Cain’s Cattle Dog Adventures

Cain’s good mornings live on

 

Cain was not “just a dog”. For many people in New Brighton and Wallasey, he was part of the daily rhythm. A familiar face on morning walks. A gentle presence. A small, steady comfort, especially through lockdown.

This page brings together the story behind Cain’s mural in New Brighton’s Open Air Gallery and the community fundraising effort to create a permanent memorial in Vale Park.

Who Cain was

Cain was an Australian cattle dog, rehomed by Tracey Rennie in May 2018 when he was six. During lockdown, Tracey began posting daily “good morning” photos from walks across Wirral, often with recognisable local landmarks in the background. Those posts quickly became a shared ritual for thousands of people.

Cain died on 8 January 2026, aged 13, after battling lymphoma since August 2025. For many, the grief was immediate and collective. That is why this tribute exists.

The mural: a permanent place in the Open Air Gallery

The mural is a community-led tribute, painted in New Brighton by local artist Brezaux. Over the course of painting, dog walkers and owners repeatedly stopped to watch, talk, and share memories. People told stories about Cain. They also told stories about their own dogs. The wall became a place where grief and affection turned into something shared and steady.

The mural was made possible thanks to support from the production team behind the feature film A Town in Nova Scotia, which was filming locally across Wirral in early 2026.

“A Town in Nova Scotia” is being produced by Naïma Abed and Émilie Georges for Paradise City, and Jennifer Monks for The Fold. The film is financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Liverpool Film Office (through the LCR Production Fund), Calculus, Hoopsa Films and Desmar.

Executive Producers are Kristin Irving for BBC Film, Ama Ampadu for the BFI, Christopher Moll for Liverpool Film Office, Sonny Gill and Peter O’Leary for Hoopsa Films, Naomi Despres and Michèle Marshall for Desmar, Brad Noel and Mariyah Dosani for Calculus. The film was developed with BBC Film.

A unique detail, handled with care

With Tracey’s consent, a small amount of Cain’s ashes was donated and mixed into the paint. That means Cain is not only depicted in the mural. He is physically part of it. His memory is in the material of the work, and will remain there. New Brighton Creative Futures will take responsibility for looking after the mural and responding quickly if it needs repairs.

 
 

In Loving Memory of Cain

 

Why we are fundraising

 

Alongside the mural, the community is raising funds to create a permanent memorial for Cain in Vale Park, either:

  • a bench, or

  • a small statue

Subject to council permissions and practical feasibility.

Any remaining funds, after the memorial is delivered and installed, will be donated to Birkenhead Kennels.

How the fundraiser is managed

This GoFundMe is set up and managed by Rory Wilmer, Director of New Brighton Creative Futures CIC, on behalf of Tracey Rennie, with the support of Jacqui Bancroft. That is why Rory’s name appears on the GoFundMe page.

What donations will fund

Funds raised will be used for:

  • design and production of the memorial (bench or statue)

  • permissions and installation costs (subject to council requirements)

  • any required groundworks or fixings

  • a small contingency for practical delivery

If funds remain once the memorial is installed, they will be donated to Birkenhead Kennels.

Donate or share

Use the GoFundMe link below to donate, or share it with anyone who followed Cain’s good mornings.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-cain-a-memorial-for-vale-park

Credits and thanks

  • Tracey Rennie, for trusting the community with Cain’s story, and for the deeply personal contribution that made this mural what it is.

  • Jacqui Bancroft, for all of her support and help behind the scenes.

  • Brezaux for the care, craft, and sensitivity shown throughout.

  • JP & The production team behind A Town in Nova Scotia, for supporting this mural while filming locally on the Wirral.

  • Everyone who stopped, shared a memory, and reminded us why public art matters when it is rooted in real people.