she wear - January 2023
In her shoes - Row
Name: Row Murray
Role: Volunteer / Radio & Podcast Producer / Sound Designer
Location: Melbourne, VIC 🇦🇺
Instagram | Facebook
Website: www.homesforhuskies.org.au
You have an awesome role in our community, please share a little about what you do, and how you got started?
I’m a volunteer with Homes for Huskies, and I’ve been with them for years now. I write up the dog’s bios so that potential adopters can see if they’re the right fit for their household, and sometimes need to meet, walk, wash, play with, rescue and foster them, so getting covered in mud and fur is par for the course! I also maintain the website and do some social media work. Then the rest of the time I’m either in studios or running around doing live broadcasts from all sort of locations (often at strange times and in strange locations), or dragging logs around at home.
We’d love to hear a little about the organisation you work with, and how it is making a difference?
Homes for Huskies does some awesome work. In short, we rescue huskies that have been dumped at the pound or are private surrenders, take care of them (sometimes that’s healthcare, or just giving them a quiet place to decompress), check on their personalities and training, then match them up to the right furever families. Huskies are a working dog with some pretty serious fur (they’re an arctic breed so can have naps on glaciers if they felt like it) and plenty of smarts and attitude. They are unique and pretty hard work, and often harder to place than other types of dog. I adore doing this work, there’s nothing quite like when the team gets to send a husky off to its new home!
If we had to step into your (she wear) shoes (pun intended😜), what would a day in your life look like?
Busy! If I’m broadcasting from the studio, that’s comfy and sitting down all day. If I’m recording live, then I need to wear steel caps, all black, a very warm jacket, and could be literally anywhere, and any time! Really good footwear is key so I can stand for long periods, or drive for hours, and have good foot and ankle support. Then when I get home, I’m cleaning up a sloped bush block that’s been untouched since gold rush times, so the chainsaw gets an absolute workout cleaning up fallen trees and large branches, and I feel very safe in my she wear boots when I do this work.
What do you enjoy most about your role at the organisation? And what is your favourite part?
I really enjoy reading their notes (which can come from the pounds, owners who need to surrender their dogs, our volunteers and trainers) and writing them up into cute little bios that make their personalities shine and help them find new homes. But anytime I get to hang out with the dogs and scratch their fluffy ears is my absolute favourite part of the job!
What is the most challenging part of what you do? And how do you overcome it?
The challenges are the mistreatment. Sometimes you’re furious, and sometimes desperately sad. One of our dogs came into care, near death and suffering from an infection for literal years, and $54 of antibiotics was all it took to sort her out and get her feeling great. So all you can really do is take a deep breath, get over yourself, and keep working to help them. Focusing on the positive moments is really key. But also anytime you step in a surprise dog poo you’re not in for a good time!
Do you have any uplifting, heartfelt stories to share?
When I did a palliative foster for Freya, who stole my heart. We got the call about
an urgent pound surrender who was in her last stages of life, unwell, very scared,
and was likely be quickly euthanised.
I jumped in the car to collect her and we sorted out a name change to Freya, a
few visits to the vet for antibiotics and arthritis support, and this marvellous old girl
settled into her new home.
Freya quickly blossomed, putting on weight, her mobility improving right away with
regular exercise, and her health turned around after a short course of antibiotics
(all taken care of by Homes for Huskies).
Freya and I spent a marvellous nine months together, hanging out on the couch in
front of the TV, eating snacks, going for walks, playing, making new friends, and
just loving life together. She adored being able to snooze inside the house, come
and go as she pleased, loved meeting new people, and was sweet, friendly and
sassy to everyone she met.
Freya had a really tough life, and I’m really glad we were able to show her what
love, comfort and relaxation was all about before her time came. She was the
sweetest dog!
What advice would you give to other women wanting to support an organisation or charity in a similar way?
Just go for it, it’s really worthwhile. With any volunteer role, you need to work to your strengths and skills, and have good boundaries so it doesn’t burn you out.
Do you have a favourite saying or quote, or mantra that you live by?
“If we did everything we were capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.” - Thomas A Edison
What are your favourite she wear products? And why?
I really adore the stripey bamboo socks, they’re super comfy. But it’s gotta be my women’s safety work boots with zip. They’re the most comfy boots I have, and I need the foot and ankle support. I also feel really safe in them when I’m doing heavy work at my home with my chainsaw.
How can our followers support the organisation and its mission?
A social share or follow is magnificent, as every share counts and can help the right fluff get into the right furever home. And in Victoria, if you’d like to adopt or foster a husky, get in touch as we’d love to chat!
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