Graeme and Cherie Buckler with Dove, who has a cleft palette. She is one of more than 29 animals the couple have bottle fed and fostered since the end of last year. Photo / Paul Taylor
Graeme and Cherie Buckler with Dove, who has a cleft palette. She is one of more than 29 animals the couple have bottle fed and fostered since the end of last year. Photo / Paul Taylor
A dedicated Hastings animal foster family has been recognised for their hard work raising and bottle feeding more than 29 kittens and puppies in just over six months.
Cherie and Graeme Buckler were winners of the Fantastic Foster Family category at the 2022 SPCA Purina National Volunteer Awards.
Hastings SPCAOp Shop was also recognised as winner of the best Op Shop Team category.
The Bucklers only began fostering for Hastings SPCA late October last year, but have already achieved a lot for young puppies and kittens seeking a home.
Cherie said she was looking for something to keep her active after retiring early due to health reasons and decided to be a foster parent after hearing how much her niece enjoyed it.
"I have always loved and had animals and thought we could give fostering a go. We put our name down for kittens and puppies to care for."
On New Year's Eve, the couple took in Dove, a one-week-old puppy with a cleft palette who could not feed from her mother.
Dove joined the couple and their Maltese dog permanently after closely bonding with them when raising her.
"Dove is really great with the kittens we foster as well; she likes to groom them and play with them. It helps when our kittens go to their forever homes as they are used to having dogs around."
She said people would stop and chat with Graeme when he took Dove for walks and they had become quite well-known in their area.
"The beauty of taking on a pup with a disability is getting to know people from all walks of life."
Cherie says young Dove draws a lot of attention from passerby on her walks around Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor
Despite being self-described "doggie people" typically, they have also added two kittens to their family from a recent batch of nine they had fostered for the last few weeks.
Cherie said they would "absolutely" encourage others to foster because foster families were in very short supply and people would not regret it.
"The joy and fun you have watching them grow and develop is amazing. Although busy, I enjoy myself and have all the stimulation I can handle."
"The best part of fostering is you get to choose what animals you are most comfortable caring for, and the SPCA team is always backing you up."
She said she was surprised they were nominated and couldn't believe it when they won the category at the awards.
"I never thought for a moment it would go past that, we're fairly new foster parents."
More than 120 SPCA volunteers were nominated and then judged by a panel of Purina and SPCA staff for the awards.
SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen says volunteers are crucial in the essential running of Centres and Op Shops across the country, and without them the charity would not be able to function.
"With more than 10 volunteers to every one staff member, our volunteers really are the heart of SPCA," Midgen said.
"These awards are just one way we can share their incredible contributions with the rest of New Zealand."
The winners receive a Nespresso Breville "Essenza Mini" Espresso Machine, and a large box of Purina ONE pet food.
