Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Saturday week ago, I had the great pleasure of launching the 2016 ACT Rescue and Foster Best Friends Calendar. ACT Rescue and Foster—or ARF—rehomes dogs who have not been in a loving home and would otherwise have been put down. Since ARF began in 2001 it has rehomed more than 2,500 dogs. That is an enormous number of dogs who otherwise sadly would have been euthanised. This is thanks to the wonderful works of ARF's 150 members and 50 carers, many of whom I met at the launch of the calendar which features photos of the dogs that have been rescued over the past year.

The best news is that most of the dogs in this year's calendar have found new homes with loving families. Well done to photographers Dallas Burkevics, Andrew Sikorski and Cath Collins; to designer Byron Carr for capturing the personalities of the dogs; and to writer Anya Dowling for the celebrity profiles.

ARF is a great Canberra organisation that is not only saving dogs who have been abandoned but also bringing great joy to people's lives who choose to foster a dog. Congratulations, ARF, on your ninth calendar, and thank you for inviting me to be part of your launch. Canberra, please factor in a couple of these calendars into your Christmas stocking planning. They are just $10 each.