We all know the real heroes behind every real estate office (or any office, really) are our gorgeous fur babies.
At VERV Property, the constant go, go, go of property is balanced out by cuddles from the puppies and cats belonging to the people behind the brand.
Check out the love between these owners and their precious pets.
Sales agent Sienna’s Cavoodle Boston is literally still a baby, having turned one just a few weeks ago.
“He looks like an angel and can be so cute but trust me, he can turn into a little devil!,” Sienna says.
Boston is a total Canberran: he loves walks around Lake Burley Griffin. And he can’t live without his toy pig, “which makes the most annoying squeaky noise in the world,” Sienna says.
Two-year-old Winston is a miniature dachshund who isn’t fussy about which toy you give him — he’ll literally make any toy his own.
For Head of Property Management Charlie, owning Winston is like having a personal vacuum. Winston will (and does) eat anything you put in front of him (or he happens to find in random places around the house).
“My favourite thing is how loving and loyal he is,” Charlie says.
How good is a cat with a name straight out of Bridgerton? Ollie belongs to VERV’s Office Manager Jacquelyn, and yawns and makes a cute little chirp noise when he wakes up from a nap.
Ollie’s a six-year-old Tuxedo (domestic longhair) cat who’s “chatty around dinner time” and can’t live without his very unassuming favourite ‘toy’. “It’s literally a piece of craft rope tied around an old pom pom ball,” Jacquelyn says.
Jacquelyn also has a permanent reminder of Ollie on her body.
“When he was a kitten, he went to the vet for a check-up and they needed to take his temperature … he did not like this. And as I was holding his scruff to keep him still, he managed to twist around and bite my wrist.
“He was fine afterwards, but I ended up in hospital for a few days. I now have four cute little scars on my left wrist to remember him by. Cat bites can be serious apparently.
“I still love him even though he is slightly evil. But aren't all cats a little evil?”
Most nights at Sharna’s house, she’s sitting patiently while her dachshund Sasha climbs the front of her like a mountain goat.
The hilarious four-year-old pup also loves visits to Sasha’s nan’s house.
“She gets so excited to see her grandma she leaps out of the car and runs inside and cries until Nan plays ball with her,” Sharna laughs.
Owner/director of VERV Property, Natalie Shawcross, admits her first night with adopted Pitbull/Staffy Freya didn't quite go to plan.
"When I first brought her home from the RSPCA - more than nine years ago now - she immediately jumped up onto the dining table and kitchen bench looking for food," Natalie says.
"And I just thought, ‘oh no, what have I done!?’ I instantly regretted adopting her.
"But she’s weaselled her way into my heart and now that she knows she gets fed twice a day, she’s less of a scavenger. Also, a surefire way to get her attention if she’s being stubborn is to rustle a bag of shredded cheese from the fridge, she stands to attention so fast."
If you visit Natalie on a week night or weekend, be prepared for a game of show-and-tell.
"She loves all her toys, whenever I come home to the house or a friend visits, she has to pick up her closest baby and present it to the person walking in the door," Natalie says.
"But she runs away if you try to take it from her! Evidently, it is not a gift, merely show-and-tell."
By Bree Element