Gina McKinlay with Marty

Gina moved to Devonport from the mainland and quickly became involved with the local RSPCA having a strong love for animals (and dogs in particular) and their welfare.  Gina adopted her beautiful dog Marty (he is a legend in our Delta Branch down here, the ultimate professional) from the RSPCA and so began their partnership. Gina soon realised that Marty could not only make her life complete but he could bring love and acceptance to other people in Devonport especially people who no longer live at home and cannot have a pet anymore, i.e., in the nursing homes in Devonport. Gina looked into Pet Therapy and found that she could have Marty assessed in Hobart and with the support from National Office could start a branch in Devonport and start canvassing for more volunteers and their dogs. Gina started visiting at Meercroft and visited other facilities for interest and soon had a number of facilities along the North-West Coast of Tasmania interested in joining the program and awaiting teams.

I met Gina approximately 4 years ago when I first applied to the program as a volunteer, Gina was always very informative and supportive including the assessment, successfully matching me with a facility doing all the buddy visits for the new volunteers as she was it at that stage!!  Gina had to be a one woman show and she did it very successfully. The branch grew and soon we were 6 volunteers all visiting and meeting regularly, until Gina has a heart attack!  Gina pulls through okay and wanting to get back home to Devonport, back to her beloved Marty and back to her beloved residents at Meercroft she realises she does have to take the pedal off and some things are going to have to change. Whilst being a volunteer in the program was not a concern for Gina, however, the demands as Coordinator for a growing Program was something she realised she needed to let go!

 

I remember we were at the RSPCA Million Paws Walk and we were all around in a circle and Gina said “I can’t do this job anymore due to health reasons who is interested?, then the silence BUT I think Gina already knew she had instilled in me the love and belief of this program that she had and that I would step up to take on the role with her support and I have never regretted that!

 

Gina is always one of the first I hear back from when I send a message about we need volunteers at the Blah Blah Blah who is interested………..GINA IS

Who can rattle the donation tins with me down the Mall in two weeks…GINA CAN

Who can be a guest speaker……….GINA CAN.

I know I can rely on Gina for support 100%

 

Upon communicating with the facilities about the program, Meercroft always say they have the ”BEST VOLUNTEER” with the “BEST DOG”, Meercroft utilise Gina and Marty so well with the Dementia patients and especially settling any new residents who are upset.

 

 

Our recent application in the Community Achievement Awards and subsequent success required a lot of paperwork and organising and Gina did that!. Our branch now has 17 volunteers and two assessments every year this has grown from just Gina and Marty and is a credit to them!