Welfare groups unite for animals in need

Nine Victorian animal welfare groups, including the RSPCA and Animal Aid, are joining forces to find loving homes for animals in an initiative running this month.

From Saturday 1 October to Sunday 9 October, Animal Aid, the Australian Animal Protection Society, Bendigo Animal Relief Centre, Cat Protection Society, Geelong Animal Welfare Society, Greyhound Adoption Program, Lort Smith Animal Hospital, RSPCA Victoria and Second Chance Animal Rescue are all taking part in ‘Mission Adoptable’.

With animal shelters currently housing high numbers of animals, the nine groups are calling on Victorians looking for a pet to adopt, giving their new pet a chance at a happy life, and easing the pressure on shelters.

Dogs, cats, and a variety of small animals are currently seeking new homes in Victoria, with Mission Adoptable helping potential adopters find the closest adoption centre to them in one convenient place.

“When we have more animals coming into our care than being adopted, it makes our work extremely difficult. We will continue to help our community by taking lost and abandoned animals, but we need our community to open their hearts and homes and consider bringing one (or two) of our shelter animals into their family,” Animal Aid CEO, Mark Menze, said.

“RSPCA’s shelters are currently operating close to capacity due to a number of factors that are impacting our ability to move animals into forever homes, and we are calling on the community for help. By joining forces with likeminded organisations, we hope our message to encourage adoptions will be heard, resulting in more animals in happy homes and more space for the animals that will come into our care in the coming months,” RSPCA Victoria Rehabilitations and Adoption Manager, Rupert Baker, added.

There are a wide range of benefits associated with adopting a pet, with researching showing significant physical and psychological boosts through encouragement of exercise, enhancing social connectedness, and companionship.

All animals adopted from animal welfare organisations are behaviour checked, microchipped, vaccinated and desexed. Potential adopters are matched with pets based on a set of criteria including lifestyle suitability, and physical requirements – ensuring they get the best pet for them.

For anyone not in a position to take a new pet into their home permanently, foster carers are also needed to help care for animals in need.

To find your nearest adoption centre, visit www.missionadoptable.com.au.