Thanks to your kindness, thousands of homeless pets have found loving new families, and countless more pets and their guardians have received essential support to stay safe and together during challenging times.

Here's how you saved lives and created happiness for thousands of Australian pets and the people who care for them in the last financial year:

You helped find a home for every pet that needs one.

64,554 lucky pets found loving homes quickly via PetRescue this financial year. That’s a big hairy 177 pets successfully finding love, every day, thanks to you!

It’s thanks to your kindness that PetRescue’s adoption platform and adoption assistance programs remain free for all!

Because of your generous support, PetRescue.com.au continues to be the best chance for homeless pets to be seen, giving them the best chance to find their new families.

Pet profiles were viewed 59,946,610 times this financial year leading to 92,468 enquiries (that's 10.52 enquiries per hour!) from pawsome humans looking to grow their family with a furry friend!  

All those enquiries meant that it took just 14.26 days* for pets to find love via PetRescue. (15.3% faster than the previous financial year!).

*Median time to adoption across all species of pets listed for adoption on PetRescue.

Penny, adopted thanks to Dandy Cat Rescue

 

Helping the ones that need more love.

You may have noticed that we’ve been shining a spotlight on large dogs. Data from the PetRescue platform showed that large dogs took 58% longer to be adopted compared to smaller ones.

It’s thanks to your support that PetRescue can continue to collaborate with our incredible partners and sponsors so that they can use their influence and reach to make positive change for rescue pets.

By consciously encouraging partners and sponsors to feature large dogs in their communications, advertising, campaigns and even on wine labels, together we can help share the (big) love that big dogs bring, encourage families to consider welcoming a large dog into their home and increase their chance of being seen.

Sit Stay Society putting big dogs on wine labels!

 

And in big news - 6,591 large dogs found love via the platform this financial year. With a median time of just 25 days to be adopted (that's 9.2% faster than last financial year!).

Kash, found love via Home2Home

 

Cats have also been a focus because we know that changing the outcome for cats will have the biggest impact on the rescue community. 

This financial year, 38,275 cats found love via PetRescue with a median time to adoption of 11.19 days - 20.5% faster than last year!

Wolf, adopted thanks to Maneki Neko Cat Rescue

 

Cats like Wolf, who was connected with his new best friend Jodie, thanks to a pet alert from PetRescue that caught her eye…

“Watching Wolf grow in confidence and the joy of his company has been the highlight of our adoption journey. His temperament was not what I thought I would adopt however I’m so glad I did!  The joy he brings from just being there and sleeping on my bed at night, knowing he is safe, is indescribable. I never thought I'd be the type of person to have pets on my bed, but here we are, and it's the best!” - Jodie.

Read more Happy Tails made possible because of you!

 

You helped the rescue community care for and rehabilitate pets in need.

Removing barriers to find homes for every pet that needs one.

After a pandemic-sized paws - PetRescue’s Pet Transport Program, supported by Jetpets, has taken flight again, connecting homeless pets in need to their new families! Thanks to your support, PetRescue can continue collaborating with the community to connect pets with loving homes, no matter the distance.

Zeus & Canterbury Bankstown Animal Shelter Staff

 

It was only fitting that doggo Zeus would take to the sky! You see, his new home was not just around the corner…

"We had found the perfect home for Zeus, but it was 14 hours away from our Animal Shelter," shared Macy from Canterbury Bankstown Animal Shelter. "The new adopter searched for transport, but the cost was very high and very limited. I remembered PetRescue's Pet Transport Program. So, we applied for a free flight…"

Read more about Zeus’ journey.

 

Because of your support, PetRescue continues to be free for everyone. 

In the last financial year, we’re thrilled to have welcomed 62 new and reputable rescue community organisations. 

The PetRescue community now includes 862 members including councils, shelters, vets and rescue organisations who have been successfully verified. 

Lexi, adopted thanks to Upper Hunter Shire Council
 

Being located regionally three and a half hours away from Sydney, new PetRescue member, Upper Hunter Shire Council’s biggest challenge was the limitations they faced with how many potential adopters would see and connect with the pets in their care, using their established pathways.  

They join over fifty councils around the country who are using PetRescue’s free adoption platform to find homes for pets in the care - often hours (and sometimes states) away from their local council area! 

“Being a small rural facility, we only have so much of a reach, so we were trying to find ways to get a broader reach for a wider viewing, so people from further away can see the animals that we've got. So we've been putting campaigns out there to the community, letting them know that even though they might not be able to adopt an animal, if they share our post, it'll reach more people. 

That's where PetRescue comes in handy for us because it allows us to get a broader reach again. So the animals that we have rehomed through PetRescue have gone to Foster, which is five hours away, and Sydney, which is three and a half hours away. If people have the opportunity to see an animal that they have that connection with, they're more likely to travel the distance to come and meet them. If they have access to be able to actually see what we've got, then it opens that window of opportunity for us.

I definitely recommend to other councils to become PetRescue members because it gives you that extra reach to be able to access people that you may not have had access to before. It also gets more eyes on the animals that are in your shelter and more opportunities for them to find homes.” - Bobbie-Shae, Senior Compliance Officer at Upper Hunter Shire Council.

Read more about the incredible work Upper Hunter Shire Council does to find a home for every pet that needs one.
 

Thanks to you, PetRescue provides 'time-saving for life-saving' tools to assist member rescue organisations across Australia in managing the adoption process efficiently and finding new homes quickly, no matter where they are. 

Kitten season has been pretty crazy so we have had so many kittens come through but it's really good to have a platform like PetRescue to advertise to a wider community so thank you! - Coreen, Greencross Vet 

 

Zia, adopted thanks to Silver Linings Pet Rescue

 

Your support ensures that PetRescue can continuously adapt, improve and create new features to help both members and adopters. 

The new Draft Mode feature in the pet listing management platform allows for easier collaboration within rescue organisations - enabling them to seamlessly work together to create pet listings, and save time for the important, life-saving work they do!

"The draft listing feature has been really handy for me. We list pets in batches and we like to get as much information up as we can then build on them from there. In the past, we would list several pets using the duplicate feature (especially litters) but the issue with that was they would be made available when we did this so we would have to quickly then put them on hold as we gathered the remaining content for each pets listing. It was hard, as sometimes people would see the listing and enquire but that pet or listing wasn't ready to be listed yet. Now we can just save the listing as a draft. It's made things so easy and taken away the pressure! Now we can do bits and pieces and not have to quickly change and edit the status! THANK YOU! - Lisa -  Silver Lining Pet Rescue

Taylor, adopted thanks to Lake Road Vet Clinic

 

Tech to save lives.

The AI-powered pet profile writer is one of the ‘time-saving for life-saving’ tools that continues to improve what can be quite an arduous, repetitive task for many of the PetRescue member community. And in the last financial year, pets whose profiles have been written using the AI assistant have found homes 14% faster! 

By helping rescue organisations write pet adoption profiles, the feature helps relieve workloads, speed up the adoption process, and, in turn, increase the capacity for rescue organisations to help the most vulnerable pets.

The profiles are very upbeat, personable and positive. Adopting families recently have commented on how well-written they are. The positivity that comes through in the pet's description makes the profiles much more inviting and are more likely to gain applicants. With over 300 rescue pets through our doors since January this year, writing profiles can become a difficult task to come up with different descriptions and details for multiple animals in a short time frame. The AI bot has come in very handy at the right time! - Lake Road Veterinary Clinic

Keeping pets out of an unsafe system.

Home2Home provides an alternative option to surrendering and reduces pressure on the already-at-capacity rescue community. By directly helping people and pets in need Home2Home prevents pets from entering an unsafe system where their fate could become unknown.

This financial year, the Home2Home program kept 213 pets out of the rescue system. 

That’s 92 dogs who stayed safe and stress-free in their homes, and out of shelters, for 12,565 days while looking for their families. This equates to a saving of $603,120** in cost of care for the shelters that would have otherwise taken them into care.

And 121 cats were prevented from entering the system. These cats were safe and stress-free in their homes, and out of shelters, for 14,046 days while looking for their families. (A saving of $674,208^ for the shelters who would have otherwise taken them into care).

  

Tiggy, found love via Home2Home

Recognition & support of the bond between pets and their families.

Now in its third year running, Home2Home has already made a significant positive impact by supporting pet guardians with kindness throughout their pet rehoming journey, whether that’s helping find new loving homes for pets or supporting pet owners to keep their pets, which is, without a doubt, the most ideal outcome.

Enzo, stayed with his human thanks to Home2Home

 

People like Isabel and her sweet dog Enzo…

With nowhere else to turn and thinking that finding a new home for her best friend was the only option Isabel reached out to home2Home after finding herself in challenging and very stressful circumstances. 

Home2Home helped prepare Enzo’s PetRescue profile to help find him a new home as quickly as possible to help Isabel take her next steps with ease. However, it was clear that Isabel didn’t want to start her new life without him, so Home2Home also provided suggestions and resources for long and short-term foster care for Enzo to help reduce overwhelm for Isabel, and contacts for emergency boarding and crisis outreach organisations that Isabel could reach out to for additional support.

The community effort gave Isabel time and options, and the determination and love for Enzo from Isabel has resulted in the outcome we all were hoping for. We were thrilled to hear that Isabel had soon found a wonderful new home for both of them.

I’ve got great news, [a property] has come up for rent and i can take it and have enzo live there with me, im so so happy i get to keep my dog! Thankyou so so much for everything you’ve done for me and what your teams done to help me. i couldn’t recommend you guys enough you’ve been honestly amazing and so supportive xx

And then:

Yes we are going soo good! All settled in our house now, Enzos loving the new place and having myself and [a housemate] home with him to give him all the cuddles in bed!

You helped people and pets in crisis.

Thanks to your support, the PetRescue helpdesk team responded to 886 calls for support from people and pets in crisis. Using the crisis care directory, folks experiencing crisis situations such as hospitalisations, homelessness, domestic violence and financial hardship are connected directly with local organisations that offer outreach, crisis support services and safe short-term accommodation for their pets, saving precious time and resources.

"Susan's email was a light into my darkness. Thank you so much."

By having a curated directory of crisis care services to help people with pets, PetRescue has been able to quickly provide local outreach organisations with extensive options of support to share with their clients tailored to their circumstances and location. 

Thank you so much. That list is amazing and will extensively help me to offer further support & ensure the animals in the home are also safe. Thank you for all you do.

 

I just wanted to message you to say thank you so much for your prompt response and all this practical information which has been really helpful to pass on to my client. 

 

Having asked a few different places this was by far the most detailed and useful reply I received in a timely manner. 

 

Your support helped coordinate the complex logistics of over $580,000 worth of food and pet products delivered to pets in need across Australia!

PetRescue's food and product donation program helps rescue organisations feed pets in their care, freeing up funds to cover other critical care needs. 

Take a look at all the pawsome donations made possible this year!

 

Happy doggo from Shepherd's Lantern Rescue receiving their food donation. 

READ MORE

 

Furever After Rescue kitty with their product donation. 

READ MORE

Support, resources and the right advice for pet guardians.

The dog training industry is unregulated and while there are plenty of highly qualified dog trainers out there, there are also some who use old, harmful and dangerous training methods which can lead to long-term negative impacts on the wellbeing of dogs, often leading to deeper behavioural concerns. 

With early positive intervention, and equipping pet guardians with the right information, support and resources sooner, together, we can prevent pets from needing to enter the system due to behavioural issues and keep families together.

Thanks to your support, PetRescue’s free online help desk connects pet guardians with nearby qualified trainers or vet behaviour professionals to support them and their pet - whether they’re a cat, dog, bunny, guinea pig, horse or goat!

PetRescue’s national trainer database ensures our team can provide the best support and most relevant referrals to those in need. 

I've just read through the articles and it's awesome. As a positive reinforcement trainer, I do have to deal with clients who are still swayed by antiquated methods, so this is a wonderful thing PetRescue is doing to help people find a qualified, positive reinforcement trainer. I'm thrilled to be a part of it. - Vicki, Promising Pups 

Keeping pets safe and sound.

 

Collaboration to save lives.

Thanks to you, PetRescue could answer the call for help from a council and rally the community to find solutions to ensure nine young dogs got the chance for a safe, happy future.

“I just want to express my sincere thanks to everyone that has been involved in this great outcome. The circumstances surrounding this situation is one we do not encounter often. The work and effort that everyone has shown (very quickly) to ensure that these dogs will have every opportunity going forward clearly shows the passion and love you have for the work you do.” - Darren

 

Increased safety for pets within the current system.

Your support saves lives by enabling the PetRescue team to do crucial behind-the-scenes work to build relationships with councils and introduce them to the benefits of PetRescue's adoption platform as a rehoming tool.

Setting up more councils to successfully use PetRescue's free adoption platform as a rehoming pathway is crucial in keeping pets safe. Without this opportunity, pets within council facilities are possibly invisible and might never get a second chance. Digital rehoming equips councils and shelters with modern tools and access to a much bigger community of adopters (including the possibility of interstate adoptions) while reducing the burden on rescue groups at capacity. 

The PetRescue Safe and Sound Pets community now includes 53 councils across the country who are utilising PetRescue as a rehoming pathway to connect with potential adopters, rehoming 6,646 pets via the platform this financial year. 

Alongside a council recruitment strategy, resources continue to be created and published to support the unique requirements of councils experiencing varying stages in their adoption program and sheltering journeys.    

Take a look

Romeo, adopted thanks to Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre

 

Uniting to save lives.

Your support means that PetRescue can continue to collaborate with bodies such as the Australian Institute of Animal Management (AIAM), Getting 2 Zero (G2Z), state-based local government representative bodies, state government departments, and research working groups to shape a better future for pets in Australia.

Through PetRescue's Safe and Sound Pets program, we are building strong relationships with the ‘big players’ in the sector. By using PetRescue platform data and expertise to inform policy development and advocate for systemic changes, together, we’re working towards a more evidence-driven and progressive way of how companion animals are managed in Australia.

Read more about collaborating for impact

 

Using data to drive change.

PetRescue’s Visualise Science project is translating complex data into easy-to-understand graphics. By presenting complicated and sometimes confusing data in a more accessible way that’s clear, understandable, and engaging, we can challenge existing beliefs and leverage new data to inform initiatives to drive change for pets and people in the community.

 

Second Annual State of Pet Adoption Report

This comprehensive report provides invaluable insights into the current landscape of pet adoption in Australia, highlighting key trends, challenges, and findings in the effort to ensure a future where every pet is safe, respected, and loved.

Building on last year's inaugural edition, the 2022-2023 report dives deep into the data collected from rescue groups, shelters, vets, councils, and the animal welfare and animal management community at large. It underscores the critical role of data in identifying the areas of greatest need and benchmarking progression in the sector. 

Data-driven insights are crucial for understanding and addressing the complex systemic issues surrounding pet adoption. By collecting and analysing this information, PetRescue can:

• Identify Areas of Highest Need: Focus resources on key areas and communities where services and support are most needed.

• Benchmark Progress: Track our advancements year over year to ensure we are moving closer to our collective goal to keep pets safe.

• Inform Policy and Practice: Provide evidence-based recommendations to policymakers, rescue organisations, and animal welfare advocates.

• Understand the Impact of Changes: Reflect on the effects that changes in external factors such as legislation and economic or societal challenges have on the animal welfare sector.

"I can only begin to imagine the amount of work that has gone into collating this document - congratulations to you and everyone else involved. I think it is great to see PetRescue doing the hard work with this and I am pleased to send it to our members.” - Greg, Australian Institute of Local Government Rangers

Read the 2022-2023 State of Pet Adoption Report here

 

Cats and the Community

Community Cat Programs are science-based humane cat management programs focused on targeted desexing. These programs have been extremely successful, reducing the number of cats entering shelters and council facilities and humanely lowering the number of urban stray cats in the community.

PetRescue is a proud advocate of this game-changing initiative. Reducing intake to shelters and council facilities, while also keeping cats safe in the homes they already have, is key to saving the estimated 70,000 domestic cats killed each year.

Take a look at the results from the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation’s Community Cat Program here.

Read more about just one of the Community Cat Programs that is having a huge impact on outcomes for cats here.

 

 

Thank you for joining us to create happiness and save lives. 

And thank you to our generous pet-lovin' partners and sponsors for supporting the mission to find a home for every pet that needs one:

 

Pets Regardless | Elsie Cameron Foundation

Bunderra Foundation | Naylor Stewart Foundation

 

Home2Home is currently using daily sustenance fees to calculate an approximate Shelter Impact SAVING by rehoming animals directly from Home2Home WITHOUT ENTERING THE SYSTEM. Current calculations are based on the HIGHEST SUSTENANCE FEE published in the public domain or as published in a credible source.

**Dogs adopted via Home2Home saved from being in the system 12,565 days at a value of $603,120 based on $48/per-day-care-cost.

^Cats adopted via Home2Home saved from being in the system 14,046 days at a value of $674,208 based on $48/per-day-care-cost.