We lost our old mate Bryn (18yrs) in the fires and along with young racy, flighty, rabbit hunting Tess, our beautiful dog relationships were sadly ended.
The guests who stayed with us that day and who safely exited the area in the face of the fires later organised a Kelpie pup for us. Janner, the mad kangaroo hopping Kelpie who is now in training, except that he’s about year 8 level. Barking at the moon, a lunatic. Say no more!
Amanda and I have missed both of our previous dogs so much and after several experiences where we saw them behind us, or working the animals with us, we realised that we needed to find replacements or be haunted forever.
Amanda found a web site that advertised an adoption program for camp dogs from Yuendumu! (Tanami Desert N.T.)
All manner of images appeared to us of “rhinoceros dogs’ with no hair, lice, ticks, fleas, starving scrawny animals, you name it, we had seen it all before as we had worked there for 5 years.
So when the internet pictures showed ”Sonny Boy” a round hairy fat brindle pup, ears yet to stand up, a perfect combination of Bryn and Tess we were hooked.
I needed a break, Amanda was heavily into goat kidding, what a great idea. I’ll go and fetch the pup! Fortunately it was Amanda’s idea.
Tiger Airways don’t take animals forget it.
Qantas were unsure, some operatives thought Alice Springs airport did accept animals, others did not. So having booked Tiger up and Qantas down I was left with the dilemma of having paid twice the Tiger price for a return trip and having to send the pup on Australian Air Express (AAE) as Qantas changed their minds! (We don’t accept animals from Alice Springs) A trap for amateur players.
That problem was overcome with money, Flynn was able to travel back to Melbourne with me despite being under the control of AAE.
We collected him from Melbourne airport with few complications and since being on the farm he has shown himself to be a thoughtful and calm contributor.
Adoption of a dog from the community is helping reduce the population of dogs which impoverished community members try to keep alive. As numbers reduce the health of those that remain improves.
Having a number of dogs has been so much a part of aboriginal culture for so many years that the dogs have a skin name (a relationship name) which relates them to their family. Flynn’s skin name is Jangala (Amanda’s uncle). So he has obligations to her which he is discharging by following her around and protecting her from spirits and physical threats.
I was lucky to be able to get a lift to Yuendumu with Gloria Morales who runs the dog rescue program and who works for the art co-operative (Warlukurlangu Artists). Gloria uses most of her salary to feed and treat the health of the dogs whilst she tries to find them homes. It is truly a labour of love requiring a huge input of time and energy.
The mechanic in Alice who maintains her vehicles fitted a number plate for her at his expense DOGLADY. It was in this vehicle that I returned from Yuendumu on the Monday and delivered it for a service. Even in Alice you get strange looks when driving a Toyota labelled DOGLADY around town.
So ‘Sonny Boy‘ now renamed Flynn, a combination of Bryn for brindle and Flynn the flying dogter, is enjoying his new life in Steels Creek.
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