Every day Bundy the kelpie eagerly awaits his two walks with Darryl Knowles.
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"He drags me along," Mr Knowles said.
However, back in 2018 it was a struggle for Mr Knowles to walk to the mailbox.
He was suffering from shortness of breath and put it down to his smoking habit.
However, he suffered a heart attack and eventually had to have a ventricular assist device (VAD) connected during a major heart operation.
Mr Knowles carried the 2.5 kilogram device around his neck and had to ensure he had his spare batteries charged at all times.
He joked it was like having a car battery around his neck.
Mr Knowles said there were some restrictions to having the VAD - such as needing help to shower - but he was resigned to the fact he would have it forever.
However, in December last year Mr Knowles got the best Christmas present ever.
He was advised a donor heart was available for him.
Mr Knowles said he was now feeling fitter than ever.
"Everything is better - I no longer have shortness of breath," he said.
"I'm feeling great."
Everything is better - I no longer have shortness of breath. I'm feeling great.
- Darryl Knowles
Mr Knowles has a check-up every two months in Melbourne.
He said he was relieved to have had no complications after the transplant.
Mr Knowles encouraged other people to consider becoming a donor to give someone a second chance at life.
This week is Donate Life Week.
There are about 1800 Australians wait-listed for a transplant and about 14,000 additional people on dialysis - some of whom may need a kidney transplant.
Registering is important because it lets your family and the doctors and nurses know that you want to be a donor.
Research has found four-in-five Australians support organ donation.
However, only about 13 million people are registered.
One organ donor can save the lives of up to seven people and more more through eye and tissue donation.
Registering to donate is important because it lets your family and the doctors and nurses know that you want to be a donor.
It's easy to register and only takes a minute. You need to be over 16. It's vital that your loved ones know you want to be a donor. This will help them make the decision when the time comes.
The way you die affects the donation process and which organs and tissues can be donated.
To be an organ donor you need to die in a hospital, usually on a ventilator in Intensive Care, as your organs needs to be working well to be transplanted.
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