RESCUE SUPER STAR
www . huskyrescue . co . nz
Breed specific rescues are becoming more common thanks to social media playing a big part in pushing popularity . More and more people are buying dogs based on appearance and not traits . Huskies and malamutes are high on the rehoming list . Morgan Healey talks to Michelle Attwood , founder of Husky Rescue NZ in Christchurch .
Michelle Attwood started Husky Rescue NZ in 2009 – not just to rehome unwanted dogs but to educate potential owners to husky related traits . Huskies are notorious escape dogs who can easily clear a 1.8m fence if they want to . They also like to run , so require at least 5 kilometres of leashed exercise every day . They are not the most suitable dog to be around cats , small dogs or stock animals . Some of the main reasons that huskies are abandoned or released to Husky Rescue NZ are “ my dog keeps jumping the fence ”, “ my dog killed a cat ” and “ my dog won ’ t ever come back when called ”.
For the first eight years that Husky Rescue NZ was in operation , Michelle funded the project entirely herself . She worked full time , then would come home and do Husky Rescue NZ , which was also about the equivalent of full time job . There were no nights out , holidays , savings or home ownership for her . But Michelle says those first years were when she made her greatest achievements . One of the things she did was secure an amazing contract at the International Antarctic Centre , in Christchurch , where she does husky encounters with visitors ,
creating awareness of the breed and talking about their history in Antarctica .
All huskies taken in by Husky Rescue NZ go through a series of checks to make sure they are healthy and suitable for rehoming . The dogs are also desexed , vaccinated and microchipped . All dogs are cared for until a suitable home is found , and Husky Rescue NZ has foster homes in Christchurch ,
Wellington and Te Puke . Often , the foster homes help pay for their keep out of their own pocket .
The rescue dogs get adopted by volunteers and husky lovers . Akira arrived with a ruptured cruciate which had never been treated . It was filled with arthritis and Akira was in a terrible amount of pain . Husky Rescue NZ paid the large bill for her surgery and gave her the rehabilitation she needed . It was all worth it in the end . Akira is the most loveliest dog and was adopted by a friend of Michelle ’ s who has a lot of husky experience . Noctis , a malamute , was adopted by a volunteer . He arrived weighing just 28kg – the healthy weight of a male malamute is about 40kg or more – so he was incredibly emaciated . Noctis was also completely covered in fleas and petrified of people , particularly men . With a lot of work , time and love , Michelle and a team of volunteers taught him to be comfortable around a variety of different people . He did very well with all the attention and the volunteer who adopted him was even male . However , it ’ s not just friends and volunteers who can ’ t resist a rescue .