A picture of a young Scruffles, or “Lashes”, as she was known then,
from her days at the Save-A-Dog shelter back in 2006
Whilst little is known about Scruffles’ youth, time spent time at a shelter when she was just 4 years old suggests that her early years may have been rather tough. Of course, every dark cloud has a silver lining, and what might have seemed like a low point for young Scruffa, then known as “Lashes”, actually led to a life-changing date with destiny.
The story goes back to 2006, when Lashes suddenly found herself without an owner and living at the Save-A-Dog shelter in the suburb of Glen Iris in Melbourne. It was during this time, specifically in early October of 2006, that she had a chance encounter with someone very, very special.
The lovely, dog-loving, Sweenie, who was volunteering at the shelter at the time, saw something in the little one that touched her heart very deeply – so much so that within a few days of meeting her, she would take on the responsibility of becoming Scruffles’ new guardian. On October 11th, 2006, at the age of 4 and a half, Scruffles moved into her new cozy, comfy home in Burwood with Sweenie and her husband Mark, and has never looked back.
The amazing generosity shown by Sweenie and Mark in bringing her into their home back then, has been rewarded ever since, with Scruffa becoming such a loving and cherished member of the family and a massively positive influence on their lives.
The role of the Save-A-Dog scheme in this moving tale cannot be overlooked either. They are an amazingly unique, community-based not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that saves hundreds of dogs and cats from being put down every year – unlike other shelters, they adopt a “no-kill” policy along with providing much-needed veterinary care to sick or injured animals. By doing so, they give these precious creatures the best chance to start a new life with loving owners who also benefit from having a new four-legged companion become a part of their family.
To learn more about the wonderful Save-A-Dog Scheme, as well donate to the cause, please click here.