Commuters Stumble Upon Giant Group of Golden Retrievers 'Waiting for a Train'
When you see two dogs of the same type together, you probably assume the owner has a favorite breed. Three or four, and the owner is perhaps a little crazy about them.
More than a dozen, and you have to know what’s going on. That was the case for commuters near the now-defunct Barnes Station in Southwest London on Nov. 3, where a lineup of the most fluffy and adorable sort was taking place.
At least 16 golden retrievers stood, sat, or lounged along the fence that bordered the platform, giving both their real-time audience, and later their digital one, plenty of amusement as they appeared to be waiting for a train.
The dogs were gathered on the platform for a photo as part of a charity calendar to raise money for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.https://t.co/SBsqcRrxex
— FOX 35 Orlando (@fox35orlando) November 8, 2019
Turns out, the pups weren’t out and about for some sort of canine-initiated meet-and-greet, but they were being photographed for a 2020 calendar that will help raise funds for a charitable cause.
The project is a brainchild of a woman named Anne Mullins, herself an owner of a dog named Magic, who put together a dog group called Barnes Goldens and from there decided a calendar would be just the thing to help Battersea Dogs Home.
“Dog owners are such a beautiful lot, so I thought it would be fun to do a calendar and give the proceeds to a dog charity,” Mullins told SWNS, according to People.
“Ours are very well-cared for, very happy, pampered pooches,” she added, according to the BBC. “Unfortunately, there are many dogs out there that are not and it would be very satisfying if we managed to raise a decent sum for a dog charity.”
Battersea is a well-known shelter that has been operating for over a century. It’s a highly recognizable name, especially in the U.K.
“Battersea is here for every dog and cat, and has been since 1860,” their “About” page states. “Over more than 150 years, we’ve gone from one home in London to three rescuing and rehoming centres across the country and have cared for over three million vulnerable animals.”
“We aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of our help, caring for them until their owners or loving new homes can be found, no matter how long it takes.”
“We are champions for, and supporters of, vulnerable dogs and cats, determined to create lasting changes for animals in our society.”
Thanks to people like Mullins, there are various projects underway and opportunities for generous folks to donate to the cause and get a little something for themselves, as well.
“Without the fundraising efforts of generous supporters like the Barnes Golden group, we would not be able to care for the thousands of animals that arrive at our three centers each year,” Battersea’s public fundraising lead, Jo Stone, told SWNS, according to People. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who worked on this adorable fundraising project for supporting Battersea in such a fun and creative way and we cannot wait to see the full calendar when it’s finished.”
The photographers on the task were Sophie Farrah and Tom Farrah-Pearce, and they seemed to enjoy their three days of work with the amiable pups.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4uVV4fHmA-/
“On the whole no one went rogue, there were no make-up issues, no back-chat, apart from a little incident in one of the cafes,” Pearce told BBC.
While the calendars are not yet available, with such cute subjects they’re sure to sell like hotcakes. According to a post in the Barnes Goldens group, they’ll be released on Nov. 18 — though whether or not they’ll be available stateside remains to be seen.
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