Sailors show their soft side
Maturity got the better of eight-year-old pooch Athena, who yawned as she waited for puppy Jai to contain his excitement after meeting their new American friends yesterday.
The Dogs' Refuge Home residents were treated to a special visit from 17 US sailors who were still finding their land legs after disembarking in Fremantle at the weekend.
The sailors are among more than 5000 who arrived at Gage Roads as part of their deployment through the Western Pacific and Middle East.
Despite spending months out at sea in high-stress roles, the group of men and women spent their rest and relaxation time volunteering at the Shenton Park centre, performing chores such as tidying the pet cemetery, mending fences, mowing lawns and interacting with more than 100 dogs.
Dogs' Refuge Home general manager Judy Flanagan said the sailors' help would make a huge difference in the maintenance of the 5ha facility that cares for lost, abused, neglected or unwanted animals.
The non-profit organisation, which operates every day of the year, is 99 per cent self-funded and relies on 300 volunteers to help look after dogs who are "generally on death row" before finding their way to the "pro-life" facility.
For one of the sailors, yesterday was an opportunity to bond with a puppy - high-energy and affectionate Jai - after eight months away from his family and three dogs in Los Angeles.
The 33-year-old Operations Specialist First Class jumped at the chance to visit the refuge centre because, as the owner of two rescue dogs, he understood the importance of facilities that protect animals.
"We could have been out visiting the beach, but we chose to do this in our own time because this is a worldwide issue that affects animals, with too many dogs euthanised because kennels are overcrowded," said the sailor, who cannot be named.
"I'm very active when I'm back home, but when it's time to go hiking or to the beach the only ones who want to come along are the dogs, not the kids."
Ms Flanagan said Perth's US Consul-General Cynthia Griffin had been a huge supporter of the facility and even rescued one of the dogs.
