Our newest ambassador is Sharnelle Vella, state political reporter for Channel 7. We are thrilled to have her on board to help us raise awareness of important issues for our animals.
Sharnelle has had a special connection to The Lost Dogs Home with her godfather Arthur Cachia working at the shelter for 53 years, leading facilities and operations.
“I remember he gave me a T-shirt and it said ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’,” Sharnelle said.
“At the time, I was too young to understand what that meant, but now that I do I couldn’t agree more.’’
Sharnelle recalled fond childhood memories of visiting The Lost Dogs Home during school holidays and growing up around horses, dogs, cats and lots of birds at home, as she came from a family of animal lovers.
She has a special love for her own two dogs, griffons Bruce and Barry, who have comforted her through challenging times.
The Lost Dogs Home is still a special place for Sharnelle and she acknowledged the important role the shelter plays in the Melbourne community.
“It’s a safe haven for lost animals, the wounded and a place where there is hope for a fresh chance at life,’’ she said.
“I’m really grateful to have The Lost Dogs Home in the city where I live,” she said.
Sharnelle has many goals she would like to achieve while working as an ambassador for the Home. One of the issues she will focus on is raising awareness around responsible animal ownership, highlighting the need for more knowledge around the costs, commitment and care involved.
“I really feeling that owning a pet is a huge responsibility, it’s not something that should be done just because you want a cute pet,” she said.
“I’ll never think of an animal as ‘just a dog’, they are truly a part of the family.’’