Athena Sings For Joy

Written by Heather Paddock

Photography by Mariaan Browne

It all started when I saw an advert from Animal Welfare Society Port Elizabeth looking for a home for a brother‑and‑sister German Shepherd Dog pair. At the time, I was still working in the UK, but I fell in love instantly. I sent the advert to my husband and, for the first time ever, he said, “Yes – let’s make an appointment.”

We hoped to adopt both dogs.

By the time I returned home, the male had already been adopted. But, when we were introduced to the female, it was love at first meeting. Later that same day, we introduced her to our older German Shepherd and our Staffie cross, and, thankfully, it all went well. We had our inspection and passed with flying colours. In November 2024, she joined the family.

She’d never lived indoors

We were told that she’d never lived indoors before – and this became very clear when we brought her home. She was terrified of coming inside. My husband carried her through the door, and she was so frightened that she wet herself. We gently removed her harness and gave her space to explore at her own pace.

As she began to settle in, her personality slowly emerged. In the early weeks, she developed a fondness for leather shoes – and the leather couch – so we all learned very quickly to keep our shoes packed away. We brought in a trainer for a few weeks to help her with the basics and she responded beautifully.

We named her Athena, although she also answers to Neenie, The Neenster, and Tina Turner – because she “sings” all the time.

Part of the family

From the very beginning she showed herself to be an incredibly loving girl. She’s fiercely protective of her family, but Daddy is very clearly her person. He cooks supper every night, and Athena has an extremely healthy appetite. She has more than doubled her weight since coming home, and her ribs – once visible – are now long gone.

Athena knows exactly where the treats are kept, and every morning after breakfast she runs straight to her Nana, my mom, who lives with us, hoping for more. Chicken is her absolute favourite. These days, Athena also celebrates birthday pawties with her furry friends, unwraps Christmas presents with the family, and enjoys special “got you” celebrations marking the day she joined our lives. She truly is part of every joyous occasion.

She’s fitted perfectly into our little pack. Athena and Molly are best friends and are always together. Diego, our old man, gives her kisses and gently keeps her in line. My daughter has two Jack Russells and a Border Collie, and together they make a wonderful extended pack. Athena is especially smitten with Angus, one of the Jack Russells; the two of them are completely in love.

Athena adores playing ball (Ball is Life), swimming in the pool, going for car rides, especially to visit her friends at my daughter’s home – trips to the parlour, tummy rubs, and kisses. She even has her own chair in the living room. She’s incredibly vocal, always ready to share her opinion, and her personality fills our home.

Athena has the most amazing spirit, and it truly feels as though she’s been part of our lives forever. Adopting her has been one of the most rewarding experiences, and we’re so grateful that Animal Welfare trusted us with such a special girl.