Home at last: Rocky (now Obi) surrounded by love at his new home in Weetangera with Kate Aspland, her daughter Eve, and Eve’s partner Dustin. Photo: Tara McMahon.
It’s only taken Rocky (now Obi, short for Oberon) a couple of days to work out where the best place to sleep is: on his new owner’s bed. Not bad for a dog who held the unwanted record of the longest stay in Canberra Domestic Animal Services (DAS) shelter – 328 days.
Obi, who developed near mega-dog status with his appearances online, on television, radio (his spokespeople did the job for him) and in newspapers in the search for his forever home, found that place on Valentine’s Day when Kate Aspland went to the shelter to look for a new family member.
“I didn’t know anything about him,” she said, “except that I really liked how he looked in his photo on the website.
“It was only when I was there that I realised how long he’d been there – so he had to go on top of the list of the dogs I wanted to meet.”
It was love at first sight, and Obi was soon on his way to his new Weetangera home to become part of the family – Kate and her daughter Eve and Eve’s partner Dustin.
“It’s really funny. He’s decided that my daughter’s boyfriend is his favourite person. It’s a little disappointing,” she joked.
“But it only took him a couple of days to find his way onto my bed.
“He has the run of the house. We’re training him so he gets a lot of treats.”
What was it about Obi that drew Kate in?
“I’ve always loved staffies and staffy crosses. I just like the way they look. And then, when I realised how long he had been at the shelter, I had to get him.”
DAS Adoptions Coordinator Tara McMahon said her team was sad to see Rocky go but delighted that he had found his perfect home, visiting him at Weetangera on Tuesday.
“Some dogs take a while to settle, especially after being at the shelter for so long, but it’s been fantastic the way he’s settled in here.
“I couldn’t believe the difference in him in just a week since he left us. He has calmed down so much and his real personality has come out.”
Staff at Canberra’s Domestic Animal Services farewell Rocky, the longest tenant in their care. Photo: DAS.
Obi came to the shelter almost a year ago as a stray with no ID or microchip. DAS staff doted on him, but although they loved having him around, they knew he deserved his own home.
Tara said that although it was the best news for Obi, many more dogs at the shelter urgently needed adoption.
“We have 37 dogs here now,” she said.
“They all deserve homes. It is wonderful that Obi has his home now, but the adoptions don’t end with him.”
More information about dogs available for adoption through DAS is available on the website.
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