About
Kunapa Kari ("Dog Place" in the local Waramungu language), is based in Tennant Creek, right in the Red Centre of Australia. We mainly service Tennant Creek and the surrounding remote communities of the Barkly tablelands (Ali Curung, Elliott, Epenarra and Canteen Creek and Alpurrulum), but have links with communities in the APY lands of northern SA as well. Dogs are very important to the local indigenous people, and several of these remote communities are located in dog dreaming country.
We work exclusively with camp dogs. They are different from city dogs - mostly raised and weaned naturally on their mums, spending their early life with littermates and other dogs, children and adults of all ages, in busy family orientated domestic environments. many dogs and puppies are not claimed by individuals, yet even these strays share the characteristics Territorians know to be the hallmark of our camp dogs. Characteristically they are calm and confident, well socialised, and extremely loyal to their owners. Our adoptees often give us feedback about the wonderful temperament of our dogs, and their natural intelligence.
Our mission is to promote the humane treatment of domestic dogs, and responsible dog ownership in the region. We aim to educate dog owners in maintaining the health and welfare of their dogs. This includes responsible de-sexing of dogs. In particular we focus on bringing vet services to the remote homeland outstations of the Barkly where there have been none previously. Much of our fund raising focuses on this. We also assist dog owners if their animals have health issues or injuries, providing treatment and rehabilitation (either returning rehabilitated dogs to their owners, or rehoming if requested). We also provide an avenue for indigenous locals to surrender excess dogs and puppies for rehoming, and to re-home impounded dogs. We believe that by helping the dogs, we also help the people, and that is what we want to do.
Kunapa Kari is incorporated as and Aboriginal Corporation with ORIC, and is a registered Charity with ACNC. We are the only dog rescue and rehoming operation in the Barkly tablelands, an area one and a half times the size of Great Britain. We work closely with the Barkly Vet, who also is the only vet servicing this vast area.
Adoption details
We request that prospective adopters email us with an initial enquiry. We will forward an application form. On receipt of the application form, we will make phone contact to discuss the adoption. We try hard to match the dog to the person, ultimately looking for the best fit for the dog. Shipping fees are included in the adoption fee. We ship from Alice Springs airport to interstate homes.