The impact of your kindness 2025
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Twenty years ago, PetRescue began with a simple belief: every rescue pet deserves to be seen, valued, and given the chance to find love.
This year, thanks to your incredible kindness, we celebrated two extraordinary milestones together: 20 years of PetRescue and one million pets adopted.
What started as a big, hairy, audacious idea to connect rescue pets with people looking to adopt has grown into a national movement. Today, rescue organisations, councils, shelters, vets, volunteers, PetRescue's partners, sponsors, donors, and millions of pet lovers are working together to create better outcomes for pets across Australia.
One million pets adopted isn't just a milestone. It represents one million lives changed, one million families made whole, and countless people who chose kindness when a pet needed it most.
And while we're proud to celebrate how far we've come, this year was about much more than reaching a milestone.
Together, you helped more pets find loving homes, strengthened the rescue community, supported families to stay together, and continued building a future where every pet is safe, respected, and loved.
Here's the impact your kindness made possible in 2025–2026.
🐾 65,473 pets connected with families
👀 31.5 million pet profile views
🏡 1,324 pets kept safely at home through Home2Home
📞 2,211 crisis support requests answered
🐶 6,838 pet guardians received support through Tailored Pet Support
💚 $760k+ in food and product donations coordinated
You helped find a home for every pet that needs one.
Over two decades, PetRescue has helped transform the way Australians discover and adopt rescue pets.
Our free adoption platform gives rescue organisations, shelters, councils and vets the tools they need to showcase pets looking for love, while giving adopters across Australia a trusted place to find their new companion.
In 2025–2026, your support helped keep this life-changing platform free and accessible for everyone.
This year:
65,473 pets were connected with their new families through PetRescue.
Pet profiles were viewed 31,499,197 times this financial year, leading to 88,784 enquiries (that's 10.1 enquiries per hour!) from pawsome humans looking to grow their family with a furry friend!
All those enquiries meant that it took just 11.9 days* for pets to find love via PetRescue.
*Median time to adoption across all species of pets listed for adoption on PetRescue.
Meet Myka, the one millionth pet to find love through PetRescue.
Helping the ones that need more love
One million pets adopted is a milestone that deserves a big, tail-wagging celebration, and while we shared in the joy each of the one million pets adopted brought their lucky guardians, your support also helped bring rescue pets into the spotlight again.
The 'One Million Pets' campaign reached 21.6 million people and inspired more Australians to discover rescue pets looking for love on PetRescue.
That attention translated into action, with PetRescue page views increasing by 6.73%, pet listing clicks increasing by 4.0%, and people saving pets they loved increasing by 3.4% and 0.45% more enquiries for pets.
Because every pet's journey to finding love starts with being seen. And every extra person who sees a pet's story is another chance for that pet to find the family they've been waiting for.
Love Knows No Breed campaign weekend
In 2025–2026, PetRescue challenged Australians to look beyond appearance and discover the personalities behind every pet profile.
During the Love Knows No Breed campaign weekend, pet photos were temporarily hidden from adoption listings, encouraging adopters to focus on what truly matters: a pet's needs and unique personality.
The response showed the power of changing perspectives. The campaign reached 46,422 people, and pets benefited from more people taking a closer look:
Pet profile views increased by 6%, and 311 adoption enquiries were made during the campaign weekend.
Your support helped the ones that need an extra boost
We know that for some pets, finding the right family takes a little longer.
Thanks to the support of the PetRescue community, participating in and sharing these campaigns far and wide helped bring attention to some of the pets who are often overlooked, helping them find homes faster.
Big dogs found homes 13% faster this year, with the median time to adoption improving from 20 days to 17.4 days.
Bonded pets found homes almost 8% faster this year, with the median time to adoption decreasing from 40 days to 36 days.
Read the latest State of Pet Adoption report to learn more about the changing landscape of pet adoption in Australia.
Honeycomb & Pistachio found love thanks to The Rescue Club Limited who joined PetRescue in 2026.
Because of your support, PetRescue continues to be free for everyone
That means rescue organisations, councils, shelters and vets can list pets for free and access the tools and support they need to help pets find homes.
It means adopters can search without barriers.
It means homeless pets get the best chance to be seen, no matter where they are in Australia.
And it means pet guardians can access the support and resources they need in times of crisis.
In 2025–2026, we welcomed 59 new and reputable rescue community organisations to PetRescue.
The PetRescue community now includes 741 verified and active members, made up of councils, shelters, vets, and rescue organisations nationwide.
Fred found love thanks to Shellharbour City Council who joined PetRescue in 2025.
You helped increase safety for pets within the current system.
For many pets entering council facilities, visibility is the difference between a second chance and an uncertain future.
Your support helped PetRescue work alongside councils to create safer pathways for pets by introducing them to the benefits of digital adoption and connecting them with a national community of adopters.
In 2025–2026, seven councils joined PetRescue, bringing the total number of active council members to 62.
Together, these councils are helping create safer pathways for pets entering the system.
By adopting pets directly from council care wherever possible, pressure on already stretched rescue organisations is reduced, leaving more lifesaving foster homes, kennel space, volunteer time, and veterinary resources available for pets with more complex needs.
Supporting councils to use PetRescue as a direct adoption pathway helps create better outcomes across the entire animal welfare system. When suitable pets can be adopted directly from council care, rescue organisations have more capacity to focus on the pets who need specialised care, rehabilitation, or ongoing support before they're ready for adoption.
Burdekin Shire Council has been a PetRescue member since 2025 and has already helped 30 pets find homes through the platform.
Toby Lee, found love through PetRescue, thanks to Burdekin Shire Council
"As a council, we use the PetRescue platform to expand the reach of our dogs and cats to find those looking for a furry friend. Along with advertising on our own social media platforms, we had 17 animals on the site and within one month, we were inundated, and matching new owners with their pets through PetRescue.
As of today, this council is finding homes for all pets that come into care, and we are getting positive feedback, pictures, and videos regarding the easy process, communications, and appreciation from the new owners. This is in no small part due to the platform's administration and support team members that allowed contacts to form and blossom into adoptions. This council is looking forward to a long and effective relationship with PetRescue."
You helped increase capacity for rescue organisations.
Every day, rescue organisations provide care, rehabilitation, medical support, and love to pets who need extra help before they find their new family.
Your support means PetRescue can provide programs that help member organisations spend more time helping pets, and less time facing barriers that make their important work harder.
Together, these programs enabled almost $920,000 in additional support for the rescue community this year, including food, pet products, direct cash donations, and pet transport. That's practical help reaching the organisations doing the life-saving work every single day.
Whimzees Daily Dental Treats from Wellness Pet Company AU supported NSW rescue organisations.
Your support helped coordinate the complex logistics of over $760,000 worth of food and pet products delivered to pets in need across Australia!
From urgent vet bills to food, supplies, and everyday essentials, donations and resources help rescue organisations continue caring for pets while they wait for their new home.
Through PetRescue's partnerships with generous pet-loving businesses and supporters, together, we've helped coordinate vital food and product donations across Australia.
In 2025–2026:
$514,994 worth of pet products were donated to support pets in need.
$254,977 worth of food donations helped provide essential nutrition for pets in care.
From small local or urgent requests to large-scale national deliveries, these donations helped rescue organisations continue their life-saving work and provide pets with the care they needed while waiting for a home.
"Thank you very much for the Donation last week of all the raw meat. We've distributed it to Hills Cats and other rescuers that we work with in the area, plus our cats, of course, are still enjoying the product every day. It's been a welcome change of diet for many of the cats and a great help to the charity, so once again, thank you" — World League Protection of Animals
Take a look at all the food donations this year
Read more about the product donations made possible this year
Helping rescue organisations unlock more support
Since 2018, PetRescue has helped ACNC-registered member organisations access additional fundraising opportunities through ANZ's Shout for Good.
Over the years, the 'Shout Button' enabled the PetRescue community to raise more than $640,000 in direct cash donations to support their work.
That level of support represents thousands of opportunities to help pets, from essential veterinary care and rehabilitation to the everyday costs of keeping pets safe while they wait for their new families. To put that impact into perspective, that's comparable to the cost of desexing around 3,200 cats at an average cost of $200 per cat.
With Shout for Good closing in August 2026, PetRescue has been working behind the scenes to create new ways for adopters to directly support rescue organisations.
The new on-platform donation button will make it easy for people visiting member profiles and pet listings to donate directly to the organisations helping pets find homes.
By continuing this pathway for support, rescue organisations can access vital funds to support their work and help more pets receive the care, safety, and support they need.
Removing barriers to finding love
Thanks to your support, PetRescue can continue collaborating with the community to connect pets with loving homes, no matter the distance.
In 2025–2026, PetRescue's Pet Transport Program, supported by Jetpets, helped connect two pets with their new family, proving that when the community works together, distance is no barrier to finding love.
Getting Walter and Jinx across almost 4,000 kilometres took careful planning, collaboration and a whole lot of heart.
Read Walter & Jinx's cross-country journey to love (and home).
Keeping pets safe, supported, and out of the system.
For many pets, the best outcome isn't finding a new home.
It's staying safely with the family who already loves them.
Your support helps PetRescue provide practical guidance, resources, and crisis support that help pet guardians navigate challenges and make decisions that prioritise the well-being of both people and pets.
Because when people and pets have the right support at the right time, fewer pets need to enter an already stretched rescue system.
You helped people and pets in crisis
Sometimes, a pet's safety depends on whether their family can access support when they need it most.
Housing insecurity, domestic and family violence, hospitalisation, and financial hardship can place enormous pressure on people and pets.
Thanks to your support, PetRescue helps connect pet guardians experiencing crisis with practical resources and local organisations that can help.
In 2025–2026, the PetRescue Helpdesk team responded to 2,211 calls for support from people and pets in crisis, a 112% increase from the previous year.
Through the crisis care directory, pet guardians were connected with organisations offering outreach, crisis services, and short-term pet accommodation.
This support helps reduce stress during already overwhelming situations and creates safer pathways for both people and pets.
Mrs Big and Pickles found love via Home2Home.
Helping pet guardians find the right support when it's needed most
Thanks to your support, PetRescue expanded its Crisis Care and online Helpdesk services with Tailored Support Pathways and accessible resources for pet guardians.
Every person and pet situation is different, which is why PetRescue continues to develop Tailored Support Pathways that meet people where they are.
Our goal is simple: no closed doors for people or pets in need.
Whether someone is experiencing a crisis, looking for rehoming advice, seeking help with a found pet, or simply unsure where to turn, PetRescue provides judgement-free guidance and practical support, helping people make informed decisions that prioritise safety and wellbeing for both pets and their families.
Since launching Tailored Pet Support in June 2025:
💚 6,838 pet guardians received support through Tailored Pet Support
💚 3,628 pet guardians were connected with community support resources
💚 2,396 pet guardians experiencing crisis received immediate guidance and support to help identify the safest pathway for them and their pets.
"We had an amazing experience with the Home2Home program and couldn't be more grateful for the support they provided during such an emotional process. From start to finish, they were incredibly informative, stayed in contact the whole way through, and explained everything in great detail so we always knew what to expect. They offered so many helpful hints and pieces of advice, which really reassured us that we were doing the right thing for our pet. Thanks to their care and professionalism, we successfully rehomed our pet through this program, and we truly couldn't have asked for a better outcome. (The team) was kind, patient, and supportive every step of the way, communication was excellent, and it made a difficult situation so much easier to navigate." — Pet guardian who found a new home for their pet via Home2Home.
Thanks to your kindness, people and pets stayed together
Sometimes, the best outcome isn't helping a pet find a new family, it's helping them stay with the one they already have.
When housing insecurity, financial hardship, illness, or family crisis place enormous pressure on people and pets, early support can prevent heartbreaking decisions and keep families together.
Thanks to your support, PetRescue provides compassionate, practical guidance that helps people navigate difficult circumstances while creating safer outcomes for the pets they love.
In 2025–2026, Home2Home support helped 189 pets stay safely with the families who loved them.
Buddy found love via Home2Home.
Keeping pets safe at home through Home2Home
Because of your support, PetRescue's Home2Home Program has helped keep 1,428 pets out of the rescue system^ since launching in 2020.
Through one-on-one guidance, practical resources, and personalised support, Home2Home helps pet guardians navigate a difficult time while keeping pets safe at home until their new home is found.
"How do I even begin? I had to face one of the toughest decisions that I never thought I'd have to make, and yet somehow in all of this, (Home2Home) took so much weight off my shoulders! The kindness, empathetic and understanding nature had brought so much comfort. I knew I was doing the right thing going through Home2Home. I couldn't be more thankful!" — Amanda, pet guardian supported through Home2Home.
Recognising the bond between people and their pets
Sometimes, the difference between a pet staying with their family or entering the rescue system is simply having access to the right advice and support.
Behaviour challenges are one of the reasons some pets lose their homes. But with access to evidence-based training and support, many challenges can be understood, managed, and overcome.
Over the past decade, our understanding of dog behaviour has grown significantly. We now know that positive, evidence-based training helps strengthen the relationship between people and their pets, while reducing frustration, preventing behaviour challenges from escalating, and helping more pets stay happily at home.
In 2025–2026, PetRescue continued helping pet guardians access trusted support through the dog trainer directory.
The directory now includes 279 qualified and vetted trainers Australia-wide.
By connecting pet guardians with trusted positive reinforcement trainers, PetRescue helps families build stronger relationships with their pets, prevent challenges from escalating, and create better outcomes for both people and pets.
Chara and Tabitha found love via Home2Home.
Scaling impact with technology that saves time and lives
As more people turn to PetRescue for support, technology helps us increase capacity to assist more pets and their guardians.
Thanks to you and the incredible support of the Pets Regardless Foundation, PetRescue developed a new Rehoming Management System to support the growing demand for Home2Home and remote-assisted rehoming.
This new system helps streamline time-consuming administration, making it easier for the PetRescue team to provide personalised support where it matters most, helping people and pets through some of their most difficult moments.
From the first conversation through to post-adoption follow-up, every step is becoming simpler, faster, and more effective.
In 2025–2026:
177 rehoming management system cases were created
218 pets were supported to stay safe at home while a new home was found
Nala's profile was written using the AI writing assistant. She found love thanks to Ballarat Animal Shelter.
Technology that helps rescue organisations save time for life-saving work
Across the PetRescue community, rescue organisations dedicate countless hours to creating adoption profiles that help pets find their match.
The AI-powered pet profile writer helps reduce repetitive tasks and gives rescue organisations back valuable time.
In 2025–2026, rescue groups using the AI assistant saw median time to adoption improve by 21%, decreasing from 22.9 days in 2024–2025 to 18.1 days in 2025–2026.
By helping rescue organisations write engaging adoption profiles more efficiently, the AI writer reduces workload, speeds up the adoption process, and, in turn, increases the capacity for rescue organisations to help the most vulnerable pets.
Uniting to save lives.
Creating lasting change for pets requires collaboration
Your support enables PetRescue to unite with advocacy organisations to help inform and drive effective legislative and policy reform and work alongside rescue organisations, researchers, community services and animal welfare partners to build a safer future for pets across Australia.
Bringing sectors together to support people and pets
Throughout the year, PetRescue continued contributing to Lucy's Project's national advocacy work, collaborating with animal welfare organisations, family and domestic violence services, and government representatives to help strengthen Australia's response to domestic and family violence involving people and pets.
By sharing insights from our support services, we're helping ensure the needs of people with pets are recognised in future policy, services, and national action planning, creating safer pathways for families experiencing crisis.
PetRescue unites with La Trobe University researchers to help more cats find homes
PetRescue partnered with La Trobe University researchers to better understand what influences cat adoptability and how adopters perceive cats online.
The research explored the factors that shape people's decisions when choosing a cat and will help PetRescue and our rescue partners develop evidence-based strategies to help more cats find homes.
Parliament of Victoria recognises the rescue community
PetRescue supports and uplifts the behind-the-scenes work of Australia's rescue sector, the quiet, dedicated, and often invisible effort that keeps pets safe.
In 2026, we were proud to see this important work acknowledged in the Victorian Parliament through a motion introduced by Georgie Purcell, Animal Justice Party MP, recognising the vital contribution of rescue organisations across the state.
PetRescue is independent of any political party. We advocate for pet welfare across Australia, and for the people and organisations working tirelessly in this space.
Sharing knowledge to create better outcomes.
Thanks to your support, PetRescue continues to democratise data and insights across the animal welfare sector, helping identify the areas where meaningful action can have the greatest impact for pets.
Through the State of Pet Adoption Report series and other research projects, PetRescue is making evidence-based knowledge accessible to the wider community so we can identify areas of highest meaningful impact and focus our collective efforts where they can make the greatest difference.
By sharing these insights, PetRescue helps the rescue community understand changing needs, identify opportunities for improvement, and create better outcomes for pets and people.
In 2025–2026:
'Finding Another Way Home': Home2Home Insights Report published
Drawing on five years of Guardian-Assisted Rehoming Program data, the 'Finding Another Way Home' report explored trends in guardian-assisted rehoming and demonstrated how supporting pet guardians can help pets safely transition to new homes while reducing pressure on rescue organisations and shelters.
State of Pet Adoption Australia Platform Insights 2025 published
This report explored adoption trends across the PetRescue platform, providing valuable insights into how pets are finding homes and how the rescue community can continue improving outcomes for pets and people.
Captain found love thanks to Working Paws Dog Rescue.
Raising awareness to help more pets find homes
The One Million Pets campaign was not only a celebration of how far pet adoption has come, but also an opportunity to shine a light on the changing landscape of pet adoption in Australia.
As adoption rates began to slow, PetRescue used the campaign to help the community understand the challenges facing rescue pets and encourage more Australians to discover the thousands of pets still waiting for their match.
The article helped share this important message with the wider community, receiving 3,654 views since it was published in April 2026.
Read: What's really behind Australia's falling pet adoption rates?
Sharing knowledge beyond Australia's borders
PetRescue's work is helping shape conversations about how we support people and pets — not just in Australia, but around the world.
In August 2025, the Home2Home team shared learnings from PetRescue's Guardian-Assisted Rehoming Program at the Getting-2-Zero Summit. 115 organisations from at least eight countries attended the international conference focused on improving outcomes for people and pets.
Bringing together rescue organisations, veterinary services, animal advocacy groups, local governments, educators, behaviour professionals, and others working across the human-animal bond, the event was an opportunity to share insights, exchange ideas, and learn from others on the same journey.
Because creating a future where every pet is safe, respected, and loved requires collaboration, shared knowledge, and communities working together.
Together, we're building what comes next.
Twenty years ago, PetRescue helped change the way Australia thinks about pet adoption.
Today, we're helping change something even bigger.
Together, we're building a future where fewer pets need rescuing in the first place.
Where families receive support before they reach crisis.
Where rescue organisations have the tools and resources to focus on life-saving work.
And where research, collaboration, and innovation help create better outcomes for pets.
To every donor, partner, sponsor, member organisation, volunteer, advocate, and pet lover who stood beside us this year, thank you.
Because of your kindness, more pets found loving homes. More families stayed together. More rescue organisations were supported. And together, we're creating lasting change for pets across Australia.
As we begin the next chapter of PetRescue, one thing remains unchanged: our belief that every pet deserves to be safe, respected, and loved.
Thank you for helping make that future possible.
Major Partners
Sponsors
Pets Regardless Foundation | Elsie Cameron Foundation
Bunderra Foundation | Naylor Stewart Foundation
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^ Pets who found new homes via Home2Home and pets who stayed with their guardians as a result of support from Home2Home.
