Orphaned pets: Sadie the dog

Sadie enjoys the company of Ari-Rose Taihia.

Sadie was found in a paddock of horses.

She was the most timid of a new litter of puppies, but with help from the SPCA and her new family, she soon became loving and playful.

The SPCA dog squad took Sadie from the paddock to be raised and toilet trained.

So when Alicia-Kate Taihia picked Sadie from the SPCA village, she was "all good to go".

Mrs Taihia and her husband had decided they wanted to adopt another dog from the SPCA. When a friend who worked there introduced them to Sadie, "we had an absolutely amazing instant connection".

At first, Sadie was timid, and frequently bossed around by the two cats already living there.

"We had to take her outside to use the bathroom," said Mrs Taihia.

"She would always be checking to see if the cats were there."

But now she's playful and is confident to go outside on her own.

"She's cruisey, she's not constantly demanding attention," said Ms Taihia, who recommends adopting from the SPCA.

"They were just amazing. Rather than just getting a dog, like you do at a breeder, you get heaps of information and everything the individual staff know about the pet. And you get follow-up phone calls and they are always interested in photos."

How to adopt

• Visit the SPCA village at 50 Westney Rd, Mangere.
• Staff will assess your suitability.
• Cats cost $160 for a kitten, $105 for a middle-aged cat and $55 for a senior. Dogs are $275 for a puppy, $255 for a middle-aged dog, $105 for a senior. Other animals vary.
Visit spca.org.nz