Rocky all set to be a star YVETTE BATTEN - NORTH TARANAKI MIDWEEK

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Weeding the garden, gate-crashing parties and joining sporting matches is all part of a day's work for Rocky the cat.
The Tongaporutu feline's antics have made him a prime subject of the North Taranaki SPCA's fundraising 2014 calendar.
For a fee, people could submit photos of their pets. All photos appeared in the calendar.
His owners Denise and Richard Burton submitted a photo of the puss taking a ride home up the Tongaporutu River on a paddle board after gate-crashing a party.



"He really has got the most loveable nature," said Denise.
It was love at first sight when the Burtons saw Rocky at the SPCA. Shortly after adoption, in May 2012, Rocky became ill with a sinus infection, which still plagues him to this day.
"We have to keep him on antibiotics," Denise said.
When he did come home the curious puss began to wander.
"He'd go down to the bottom baches [further down the river] and somebody would have to bring him home. We'd get phone calls."
At first Rocky only had the Burtons' phone number on his collar.
"He went visiting the bottom baches and people didn't realise he was in their bach and shut up and went home," said Richard.
"The neighbouring bach saw him in the window. They had a key and somebody grabbed him and took him home to Eltham."
Now Rocky also carries an address tag on his collar too. There's even a notice about him on the fridge in the nearby community's hall.
"So people know where he lives and that he actually belongs around here."
Rocky also regularly visits his neighbours too. Often he'll pop in to see one lady in her 90s for a cuddle and a snooze.
SPCA spokeswoman Jackie Poles Smith said his photo was one of 170 photos featured in their fundraising calendar.
"We're just finding every year this calendar is more and more successful," she said.
"People love it. We love it and basically the [photo] entry fees covered the cost of printing the calendar so all the money from the sales of the calendar look after animals here at the SPCA."
Pets featured this year include cats, dogs, goats, donkeys, lambs, chickens, turkeys and llamas.
Other information includes general details about the SPCA, animal welfare and some stories of the pets featured inside.
More than 700 copies of the calendar, costing $15 each, are available.
Pick one up from the shelter on Colson Rd, the SPCA Op Shop on Liardet St, Mitre 10 Mega, Animates and various vets.