When Alisa Pollack and her partner Phillip Hay left their inner city home two Saturdays ago, and headed to Londonderry, there was no guarantee they would have an extra passenger on the trip home.
The couple were headed west for the final Greyhounds As Pets Adoption Day of 2019 at the GAP NSW Western Sydney facility.
When they made the return trip home, they did so with a full car.
“We weren’t definitely going to adopt that day,” Alisa said. “But getting a dog by adoption - and probably a greyhound - was something my partner and I had been discussing for quite a while.
“We had spoken about getting a bonded pair, but we didn’t know Parcel and Fiddle were going to be there. They were, and they are gorgeous, and we couldn’t resist.”
A total of 16 greyhounds were adopted on the day at Londonderry, but the highlight for all GAP NSW staff was when the “two old girls”, Fiddle and Parcel, were adopted by Alisa and Phillip.
Fiddle and Parcel are eight and half year old sisters, and not only blood relations, but best friends. The have grown up together, and it was always thought that the perfect scenario would be for someone to adopted the girls as a ‘set’.
And that was exactly what happened with the girls heading from Londonderry to Paddington.
“As we were walking out with Fiddle and Parcel, everyone we walked past, was like: “Oh you’re taking them … that’s amazing””, Alisa said.
“They have settled in really well. They are very happy, sleeping all day, and occasionally waking up for food and squeaky toys. They are adorable.
“Neither of us have ever had a dog before. I remember when I was younger my family had a fish and it lived for about a week, the poor thing.
“My partner had briefly been left with an ex-girlfriend’s cat for a short time, and that was about it for us both with pets, so yes, it was a real jump in the deep in, but they are totally worth it.”
The final Greyhounds As Pets Adoption Day for 2019 was also a way for staff and volunteers to also celebrate Christmas with all visitors on the day, and reflect on a wonderful year.
Throughout 2019, Greyhounds As Pets have held Adoption Days at Rose Bay (where the inaugural GAP NSW Ambassador Tim Cahill attended), Bathurst, Maitland, Belrose, Campbelltown, Londonderry and of course the huge National Adoption Day at Wentworth Park in April.
In total, 116 greyhounds were adopted and found new homes, purely as a result of GAP NSW Adoption Days this year.
