Paws for Grief

06/07/2025

💔 Today, Our Hearts Shattered 💔

This morning began like any other—except it wasn’t.
Tiana didn’t want breakfast. She didn’t rush to the gate or do her usual cheeky trot. She simply stood there. Still. Quiet. Not our fierce, fiery little Tiana.

We called the vet, expecting something treatable, something fixable. A course of antibiotics, maybe a few days of rest.
But nothing—nothing—could have prepared us for the words that followed:
Liver cancer. A mass had formed. There was no saving her.

Today is my birthday. And last night, my wish was for Bear the lamb to recover. I never imagined today would be the day I would say goodbye to Tiana.
There are no days off when you run a sanctuary. But this… this is not the kind of day anyone is ever ready for.

Tiana came to Freedom Hill after her beloved human, Faye, was moved into care. Until Faye’s passing, she’d get updates—updates that always ended with, “Tiana’s doing just fine.”
And she was.
At first, the other donkeys—Eeyore and May—weren’t so sure. But Tiana, sweet and persistent, followed them with her unspoken question:
“Will you be my friend?”
Eventually, they let her in. And oh, how she bloomed. She became donkey through and through—spinning joyfully at mealtime, fiercely protective of her food, mischievous in her ways. She adored being brushed (but heaven help us if we brushed another donkey before her.

And when baby Annie was born to Eeyore, Tiana surprised us all with her tenderness. She was calm, protective, and nurturing—watching over that little one with a mother’s heart. Her quiet gentleness shone brightest in those moments.

Tiana was cheeky, spirited, loyal, and kind.
She knew she was safe. She knew she was loved.

And today… she’s gone. Just like that.
There are no words for the shock or the heartbreak.

Darling Tiana, your absence is louder than your silence ever was.
You touched every soul lucky enough to know you.
Run free now, sweet girl.

You were family. You were home. You were so loved.
Tiana ~ Forever part of Freedom Hill. Forever part of us.

Until we meet again. 💔 R.I.P

06/07/2025

16/06/2025

07/06/2025

15/06/2024

💥 BOM 💥

Meet Bom, the epitome of sweetness and charm in the form of a Border Collie puppy. With his striking black and white coat and quite frankly... unmisable ears, Bom captures hearts (and every sound) wherever he goes. Despite his young age, Bom exudes a gentle and affectionate nature that endears him to everyone he meets.

Bom is a true sweetheart, known for his gentle disposition and loving nature. He arrived petrified of humans but now he has felt a gentle hand, he thrives on human affection and eagerly seeks out cuddles and belly rubs whenever he can.

Bom has a calming presence that brings a sense of peace to those around him.
Bom's favorite pastime is spending quality time with his family, whether it's snuggled up on the couch for a movie night or toys in the garden.

Bom craves companionship to boost his confidence, making him the perfect candidate for a canine sibling. He would benefit greatly from having a furry friend to play with and keep him company during the day. Whether it's a game of chase in the backyard or a naptime cuddle session, Bom would thrive in a multi-dog household where he can forge strong bonds and share his love with a fellow four-legged companion.

https://www.savour-life.com.au/adopt-a-dog/search-now/view/75762

26/04/2024

❤ JUST A BEAUTIFUL RESCUE LOVE STORY !!!

In 2013 Candace emailed WISH and asked “Did we have anyone that could help her son Noah”. Noah desperately needed a friend. Someone that just knew him inside and out. Someone that he could connect to on the level that his soul needed and in comes our gorgeous Tahlia WD0031 (we are now WD4968).

We knew a dog would be the answer and we had a litter of 8 x 8 week old BC x arriving, so this was just meant to be.

It was then set up for Noah and his family to go and meet them all in the one home and let the “ONE”, pick Noah and the “ONE”, most certainly did.

Tahlia knew from the moment their eyes connected this was the one, her knight in shining armour and Noah found his BFF in his beautiful furry friend.

Well the love story continues and 11 years later they are even more inseparable and their love grows deeper and deeper everyday, as Noah begins to turn into a young man.

We see hundreds and hundreds of beautiful love stories where the dog/s save us but none has been more beautiful or touching, than this story with Noah & Tahlia
- a true innocent 😇 match made from heaven.

Hugs to Noah, Tahlia, Candace & family - happy gotcha month 11 years ago and we know, the pictures say the rest…

❤ WE ALL GOT OUR WISH !!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX 😘 XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX





11/04/2024

Say hello to Chris!

Chris is a superstar 🤩

Embarking on his first ever Melbourne Marathon in October, Chris decided to raise funds for a cause close to his heart - Pets of the Homeless. And he has already raised over $2,000!

“My whole life growing up I was lucky enough to have family pets around me, and was able to experience the joy that pets bring,” Chris said.

When Chris moved out of home, he was able to take in a kitten named Sefa and they instantly formed a close bond.

“Sefa is now five years old and my little best friend,” Chris shared. “He is always following me around the house and loves to hang out with anyone who comes over.”

As Chris got older, he witnessed the financial pressures people were facing, and recognised how important those emotional bonds were between people and their pets when they were facing tough times.

“It makes me happy to represent a great charity that helps those who need a bit of support so they are able to still provide for their animals.”

Not one to do things by halves, Chris is jumping straight into the full marathon this year.

You can join Chris and for the Nike Melbourne Marathon and help keep best friends together. And if you sign up to be a Charity Superstar like Chris and raise $2,000 for Pets of the Homeless, you will run for free! You’ll also receive a free POTH running singlet when you raise over $250.

With the general allocation for the Melbourne Marathon now exhausted, this is your gateway to run and make a difference.

All funds raised will go towards our life-changing work, from providing pet food and supplies to vet care and safe shelter.

Experience the incredible camaraderie of and will feel amazing crossing the line knowing you’ve helped people and their pets in need.

Learn more here: https://melbmara2024.grassrootz.com/pets-of-the-homeless/vip/new

11/04/2024

07/04/2024

My dad just sent me this beautiful photo. It's me as a young girl, with our dog, Butch, reading a book, as I always was. He came off a local farm in the country where I grew up on Yorke Peninsula. He was a kelpie, border collie, blue heeler cross, and the best dog in the world. I've never known another dog like him. Extraordinarily clever, fiercely loyal, deeply loving. Sadly, he was run over at a young age, robbing us of the years we should've had and breaking our hearts. But, for the years we had him, he was a part of everything we did.

I have always adored animals and had a special relationship with them, as well as being a bookworm. I've never lived without a pet and talk to birds and wildlife all the time. So, there's nothing better for me than to be lying with my dog, on a lazy day, with a good book. Perfect memory. Miss you always, lovely dog.

16/09/2023

Today I have been remembering my Keira - on what would have been her 16th birthday.

She’s been gone two years in her physical form but she is with me every single day.

While I still mourn her loss - the things we did together I am forever thankful for and celebrate because she taught me so much about life and love.

I know many of you know this feeling and resonate with it. The animals we love never leave us.

In my hardest moments of missing her I look to the future and the release of Keira & Me - our story of our life together and ultimately the story of the bond of love an animal shares with a human, and what that means.

I really hope it brings lots of you comfort too. It is my love letter to her, and for everyone who has loved an animal.

Thank you so much for being with me on the journey x

26/06/2023

100% Agree ❤️