FURRY FRIENDS

Source: The Sunday Mail, Page 19, October 23 2004
By: Jessica Lawrence

In an intimate exhibition stars reveal the mates they wouldn't be without

This is the soft side of rugby league’s hard man. Gorden Tallis has revealed his dog Tyson can melt his heart and he reckons the maltese terrier has all the makings of a star. “He sings all the time – Robbie Williams is who he does best,” said Tallis.

Not to be outdone, Cathy Freeman has relealed the special boy who keeps her warm at night. But Joel Edgerton has nothing to worry about. Billy is the sleek black cat who gets to share the sprint star’s Melbourne home. “I adore Billy because he always snuggles up to my face and love smell like no one else,” said Freeman.

These images form part of a collection by Sydney-based celebrity photographer James Morgan to be exhibited in every capital city this month. The collection of 38 photographs will then be auctioned on Internet side eBay with all proceeds going to the RSPCA.

Also starring in screen siren Naomi Watts on location on a beach in Wellington, New Zealand, with her two dogs and Bob and Ned.

Then there’s blue Wiggle Anthony Fiend and his dogs Fergus and Pasqua who “keep him grounded”.

Always on the extreme end of the pet scale, Steve Irwin gets up close to boa constrictor Basil. In tune Irwin style he said : “My boa constrictor is a sign of my marital strength to Terri and my commitment to wildlife.”

And Big Brother sex bomb Jo Ashton said dog Buddha is her main man. “He always gives you unconditional love, unlike inside the Big Brother house.”

Greg Norman said dogs Foster, VB, Sierra and Miller are “Loyal as the day is long – I love them.”

Andrew Denton said pint-sized dog Pebble thinks he is “the leader of the pack”, while dog Matilda soothes owner General Peter Cosgrove with “Bouts of affection”.

Peter Beattie, Tara Moss, Jodhi Packer, Mark Latham, Malcolm Fraser and Molly Meldrum also appear in the exhibition with their favourite furry friends.

Morgan said he hoped the exhibition would “raise awareness of the wonderful work the RSPCA does”. “I’ve photographed famous people all my life and I wanted to shoot them with their pets,” Morgan said. “It’s a collection of intimate moments and everyone I photographed was just fantastic.”

Petarazzi opens at Australia Zoo on November 8 and runs until November 22 then opens at QUT from November 27 until December 13.