The dog was the inspiration of Dr. Andrew Melville-Smith, the principal veterinarian at the Whyalla Veterinary Clinic. The Loaded Dog statue is based on the dog, Tommy, from Henry Lawson’s famous Australian story called The Loaded Dog. The story was chosen because it fulfilled all the specifications for the statue at a veterinary clinic:
- Australian theme
- Unique
- Veterinary theme
- Interesting
- Culturally relevant to Whyalla
- Enhance the City of Whyalla as a tourist destination
Henry Lawson (1867 – 1922), is one of the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period.
In the days when poetry recital was a popular pastime, the works of Henry Lawson were distributed far and wide.
Regarded as Australia’s finest poet, he was a brilliant, sad, lonely man whose biography would bring tears to the
most hard-hearted soul. This story, however, will bring tears of a different nature
Created by world famous sculptor, Andy Scott , in Glasgow Scotland, The Loaded Dog was made out of steel to create an iconic sculpture for the Whyalla Veterinary Clinic. This is Andy’s fifteenth commission in Australia and the only example of his work in South Australia.
The construction technique of welding a mosaic of thousands of small sections of 10 & 12 mm steel rods together is unique to Andy Scott and creates breathtakingly different sculptures.
