Kidogo Arthouse owner Joanna Robertson’s dog Jinja at the beach.
Camera IconKidogo Arthouse owner Joanna Robertson’s dog Jinja at the beach. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Port city’s ‘most famous dog’ passes away

Aaron CorlettFremantle Gazette

FREMANTLE’S “most famous dog” has passed away.

Kidogo Arthouse owner and director Joanna Robertson’s black cocker spaniel Jinja was put down on January 12 after being diagnosed with cancer in late November.

Artists, musicians and attendees all got to know the well-mannered dog during the 12 years that he spent at the venue.

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“I’ve had people tell me about how everyone knows him and I thought to myself ‘he must be the most famous dog in Fremantle’,” Ms Robertson said.

“He’d come in with me every day for 12 years so I think he would have met hundreds of thousands of people. He was a chilled-out easy-going dog; he was happy to be scratched but equally he wasn’t demanding.

“People would come into the gallery and they’d be more excited about the dog than the art on the walls.”

Joanna Robertson with her dog Jinja.
Camera IconJoanna Robertson with her dog Jinja. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Ms Robertson painted Jinja for the Black Swan Portrait Prize and the large artwork was put on display.

Although his name was often confused for the colour ginger, he was named after the place in Uganda that was the source of the Nile River, which his owner described as a beautiful spot.