furry family members
AWAY from the spotlight, Melbourne’s celebrities relax with some quirky companions. Which sporting star has chickens while another shares his home with a horse, sheep, dogs and a foster cat?
Melbourne
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AWAY from the spotlight, many of Melbourne’s celebrities relax with companions who show unconditional love, including dogs, cats, lambs, horses, chickens and ponies.
Neighbours star Olympia Valance, in-demand model Elyse Knowles, Australian cricketer Peter Siddle and his fiance Anna Weatherlake and Collingwood star Travis Cloke and fiance Beccy Panozza, have revealed their deep connection and relationships with their pets to the Sunday Herald Sun.
COLLINGWOOD star Travis Cloke and fiance Beccy Panozza have a busy yet peaceful life.
They have horses, sheep from Edgar’s Mission, dogs from Forever Friends Animal Rescue, ponies borrowed from Cloke’s sister Teigan and a foster cat at their property, which is under an hour’s drive away from the city.
“There’s a lot of work to do out here but once it get finished it will be better,’’ Panozza said.
“I grew up in Brighton and we had dogs and cats always. And horses. My great uncle and aunt had a farm and I used to spend every holiday there. Trav grew up with a lot of animals. They used to have a pony when he was a kid.”
Cloke said he would like to add some cows to the farm.
“I love the strange things, at the moment the lambs are really weird and quirky,’’ he said.
“When you go near their pen they just run straight to the door and want to nuzzle into you. They’re pretty cool and quite interesting. I’ve got my heart set on a couple of cows.
“Purely just to have like two little dudes just hanging out in the backyard. I reckon that would be sweet as.”
MODEL Elyse Knowles says her dog Isla knows how to work the system.
“At the start you have all these rules like you’re not getting on the couch, but they just go straight out the window,’’ she said.
“She wants attention all the time and they’re very loving dogs. You can’t say no.”
Knowles and her partner Josh have had their Weimaraner dog since she was a baby and she’s now two. They are hoping to have more.
“She’s such a crazy dog, she’s my baby,’’ Knowles said.
“I never thought I’d be a dog person but you get obsessed by them and hate having to leave.
“Josh is in love with turtles but they stink. So maybe another dog. When you go to work they go a bit loopy so it would be good for Isla to have company.”
ANNA Weatherlake and Australian cricketer Peter Siddle have unique home companions.
The couple, set to marry next year, live with rescue animals — five chickens and four dogs.
“The chickens have a chook yard that they sleep in at night and all the dogs run around the house,’’ Weatherlake said.
“We’re looking to add more to our brood. We want to adopt a greyhound and maybe some guinea pigs. Whatever we can fit in.”
Weatherlake grew up with animals and Siddle lived near farms in Gippsland.
They have bought a bigger bayside property and will move in the next few months.
“We can’t live in the country, it’s not practical with Sids’ cricket schedule, so this is the next best option,’’ Weatherlake said.
“I want to get a duck pond put in and I’m looking forward to adding more animals in while Sids is away. They are our life, they’re our children.”
NEIGHBOURS star Olympia Valance has become an accidental ‘parent’.
Her mother’s dog gave birth to some puppies which were meant to be sold, but instead she ended up keeping the red toy poodle she has named George.
“I was in no position to have a dog,’’ Valance said.
“I was in and out of rental homes. My mum roped her brother into keeping one and then I somehow did. I’ve always loved animals and he’s my one and only.”
Valance shares much of her days with George, and with the benefit of living next door to her mum, he is rarely alone.
“I love his personality, when I look at his face I can tell what’s happening,’’ she said.
“He’s got a human face, he sleeps like a human and he spoons you and doesn’t roll around. He’s clingy as, and would be happy to sit with me 24/7. Dogs are hard but it helps that I have support.”
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