My Rescue Pet: Bailey the Christmas card pup

Bailey asleep in tinsel. Photo / Jo Moore

The SPCA hopes that more of the 46,000 animals coming through its doors each year will find new homes. This summer, the Herald profiles animals that have been adopted and their owners as part of our My Rescue Pet series.

Bailey arrived at the Wellington SPCA with his littermates - like so many before them - when their owners could not look after them any more.

Due to his calm nature, Bailey was chosen as a model for the SPCA Christmas calendar photoshoot this year.

That is how his new owner Maddison Treadwell spotted him.

Working in the SPCA marketing and fundraising team, Treadwell had just moved into her first home and had planned on getting a dog, although not this quickly.

After seeing Bailey while working on the Christmas cards last month, Treadwell knew she had to have him.

Bailey in his photo-shoot for the SPCA's Christmas cards. Photo / Jo Moore

"He was listed as the biggest and fluffiest.

"In his photos I could just tell he was extra sleepy but really cuddly as well," Treadwell said.

After an initial weekend sleepover that went well, Treadwell officially adopted Bailey.

"He's a little bit goofy and he likes to toddle outside and eat grass."

Bailey is still a sleepy dog but Treadwell is coaxing him into doing some exercise.

"He will wake up in the morning before anyone else wants to be awake and he'll just play around.

"At the beginning he would just sit down and not walk anywhere but now he's getting a bit better at it," she said.

How to adopt

If you are interested in adopting a pet from the SPCA, visit www.rnzspca.org.nz or call the Auckland SPCA on (09) 256 7300.