I had some engine trouble between Tennant and Alice about 10 years ago. School holidays, lots of traffic on the Stuart Highway including caravans and road trains and I wasn’t keen on landing on the bitumen.
Called Melb Centre
Me: MC, Auster BYM with some engine problems location, etc, etc
After a long pause, female controller came back
MC: BYM how many PoB
Me. One person one dog
MC: BYM say again
Me: One person and one dog
With voice up an octave
MC: Is the dog alright?
And she kindly handed me off to Alice TWR who cleared me 1000 higher than usual just in case.