Goofy giant Polar is known by SPCA Kerikeri staff to be easygoing and very intelligent. He's been waiting longer than a year for his forever family to choose him. Photo / Supplied
Goofy giant Polar is known by SPCA Kerikeri staff to be easygoing and very intelligent. He's been waiting longer than a year for his forever family to choose him. Photo / Supplied
As the soaring cost of living forces families to reconsider their priorities, some animals may be moving down the list.
While Polar is well cared for thanks to having spent most of his short life with the SPCA, a permanent home remains his need.
Polar arrived at the Kerikeri centre just over a year ago at 3 months of age and is now its longest-staying dog.
The centre’s team leader, Juanita Tana, said they tended to have “maybe three dogs a year that stay longer than we’d like”.
“This is common not just for our centre, but other SPCA centres and other animal rescues across the country.”
“We are here to help in any way we can — the animals and also our community.”
“Vet costs are very high and it makes it hard for people who cannot afford it. They then don’t get their pets desexed, which results in unwanted litters of kittens and puppies.
“We can sometimes assist with food to help owners who are struggling, as well as free desexing and microchipping vouchers, and advice.”
Tana said she had worked at the centre for nearly a decade and seen a lot in that time.
Sadly, Tana said although people were generally more keen to adopt puppies, it was “very common” for a dog to come into their care young and still not be snapped up.
Tana said Polar’s easygoing nature would make him a natural fit for many families.
“He’s happy with any activity you give him; in fact, we haven’t come across anything he doesn’t like.”
“He’s very intelligent and we believe he would pass the kiwi avoidance training with ease.
“He’s just a happy, loving dog.”
Given a large secure area to run and play, Polar is likely to be an easy fit with most families. Photo / Supplied
Tana said she believed Polar could be part great Dane, and was fully grown into a large dog.
This could be another part of the reason for his long stay, because small and medium-size dogs usually proved most popular.
Like all dogs at the centre, Polar was trained to walk on the lead, sit, stay, and not jump up.
Despite his large size, Polar would be happy with the same amount of exercise as an average dog, but would need a large fenced yard in which to run off excited bursts of playful energy, Tana said.
“He loves going on walks and chasing a ball, and would love going to beaches and rivers.
“And he’s awesome around kids. But probably best with five years and older, as he is large and goofy and he could get in the way of younger ones.
Tana described the centre’s adoption process as a relaxed, pressure-free arrangement.
“People can come and spend time with Polar in our outside playpen away from the other dogs so there is no distraction, and they can also take him for a walk,” she said.
“We offer a week’s trial for our teenagers and adults, so people can see if the dog will fit in with their lifestyle and family.”
In situations where the adoption doesn’t work out, the centre welcomed people to come back and return animals to a familiar place.
“We are able to take the dogs back after they have been adopted if doesn’t work out for some reason or the family’s circumstances change.
“We would rather they come back to us so it’s less stressful for the dog, as they know and remember us and the centre.”
Tana said foster families were also always in need and were a good option for animal lovers who couldn’t commit their home to a pet permanently.
“SPCA provides all the items and covers costs associated with fostering,” she said.
“This is one way to really support animals in need.”
She said discounts were possible on longer-term dogs like Polar, who costs $150 to adopt and was fully health checked, desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, wormed and flea-treated.
Tana said there was no maximum stay and Polar would remain at the centre until he was adopted.
“We’re committed to helping them all find their forever home.”
