Six years ago, Len and his wife Pam made the move from Perth to Busselton. Now aged 88 and 87, and married for more than 65 years, the couple brought with them a lifetime love of dogs.
Throughout their marriage, dogs had always been part of their family — from Labradors in the UK, to Irish and English setters in Australia, and later four much-loved poodles, including Freddy, an apricot poodle rescued from SAFE. By the time they moved to Broadwater, all their dogs had sadly crossed the rainbow bridge.
While Len was keen to welcome another dog into their lives, Pam felt they were too old to take on the responsibility. Then they spotted a newspaper advertisement from former POOPS Busselton Area Coordinator Cathy looking for dog walkers; I immediately applied. “It solved the problem,” Len says. “We couldn’t own a dog, but we could still enjoy spending time with them.”
What they hadn’t anticipated was the community that would come with it. Over the past six years, they have walked a wide range of dogs, poodles, a dachshund, schnauzer, West Highland white terrier, kelpie, greyhound and many more, and formed lasting friendships with their owners along the way.
Although Pam isn’t officially a POOPS volunteer, she often joins Len on walks, sharing in the joy and companionship. Today, his regular walking schedule includes Bobby on Tuesdays, Ruby on Wednesdays and Bijou on Saturdays. “Walking a POOPS dog gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning,” Len says. “The greetings we get from the dogs make it even better, and the exercise keeps me fit.”
And Len’s contribution to POOPS goes well beyond walking. Over the years, he has painted and framed around 100 dog portraits. Some have been gifted free to clients, while others were commissioned for $150, with two-thirds of the proceeds going into a vet assistance fund to support POOPS families.
One of the highlights of his volunteering journey has been fundraising events at Easter and Christmas, where he donned an Easter Bunny suit or Santa Paws outfit, with photos taken by friend Maree. These events raised funds for SAFE while spreading joy throughout the community.
“I’ll continue to be a POOPS walker for as long as I can,” he says. “The only hard part is when our dogs cross the rainbow bridge. But when I make that trip one day, I know they’ll all come running to greet me.”
💙 Thank you, Len and Pam, for your years of kindness, creativity and unwavering commitment to POOPS WA.