Adoption Stories
Helping an animal to find their new home is extremely rewarding and makes all the hard work worthwhile.
We love hearing from people about how their new family member is settling in and we thought you, our supporters, would love to hear about it too. Below are just a few stories about some recently adopted animals.
If you have a story about an animal you have recently adopted from us, we'd love to hear from you. You can send your story and photos via our
Contact Us page.
Oscar and Milly
Oscar and Milly were recently adopted by the Allen family. The two kittens love exploring their new surroundings, especially climbing the curtains and their new mums dresses hanging in the wardrobe. Oscar and Milly have recently been introduced to the back yard, and they both love climbing trees, chasing flies and stalking each other through the vegetable garden. Oscar is an intrepid adventurer and does not seem to have any fear. When visitors come to the door he's right there sniffing their trousers and purring.
Milly is a lot more timid than her boisterous brother, but once she knows you she's very affectionate and has an exceptionally loud purr for such a little girl. Milly's favourite toy is a little mouse which rattles, which she can play with quite happily for hours on end. If Oscar tries to take it off her, she growls like a tiger!
Their new mum says ‘watching them play is a great stress reliever after a tough day at work. Then when they've tired themselves out they curl up on our laps and fall into a deep sleep, which is when their probably at their cutest’.
A big thank you to the Allen family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Oscar and Milly.
Timothy
Timothy the rabbit was adopted by the Brown family as a Christmas present for their five year old daughter, Tyler, and he has slotted into family life perfectly. Timothy spends most of the day relaxing inside the house unless the family have to go out and then they pop him back in his hutch for some grass and hay time.
Timothy isn't a great toy player - he is much too laid back and cool for such things but he does like to pick up and move his bed tray around and has a penchant for rolling his bowl of dried food from the upper level down the ramp to the lower level of his hutch. His favourite treats are apples and carrots and if you sit down long enough, he will jump up on your lap. In fact, the family think he was a cat in a previous life!
A big thank you to the Brown family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a lovely home to Timothy.
Stylo
Stylo (formerly Benson) was recently adopted by the Dunatov family. Stylo quickly bonded with 8 year old Milan and loves sneaking into the bedroom every morning to check if he is awake. Sitting next to Milan's bed with his tail wagging he waits patiently for him to get up so that he can have his first burst outside on the grass.
He loves his squeaky toys, especially the elephant that was purchased from the SPCA the same day he went home, and when he is really hyped up you can hear him outside squeaking away with sprints through the house and then back out again. He loves his new friends Evie and Murphy, the two boxers next door. Some lunch times the gate is opened between the properties and all three of them play.
Stylo is a quick study and can already sit, shake his paw, lay down and bring his toy. He stomps around like a brave little warrior and is interested in absolutely everything during the day but he likes his quiet time at night. His favourite spot is his big pillow in front of the fireplace in the lounge. He has such a willingness to please that when he is told he is fantastic he goes nuts and does ''crazy running'' around the home. His new family describe him as ‘a delight and the perfect fit to our family and we just love him!’
A big thank you to the Dunatov family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Stylo.
Emily
Emily, the horse, was recently adopted by the White family and, while it did take awhile to get her into the horse float, once she was in she hasn’t looked back! Petra bonded with Emily straight away after spending some time with her at SPCA Auckland before bringing her home. When she arrived at her new home, she very promptly walked around the paddock, chomping away on the grass acting as though “she had always lived there”.
That same day she met Foxy, whom she took to immediately, nuzzling away, although sometimes Foxy has had to put Emily in her place – after all, she is the senior horse! She has even gone on a walk on the road outside the farm with Foxy and another friend, Taiana. Emily now has eight new horse friends (as well as a few chooks!), although she hasn’t met them all yet! Emily is inquisitive and takes note of everything, often looking at the view and “gazing out over her kingdom”. It appears she may be a bit of a water baby, as she likes to blow bubbles in her water, and is looking forward to going for a swim at the beach in the summer. She is eating well and even put on some weight in the short time she has been in her new home.
Emily’s new family do military re-enactments and the ANZAC parade each year, so Emily will soon be a part-time military horse with her new friends! Who knows, we might see Emily and her new family at other events like the Christmas parade with Petra as Guinevere, a belly dancing horse rider, Xena or an Indian maiden!
A big thanks to the White family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Emily.
Millie & Milo
Formerly Tiny & Roo, Millie & Milo were recently adopted by the Taylor family. These black bunnies have settled into their new home very well, and have established themselves as the family entertainers; running around in the back garden and stretching their legs doing “bunnylympics”.
They start their day with a greeting from Wendy and Emily, who give them a handful of vegetables and some rabbit muesli. Milo loves parsley which means Millie will often miss out if she’s not quick enough! They get a cuddle from their new family most days and especially enjoy watching the All Blacks (their favourite team of course, being black!). They are also making friends with the family dog, also adopted from SPCA Auckland, but sometimes the dog gets a warning growl and scratch from the bunnies if she is over zealous with her hello.
Milo is very inquisitive, looking into everything, under everything and climbing on anything he can find. Millie likes to dig and scratch and munch on the grass, all the while keeping an eye on what Milo is up to. They have a beautiful new two level hutch, although they haven’t quite figured out where their bedroom is, and like to sleep downstairs huddled together. Sometimes they look like they have had a lovers tiff with one choosing to sit upstairs and the other choosing to sit downstairs, after all, we all need our own space sometimes!
A big thanks to the Taylor family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Buckley and Buddy.
Buckley and Buddy
Buckley and Buddy were adopted by a family who had originally just come into the SPCA Auckland Animal Village for just a look but whose hearts were captured by these two special boys. Having initially been smitten by Buddy, a jet black cat, who won Natalie over with a few love bites and a cuddle, they were unprepared to also be captivated by the tabby coloured Buckley in the cage next door. What to do?!
Luckily they came up with the bright idea to get both!
Although it was initially thought that Buckley might not get on with another boy, they took to each other immediately. On their first night at home, the boys decided that it far too exciting to sleep through and, despite giving them a stern talking to, it wasn’t until Natalie decided to open their bedroom door after 2am that the boys decided that sleeping on the adult bed in-between their new family would be the cosiest thing to do.
They are now settled in and, the best of buddies, they hardly go anywhere without each other. As Natalie puts it “we were a comfortable family of two and are now a very happy family of four”
A big thanks to Natalie from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Buckley and Buddy.
Benson
It took Benson a few months to get settled in and put aside his scaredy-cat ways, but he has now become an established part of the Mitton family.
Benson has a well established routine which starts at 4am to ensure his owners get their early morning kisses and cuddles. He hangs out in bed until it’s time for them to wake up, he then accompanies them around the house giving them a detailed account of his adventures the night before. He even waits at the bathroom door for post-shower rubs!
A very social cat, he owns the neighbourhood and even used to bring his kitty friend
over daily to hang out at their house.
He still plays like a kitten, especially with table tennis balls which he likes to hit back and forth with Mum. He “gives the best cuddles and smooches an owner could ever dream of” which does mean he may get a little bit spoilt now and then.
A big thanks to the Mitton family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving
home to Benson.
Ollie
Ollie was recently adopted by John, Jane, Sophie, Matthew and Simba, and has really settled into his new home. Simba, their existing dog, has shown Ollie the ropes and his family haven’t had any issues when they take him out, always coming when called!
Ollie spends his day either running in the huge Leigh Auton reserve with his buddies or sleeping on the lawn. A keen car enthusiast, Ollie loves to hang out in his family’s car which “can prove very interesting if all my shopping is in there”. Recently, he snuck into the car and almost accompanied his Dad to work! We must remember to send him an invitation to our Hot Rod Day next year.
His Mum thinks his best feature is that he “is gorgeous”, as evidenced by the photos! Although he was initially a bit stubborn, he loves people and kids. His cool aloofness has disappeared and has settled into his role as part of the family.
As his family put it, he is a “well cared for and loved addition to our pack!”
A big thanks to the O’Neill family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving
home to Ollie.
Sugar
Sugar was adopted from SPCA Auckland in November 2010. Since then she has been sending regular updates to let the team know how she has been getting on.
Sugar loves her new life and has adapted comfortably into new family’s daily schedule. When she hops up in the morning she loves to lay in front of the gas heater while her breakfast is being prepared. Her daily activities then include an 8 km morning walk, a trip to the swimming pool, and then helping out with odd jobs around the house.
Most nights Sugar will relax in front of the fire with her owners Anne and Eric, and usually follows their every move. She loves her stomach rubbed, whenever anyone gets close she’ll jump on the floor and roll over onto her back expecting a tummy rub!
Sugar is a wonderful supporter of SPCA Auckland and regularly donates food for her canine friends.
A big thanks to the Kremmer family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Sugar.
Cookie the Cat
Cookie, a 2 year old grey and white cat, was adopted by a family who say she has blossomed in to a much loved family member. Her first few weeks were spent hiding under the bed until she gained confidence to conquer the household! Cookie is full of energy and does not hesitate to wake the family at 3am as she drags her toys in to the bedrooms and meows until someone will wake up and play.
Cookie enjoys playing with the fluff stick, chasing a laser dot and leaping from the stairs to attack balls and string.
Cookie spends sunny days climbing the trees in the backyard, running, leaping and rolling around until she finally falls asleep exhausted in a warm spot. On rainy days she finds a fleece blanket and will sleep the day away, often with all four paws sticking up into the air.
One of her latest’s tricks is to open closet doors and sneak inside to have a sleep, her family couldn’t figure out who kept opening the door!
Cookie has also taken an interest in yoga, she crawls between Henna, her adoptive parent, when she’s practising yoga, and tries to catch her toes when she’s holding a pose, very distracting!
Cookie misses her family when they are gone for the day, she greets them with a meow and head rub at door, and she’s always ready for a big cuddle.
Cookies family describe her as a sweet girl, who they are fortunate to have.
A big thanks to Henna and Marcus from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Cookie.
Kara Thrace & Boomer
Boomer the tabby cat was adopted from the SPCA three years ago by his new family. Having fallen in love with Boomer the Beard Family soon decided to adopt a playmate for him and Kara Thrace was welcomed into their home just over a year ago.
Boomer and Kara are the best of friends and take time out of their busy days lounging around to wrestle and chase each other. Kara has suffered from a hip injury and had to have a hip ball joint replacement but is now back to climbing and running with no limps whatsoever.
Boomer is a star in the making; he leads a busy and professional lifestyle, giving up his precious time to be photographed. Boomer has quite the personality. According to his adoptive family he is very chatty meower and will soon have his own internet video channel! Here he will give his opinions on politics, world news, and advancements in new technologies. His family said that “this comes as a surprise to us as we’ve never considered him to be very smart, he once showed us his written theory on alternatives to fossil fuels and to be honest his research was very flawed. There were also several spelling errors.”
Boomer and Kara decided they wanted to get amongst the fun at Christmas time last year. Kara Thrace wanted to be the perfect gift, while Boomer insisted on hiding amongst the tinsel.
A big thanks to the Beard family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Kara and Boomer
Henri the Rooster
Henri, the rooster, was adopted by the Julian family early this year. His new family describe Henri as a majestic gentleman. It took some time but his tail feathers have finally grown since being in his new home.
He is very proud of them as they glisten in the morning sunshine. Henri is an early bird; his duty is to wake the world at five in the morning so work can begin on the farm. Henri has adapted most comfortably to farm life, especially his five beautiful hens that he has in his care. At meal times Henri is the perfect host and makes sure every one of his girls gets an equal share of food by feeding them from his mouth and lathering them with special attention.
A big thanks to the Julian family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Henri.
Shadows New Life
Adoptive family: Cluny, Sisi and Penina Macpherson
Profile: Black and white 5 year old Border collie
Best features: Lean and Muscular
Shadows greatest achievement: On the third day from adoption Shadow managed to find his way under a gate and rounded up a small flock of sheep. He held them quietly in the corner of a small paddock with just his eye.
Shadows exercise regime: Shadow starts his day with an 8km walk to the local beach and back where he procrastinates 45 minutes chasing stones and ducks in the sea.
Shadows attributes: Shadow willingly volunteers for showers Shadow is patient and gentle with children and his family
Shadows habits: Shadow is known to be impatient and often becomes unimpressed when his owners rest their arms from excessive stone throwing. Shadow disregards his newly built kennel for the deck at the front door where he lies in the summer heat with his nose to the brisk wind, this way Shadow can watch the whole world go by.
Shadows hobbies: Watercourses where he lies in the muddy water until a wood pigeon flies by for chasing. Chasing sticks, Shadow doesn’t stop until his owner’s elbows are well and truly sore.
Shadows goals: To be 23 Kg’s.
A big thanks to the Macpherson family from the SPCA Auckland team for giving a loving home to Shadow.