4 August 2021

Pauly and Bruiser to be reunited thanks to an outpouring of generosity and community spirit

| Lottie Twyford
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Pauly and his dog bruiser

Pauly and his “best mate” Bruiser at the Erindale Shops. Photo: Melissa McCormack.

After what can only be described as an outpouring of community spirit and generosity, Erindale homeless man Pauly New will be reunited with his best mate and beloved companion Bruiser after he was impounded last week.

Thousands of Canberrans had followed the story closely – liking, sharing and commenting on Facebook posts as well as signing petitions addressed to Domestic Animal Services (DAS) asking for the animal to be returned.

So when Pauly’s sister announced on Facebook on Monday evening that Bruiser had passed his temperament tests, commenters noted they either had tears in their eyes or were ready to bust out the champagne in his honour.

By the next morning, over 1000 people had reacted to the post.

Pauly and Bruiser are familiar faces to many who frequent the Erindale Shops to get their groceries or pick up a coffee in the mornings before work. He says he is more than blown away by the support he received from the community.

“I just want to say how grateful I am, and thank you to everyone who supported me and Bruiser,” he said.

“Now I’m just looking forward to picking him up after he is desexed and us being able to hang out.”

READ MORE Community refuses to give up hope after local homeless man’s dog impounded

An anonymous donor has stepped up to the plate to cover the costs of Bruiser’s desexing, which is likely to take place today (4 August) at the Belconnen Veterinary Centre, where Bruiser was able to get an appointment at short notice.

If all goes well, Bruiser will be free to go with Pauly.

But that’s not where the good news ends.

When Pauly’s story was shared, he was offered short-term accommodation and is now set to meet with Canberra Liberals MLA and Member for Brindabella Mark Parton, who wants to help him secure permanent housing.

Pauly’s sister, Melissa McCormack, said she’s also in a state of shock and, like Pauly, can’t thank the community enough for their support.

“It just all feels like it’s happened so quickly that I don’t know what to think yet,” she said.

Melissa explained that Bruiser had performed well in the temperament test that animals are subjected to upon being impounded, and when shown aggression, he put his legs up and did not attack.

A spokesperson for the ACT Government said that in all likelihood, as soon as Bruiser was deemed fit to leave the vets after he was desexed, the two would be together again.

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DAS’s investigation will only be deemed complete once the desexing procedure is completed.

The spokesperson explained that every dog seized by DAS undergoes a behavioural assessment conducted by a qualified and independent canine behaviourist or assessor to gauge the temperament and behaviour of the dog.

They added that, in the ACT, all dogs must be de-sexed unless their registered keeper has applied for a ‘sexually entire permit’.

If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, OneLink provides information and connections for support services in the ACT, including services for families and young people. A list of front-line community organisations can be found at VolunteeringACT and ACT Government funded homelessness services.

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So annoyed with this dog @ Erindale shop. The dog is very intimidating and terrifies me, what more scarier is because this guy doesn’t keep his dog on the leash. The dog growled @ my husband when he just walking towards the shop’s entrance. My husband won’t take the chance and had to abandon going shopping. I don’t have anything against this guy and in favour in helping homeless people, but what if the dog over power his owner and attack people? We heard it so many times people got severely injured, sometimes even fatal when mauled by this type of dog. I wish people don’t treat someone as hero just because they are homeless, it is for someone who does something heroic, not just because they are friendy or say g’day when you walked pass them.

Exactly right, do wrong get rewarded

Melissa Stroud4:07 pm 06 Aug 21

Who did what wrong?

Melissa Stroud4:11 pm 06 Aug 21

I don’t believe anyone has mentioned anything about a hero.
I am sorry your husband is not comfortable around the dog. Could he use the other entrance if they are outside one of them?
Maybe they won’t be around as much if they are given support and somewhere to live?

He didn’t put his dog on a leash while he’s in public place

wrong assumption. my husband happens to love dogs. Exactly the point, why we have to be inconvenience & go to different entrance or shop somewhere else when someone else have an unfriendly big dog unleashed near the entrance of shopping centre

This is very good news.

Having met these two outside a shopping centre a few times, I’ve been impressed by Bruiser’s responses to human attention, and by his ‘keeper’ who has trained Bruiser well.

Great outcome. Will be a better outcome if pauly and bruiser don’t end up sitting outside of shops again. Need to get on with their lives.

NiCe_tRy I_WoNT_LiE10:58 pm 04 Aug 21

Anyone who knows bruiser could’ve told you he would pass the test. Good on ya bruiser !!!

Strange that in the same threads complaining that the dog had been taken, there were also multiple people giving their own stories of the dog attacking them and their pets whilst off leash.

Hopefully the desexing works but I really don’t understand how people are claiming this to be some sort of heroic win for the community.

So annoyed with this dog @ Erindale shop. The dog is very intimidating and terrifies me, what more scarier is because this guy doesn’t keep his dog on the leash. The dog growled @ my husband when he just walking towards the shop’s entrance. My husband won’t take the chance and had to abandon going shopping. I don’t have anything against this guy and in favour in helping homeless people, but what if the dog over power his owner and attack people? We heard it so many times people got severely injured, sometimes even fatal when mauled by this type of dog. I wish people don’t treat someone as hero just because they are homeless, it is for someone who does something heroic, not just because they are friendy or say g’day when you walked pass them.

Bruiser has paid dearly for his noisy little disturbance
‘An anonymous donor has stepped up to the plate to cover the costs of Bruiser’s desexing’.

Some might say if only this was the fate of a lot of disturbers in this town ….. but alas.

Robyn Croucher3:21 pm 04 Aug 21

Thank God, both Pauly and Bruiser have survived this.
Prayers will be for both Pauly and Bruiser for the trauma to be healed, for Bruisers surgery to go well and the reunited permanent.
God Bless.

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