Hanami & Me – The little dog that no one wanted.

WORDS: Kat Johnston PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

Businesses across Australia are becoming more dog-friendly than ever before. Owners can travel with greater ease, enjoy pet-friendly accommodation, or simply hang in their local brewery with their furry best mate. Dog-lovers clicked their heels earlier this year when Virgin Australia announced its intention to become Australia’s first airline to operate with small pets onboard specific domestic routes, while Spirit of Tasmania has two new ships fitted with cabins for dogs and their humans, launching in 2025.

Despite these new liberties, people are discarding their canine friends in droves. Many of these dogs became inconvenient to their thoughtless owners after the Covid lockdowns ended. Around 200,000 dogs have been surrendered every year since 2022, with close to 50% of this figure due to “poor decision”.

Some rescue dogs have been loved and well-cared for by an elderly person, then become homeless after their best friend has passed away or moved to a nursing home. These dogs have not only lost their homes, they have the added heartbreak of losing their best — and sometimes only — friend.

Others have been affected by the lack of rental accommodation. Thousands of dogs are euthanised because of the lack of pet-friendly accommodation. Approximately a third of Australian’s are renters, while only 10% of advertised rentals allow pets. This is the single most important factor leading to the relinquishment of dogs to shelters and pounds.

Rescue shelters are in crisis. Some are so overwhelmed by the volume of abandoned dogs they are forced to close their intake.

If you’re considering getting a dog for yourself, for your family, or maybe your aging parent, first, let me share a story…

I call it, ‘Hanami & Me’.

I first met Hanami (Ha-Na-Me) on 27 June 2012 — just over 12 years ago.

She’d been in a council dog pound in a countryside town. Hanami’s fate was to be shot the next day. Bullets are cheaper than vets, you see. What many of us think of as animal euthanasia (being put to sleep), is not the same as what the laws allow for. Hanami was saved by a rescue charity who brought her to the city and placed into foster care. I first saw her photograph on their website. The rescue group called her, “The problem child”. She wasn’t doing so well in her current foster home. She’d already bitten someone who looked to adopt her. I thought maybe I could make a difference, even if she wasn’t the right dog for me.

I drove several suburbs and knocked on the front door of her foster parents’ home. A young woman appeared. Before I could blink, a flash of white lightning shot past my legs, bolted down the driveway, onto the street, then vanished. I was left standing in the open doorway while the foster mum shrieked and chased the dog down for the next 15 minutes.

Hanami and I went for our first walk that day. When we got back to the house, she jumped on the sofa next to me and allowed me to stroke her tummy. The foster parent was shocked. The little dog had never done that with anyone else. I went back several times a week, each time taking her for a walk and building her trust. In mid-July she came home with me, and I became her foster mum.

I officially adopted her in August 2012. People gasped when I told them I paid a $500 adoption fee.

‘$500 for a mutt?’, they said.

That $500 contributed to the cost of vaccinations, microchipping, de-sexing and even knee surgery, all paid by the rescue charity. They also had a lifetime money-back policy if the adoption didn’t work out.

The name she had then was Chloe. I was told it’s good to give her a new name, to help create positive associations. I decided to call her, ‘Hanami’. O’Hanami is the Japanese tradition of viewing the cherry blossoms. It seemed the perfect way to symbolise joy and renewal.

The only possession Hanami brought with her an elongated hot pink soft toy with big googly eyes. I thought it was a caterpillar, but according to my male friends, it looked like “something else.” Whenever I came home, she would run and grab it, hanging it between her teeth as a way of expressing her delight.

It took six months for her to give me my first kiss. One day, as I lay on my bedroom floor, she came to me and gently licked my cheek.

At walkies time, if I didn’t take heed of her increasing vocal prompts, she became so frustrated she would get her lead and throw it at my feet. It was through Hanami that I met half the people in my neighbourhood.

When my father was dying from Alzheimer’s Disease, the hospital staff allowed her to go with me to visit him. Hanami sat quietly on his bed. Dad’s swollen, arthritic hands stroked her fur. One evening, I noticed an elderly man in the bed opposite, watching us. I asked if he’d like to pat my little dog. He nodded wordlessly. I popped her on the bed next to him and watched his face soften. His daughter arrived and pulled me aside. Tears ran down her face. It was the first time she’d seen her father smile in eight months.

I fled a violent relationship. Hanami was with me that dreadful night I gave my first police statement. For five hours, she sat underneath a detective’s desk without a peep. Despite the restraining order to protect me, I was too frightened to leave my immediate neighbourhood. Even going to the supermarket was cause for panic attacks. Whoever said, ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,’ was a fool.

After training very hard and passing many exams, Hanami became a registered Assistance Dog in 2021. My world opened again.

Hanami completed eight interstate flights between the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney. She pranced through the airports, tail aloft and eyes bright. All heads turned to watch her go by. The staff at Virgin Airways gave her their highflyers passport. The ground crew asked for photographs. Even the pilot came out of the cockpit to say hello — to Hanami, not to me. It was like working with a VIP and I was the personal assistant. On our last flight together, my birthday in fact, the passenger seated next to me said it was the best flight he’s ever been on. Hanami accompanied me everywhere — yoga, concerts, theatres, overnight in hospital, restaurants, silent meditation retreats — you name it, she was there.

When “Mochi” the spaniel, another rescue dog, unexpectedly arrived on the scene, Hanami was less than impressed by this handsome interloper who stole her food and lumped himself in her favourite bed. But Mochi only had eyes for Hanami, and like so many relationships, he loved her more than she loved him. She eventually found her peace, taught him how to play, jumping on him and pulling him by his long ears with her teeth.

Hanami wasn’t always an angel – especially when she was younger and more anxious. If she was left behind, she’d illustrate her displeasure with a protest poo or, a wilful wee, as poor “uncle” Joel discovered on his bed, when we went to the cinema without her one day.

She never liked digging holes but if a bit of stuffing came out of a cushion, she’d revel in its disembowelling.

She wasn’t a lap dog, except at the vets, when she couldn’t stop shaking.

Her fur was so soft people remarked with surprise. I often joked that I would make her into a pair of slippers.

When people asked me what breed of dog Hanami is, I’d tell them, she is part Ewok, part Womble.

She was a fussy eater but had a penchant for dried kangaroo tendons. I prefer Chardonnay.

As Hanami got older, her soulful brown eyes became tinged with blue. Despite struggling to walk, she still came everywhere. The doggie-pram became our continued gateway to the outside world.

I never knew her age. The vet estimated she was around three years old in 2012.  That would have made her 15 or 16 years old today.

When she passed away that August afternoon, she was the oldest working dog still in the Assistance Dog program.

Hanami’s heart was so full of love for me, it overflowed. It grew so large in her small chest, she could no longer breathe.

Her big heart became too big for this world.

When she left, my own heart shattered into a million pieces of all the light held inside.

The only thing Hanami ever really wanted was to be with me.

That’s all I ever wanted too.

But there is a light that never goes out…

O’Hanami is a celebration of life’s simply beauty and fleeting moments in time. When the delicate pink cherry flowers come into bloom they mark the end of the harshness of winter. They also represent a poignant awareness of transience of life, blossoming only a few days before wilting and scattering their petals. They are always tinged with sadness in that something so exquisite, is so brief.

People sometimes say to me, ‘Oh, it’s so great you saved her.’ The truth is, Hanami saved me.

Next time you see the cherry blossoms, think about the little dog that no one wanted. She only needed to feel safe to bloom.

******

Annually, 100,000 treatable and adoptable dogs are killed, that could be saved. Some shelters and pounds have live release rates of over 90%, while others kill more than every second dog. (Australian Pet Welfare Foundation)

Lack of a “Pets are Welcome” policy by landlords and body corporates means there are fewer homes available to adopt or foster rescue animals. It can even result in human homelessness. People on a low income with few options may choose to live on the street or in their car, rather than surrender their pet.

There is also the unspoken human cost. 50% of shelter workers directly involved with euthanasia develop health problems (post-traumatic stress leading to depression, substance abuse, high blood pressure), and tragically in some cases, suicide.

The Truth About Puppy Farms

Puppy farming is a major animal welfare issue. The RSPCA says, “In some cases, breeding animals may never be allowed out of the cage to exercise, play, socialise, have companionship or even to go to the toilet.”

Puppy farmers know that caring people would be horrified to see the true conditions their dogs are kept and living in. In 2015, a sickening investigation revealed dogs being kept in ‘upright tombs’, denied sunlight, and forced to eat, sleep and ‘live’ in faeces-infested cages. Little has changed. Dogs sold through pet shops and online allows unscrupulous breeders to hide their horrendous truths. They may have fancy websites and glossy images, offering to ‘deliver the pup to you’ or meet you at your local park. These are common ‘red flags’. Such sellers are unlikely willing for you to see the conditions where the puppy is born. The only way to be sure is to properly check the breeding facility.

“Oodles” (Cavoodles, Snoodles etc) are some of the most abused dogs for puppy farming, some forced to have 11 consecutive litters before being discarded with prolapsed uterus, rotting teeth and multiple infections.

450,000 puppies are sold in Australia each year, most from puppy farms. Almost fifty percent of these dogs will later be abandoned.

You can make a difference… one dog at a time.

When you adopt, you are saving two lives — the dog you adopt, and the next dog you create the space to come into rescue care.

Rescue dogs are not defective or broken. They long to share their love with someone who cares. They are eager to please and waiting for a chance to shine.

Like Hanami, some dogs may take a little while to settle in after leaving the stressful shelter environment. Adopters are often advised of the 3 + 3 + 3 rule: a guideline that outlines three stages of adjustment over the course of three days, three weeks, and three months. It’s designed to provide structure and patience during the crucial initial period when an adopted dog is acclimating to their new surroundings and forming new bonds — yet still a lot less work than owning a puppy.

Senior dogs still have a lot of life and love to give. They have often lived with families and are calmer, already housetrained, and typically less energetic than younger dogs. They make wonderful companions, particularly for an older person who may not be able to commit to looking after a dog for the next 15 years.

Fostering – Become a foster parent, even for a short time.

Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) says, “Fostering is a wonderful way to temporarily help an animal in need and give them care and comfort before they are ready for adoption. You will be provided everything you need for your foster pet, so there are no out of pocket expenses. In some cases, you can support them while they recover from illness or surgery. Being a foster carer does require some time and commitment, but it is an amazingly rewarding experience.”

Donate – Every dollar makes a difference. You can also donate goods, or shop at Animal Welfare Op Shops. All proceeds go back to helping animals in need.

Lobby body corporates to allow pet-friendly accommodation. If you own a rental, allow tenants to have pets.

Educate yourself before getting any dog. Breed characteristics, behavioural needs, and potential medical issues that may require veterinary intervention down the track. Ensure your dog is desexed.

Rescue dogs come in all shapes, sizes, breeds, ages (including many puppies), and are suitable for every lifestyle and home. Like my little Hanami, all they are missing is someone caring to love and trust.

Resources

The RSPCA has an excellent guide towards an ethical journey of owning a new dog or puppy rspcapuppyguide.com.au

Pet Rescue’s Rescue Directory, is a database for all the animal centres in each Australian state.

A list of 72 dog rescue groups in Queensland can be found on the Savour Life website.

Animals Australia article on Puppy Farming.