Keeping People and
Pets Together

REUNITING PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE ONCE
THEY ARE BACK ON THEIR FEET

Keeping People and Pets Together

REUNITING PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE ONCE THEY ARE BACK ON THEIR FEET

Safe Pets Foster Program

Our Safe Pets Foster program allows owners to temporarily home their pets in a safe place who have no financial means for boarding or family or friends to care for their pets during times of crisis.

For a small weekly charity contribution fee, our Safe Pets Foster program provides emergency foster care for up to 12 weeks for pets of people experiencing domestic violence, homelessness, mental illness, or a medical emergency.

The Safe Pets Foster program gives owners confidence that their pets are in safe hands while they recover from a crisis, and that they will be reunited once they’re back on their feet. It also reduces rates of surrender and unnecessary euthanasia in animals, and therefore freeing up other pet rescue facilities.

If you’re interested in joining our network of valuable foster carers, click here.

If you or someone you know is in crisis and need access to the Safe Pets Foster program, contact us.

Our Associated Programs

CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL INITIATIVES

We were so worried that we were going to lose our furbabies

I’m a single mum of two teenage boys and we had come out of a Domestic Violence situation when the boys were quite young, for a few years we struggled to put our lives back together, all struggling in our own ways, when the boys were about 8 and 11yrs old we had the opportunity to adopt Jasper, then three months later we adopted Sheba and then another three months later we adopted Zuca. We thought we were rescuing the fluff butts, but in fact they are the ones that rescued us. When we got these three beautiful huskies is when the real healing started, they were a huge part of our family.

Just over three years ago the boys and I found us suddenly homeless and were not able to take our fur babies with us.

I rang the RSPCA for help, and they referred us to Safe Pets Families. We were so worried that we were going to lose our fur babies, we had a quite few sleepless night over it.

From the time I rang Safe Pets Safe Families, there was not one bit of judgement, which really meant a lot to me, they were so understanding and supportive.

Within half an hour to an hour they had organised for the fluff butts to go into boarding at the AWL until they could organize some foster carers. To my amazement they found someone willing to take all 3.

During the time Jasper, Sheba and Zuca were in care with Safe Pets Safe Families, we got regular updates along with pictures sent to us, they also organized playdates for the boys and I to have some time with the dogs, which put our minds at ease, I was able to focus on getting us back on our feet and into a house, knowing that our dogs are all being well looked after. Safe Pets Safe Families also did a pet reference for us & did some advocating with Housing SA for us. Their support and help meant the world to us, they literally kept our family together.

Now just over 3 years down the track I am a volunteer at Safe Pets Safe Families & I am so passionate about what they do and am proud to be a part of a team of people that truly care about the people and animals they help.

Story time…
This was a domestic violence case….

Story time… This was a domestic violence case….

Written by client Freya’s mum

I feel I need to tell you why I love my Freya so much.

About 5 years ago I rescued Freya. She had been advertised on a Facebook group and I saw something in her eyes and had to have her. We picked her up from a friend of the owner as the owner didnt want her and had threatened to take her and throw her down a mine shaft. When we got there Freya’s face was bleeding and she had obviously been bashed that morning.

She was a scared skittish dog, a week or so later I thought I would take her to obedience training. We arrived and was talking to a lady there about Freya and a gentleman came around a corner holding a broom and Freya cowered and wet herself. We were advised that she was not ready for training and to bring her back when she had settled a bit more.

So I guess you thought we saved Freya? No she saved me.

I had decided to do a course at TAFE hoping to do Case Management … to do this I had to do child youth and family intervention and because of the huge amount of triggers based on my own childhood and early adulthood I had a breakdown. For many months I rarely left my bed. The nightmares seemed to come in waves, I wasn’t showering, barely eating, barely living. Freya was there. She licked my face when I had nightmares waking me from them. The anxiety attacks I would have were so debilitating. In the darkness of my room I would be so overcome with fear I couldn’t move.

Then I realised that Freya was soundly asleep and I finally realised that if Freya was still asleep I was safe and no one was there. That become my recovery.

With the help of counselling I made a pact with my counsellor that yes it was ok to have one bad day but on the second day I had to get out of bed and have a shower. And my mental health continued to improve from there.

I got to a point that I was able to get a job at the airport and I felt so much better. Unfortunately my living arrangements turned very toxic (they were already toxic but I couldn’t see it at the time – hindsight’s a wonderful thing) I pretty much was couch surfing between two houses. I had to have two lots of eye surgery to repair damage to my eye including a complete cornea regraft. I now have some sight in my eye which I haven’t had for over 20 years.

There were times I thought I would have to give her up and the thought would make me cry so much. You have no idea how much I love my girl.

Because of you and your family you gave me reason to keep slogging through and not give up. The photos you shared helped me so much. It is obvious that you have been taken in by my Freya’s charm as I was. To see her bag of goodies and her big bag of food and your lovely card really further my resolve to truly tell you the impact not only you but Safe Pets Safe Families have had on both me and Freya. I will be forever grateful and hope one day I too can do my part in helping.

So once again thank you.

***** and Freya