GAR welcomes pawfect grant to help fundraise and educate

GEELONG Animal Rescue has received a grant for more than $4700 that will help better equip them to fundraise and deliver important community education activities.

Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford joined Geelong Animal Rescue volunteers at Jimmy’s Dog Training in Ocean Grove last week to announce the $4,711 grant.

The funding will be used to help GAR purchase  customised and branded sun-safe marquee outposts- one exclusively for fundraising, the other for public relations and community education.

“Geelong Animal Rescue is a fantastic example of the great work not-for-profit organisations are doing to improve the welfare or animals.

“Since its inception in 2012, its volunteers have rescued more than 1200 companion animals.

“Animal Welfare Grants help organisations like Geelong Animal Rescue achieve their goals in improving the welfare of companion animals in Victoria.”

GAR has also previously received grants which has helped them build a customised mobile fundraising, recruitment and community education trailer and deliver four new rehabilitation and assessment pens to conduct behaviour assessments, facilitate successful re-homing and provide emergency accommodation.

GAR is a 100 per cent not-for-profit organisation run entirely by unpaid volunteers and is registered with the Australian Charities Not-for-profit Commission.

While GAR works closely with GAWS (the pound in Moolap) and eight other pounds across the state, GAR and GAWS are very different.

GAR has no shelter but instead operates from within the homes of its more than 100 local volunteers, has no on-site veterinary care and receives no government funding.

GAR rescues at least one unwanted animal from death row in Victorian pounds every second day.

On arrival, every GAR animal is vet checked and treated, microchipped, desexed, vaccinated, fed, treated for fleas and worms, trained where necessary and above all, given lots of love in preparation for future adoption.

To date, GAR has rescued 1,263 cats and dogs at a cost of over $600,000.

Animals stay in GARs care for as long as it takes – GAR’s record for longest stay in care for a cat is 733 days and 678 days for a dog.

The Animal Welfare Grants Program provides funds to non-profit organisations aiming to improve responsible pet ownership and provide better animal welfare services to companion animals and the community, particularly during natural disasters.

Round 7 applications offering a total of $250,000 are open now and close on November 30.

To learn more about the grants and apply, head to animalwelfare.vic.gov.au.