The six-month old Kelpie-cross was the first animal re-homed at Wangaratta during the RSPCA’s statewide adoption drive.

Adoption fees are being cut – the biggest saving at $320 for puppies – in a bid to empty centres.

Amy and David Crea of Porepunkah took the savings as a good opportunity for their young sons to pick out their first pet.

Mrs Crea said moving from Queensland in May, Tinker was the first addition to what she hoped would soon be a thriving farm.

“We were living in the suburbs in Cairns and knew a lady who spends the winter there – she told us about Bright,” she said.

“We were looking online, and thought, ‘we could raise our kids there’, and here we are.”

As of Friday morning, five dogs, 12 guinea pigs and 53 cats and kittens at Connell Street needed adopting.

RSPCA Wangaratta centre supervisor Jasmine Scott said all were de-sexed, microchipped and vaccinated.

“We’re trying to get them out of the shelter and into homes, so we want to make sure they will be forever homes,” she said.

“There’s lots of cats and kittens and it comes down to people not de-sexing them.

“Our big aim is to move on some of the guinea pigs – normally we would have one or two.

“We’re very lucky, we get so many lovely people coming through wanting to add a member to the family.”