On December 10^th 2012, NZ time, Porter a 10 month old beardie cross and Monty, a giant schnauzer cross, both drove a MINI Countryman down a race track and turned the corner to the delight of the trainers who had spent eight weeks teaching the three dogs to drive.

The project, a collaboration between SPCA Auckland, renowned animal trainer Mark Vette from Animals on Q, MINI New Zealand and DraftFCB began just two months ago when three SPCA rescue dogs; Monty, Porter and Ginny were selected from SPCA Auckland. The objective was to change some common misconceptions about rescue or shelter dogs.

Commenting on the training, Mark Vette, director of Animals on Q said, “Monty, Porter and Ginny are great dogs each with their own distinct personality. You wouldn’t believe any dog could learn to drive a car on its own but we’ve proven through our understanding of animal psychology and our specialised training methods that intelligent creatures can adapt to the situation they’re in. It really is remarkable and we are so proud of the achievements of our dedicated training team and the incredible SPCA driving dogs.”

“Ultimately the aim is that an SPCA rescue dog will become top of mind and top choice for people thinking of adopting a pet,” says Kalin. “We’ve seen many people rewarded by the gratefulness of an SPCA rescue dog after adoption and we hope everyone considers the SPCA as an adoption option.”