Parking spot provides temporary winter haven for animal lover and pets

Glenthorpe with dogs Bully and Puppa and their feathered friend at their new temporary home. Photo/Bevan Conley

Robyn Glenthorpe has been homeless since December last year when the property she rented was sold.

She asked for anonymity when the Chronicle first visited her riverside camping spot last year.

"I felt vulnerable because things had been stolen from my campsite and I preferred not to be identified."

But now the animal rescuer and her permanent pets are now temporarily housed in a caravan parking spot near Bulls.

Some old friends helped her out with the purchase of a caravan last month and she is still looking for a suitable long-term parking spot.

Glenthorpe 64, said she received "many kind offers" after her story appeared in the Chronicle but nothing that was suitable for pets.

She has been rescuing unloved animals for many years and was not prepared to give up on her four-legged companions.

"I consider them to be my family and it would be like giving my kids away."

She did manage to rehome Danny the goat, who is now living happily in Otaki.

"He's in seventh heaven at Paws Animal Rescue where he is sharing a paddock with six lady goats and they are happy for him to live there permanently."

Danny may be gone but he has been replaced by an abandoned black rooster rescued from the riverside.

Robyn Glenthorpe rewards her dog Bully with a biscuit in the awning of their new caravan home. Photo/Bevan Conley

"There were two of them there and I guess the other one was run over or killed by a dog so I had to bring this one with us.

"The dogs like him - he plays chasing with them and he seems happy with the hutch I've made for him to sleep in."

The offers of help Glenthorpe has received since January have been gratefully received she says.

"I looked at some housing and parking spots that weren't suitable for the animals but I'm really thankful to everyone - especially Lyndsay who replaced my cooker that was stolen and my friends who bought the caravan.

"Despite the worries I've had, I now enjoy this lifestyle and the animals seem to enjoy it as well."

Her dream, she says, would be to win Lotto and buy some land where she could establish an animal rescue service.

"I can't ever walk past an animal that needs rescuing," she says.

"I think SPCA and all the other services do a brilliant job but there are too many animals that are not cared for."