Second Chance Animal Rescue support pet owners facing extreme crisis by providing relief services to people escaping domestic and family violence through our Safe House for Pets Program providing emergency boarding via our secure facility and through our extensive foster care network while owners experiencing Domestic and Family Violence seek safe refuge. They are then ...
Second Chance Animal Rescue
Safe House For Pets Program

GOAL
$20,000
RAISED
$1,000
Field of Interest
- Health/wellbeing and medical research
- Individual/family services and support
- Women and Girls
Target Population
- Women and girls
- People experiencing or at risk of homelessness

Second Chance Animal Rescue is a not-for-profit, pro-life, community-based registered charity that is run by vet professionals, animal-loving volunteers and foster carers. Operating since 2008, we rescue, rehabilitate and rehome dogs and cats in need from pounds and private home surrenders. We are proud to say that we have rescued and rehomed over 13,000 pets to date.
Established in 2008 we support disadvantaged pet owners by providing free food and medical support to the pets of owners struggling financially. We also offer desexing programs within our community, provide education on responsible pet ownership and provide a safe home for the pets of people escaping domestic violence until they can be reunited.
SCAR has a foster care network with over 300 local homes caring for animals not ready for adoption, has hundreds of volunteers assisting at our Shelter in Craigieburn and at our events and over 73,000 Facebook supporters.
We fulfil this mission through the following services and functions:
- Adoptions/rehoming rescue animals,
- Sourcing foster carers for animals brought to the shelter,
- Community training and education on responsible pet ownership
- Advocating for desexing, microchipping and vaccinating pets
- Medical procedures and emergency surgeries via our Animal Hospital to the general public
- Cat boarding
- Last litter Program desexing campaign
- Dog Grooming
- Puppy School
- Outreach programs offering free pet care and procedures to those who cannot afford to look after their animals
dog behavioural training
- Safe House for Pets Program to support pet owners escaping violence
- Doga and Meowga pet yoga
- Free Pet Food Pantry and pet food distribution via our human services partners and pick up at the shelter whenever needed
Project Summary
Second Chance Animal Rescue support pet owners facing extreme crisis by providing relief services to people escaping domestic and family violence through our Safe House for Pets Program providing emergency boarding via our secure facility and through our extensive foster care network while owners experiencing Domestic and Family Violence seek safe refuge.
They are then reunited with their beloved pets when safe haven is secured, breaking the cycle of violence and saving lives of people and their pets enabling them to leave violence sooner, knowing support for their animals is at hand. Safe House For Pets Need: Only 3% of domestic violence shelters across the country accept pets.
Now, more than ever this service is needed as The Australian Institute of Criminology reported 1 in 10 women experienced DFV in the past 2 years. 33% of the 15,000 women surveyed reported it was the first time their partner had shown violence towards them. Multiple studies have shown that domestic abusers often seek to manipulate their victims by threatening or harming pets. With 3 in every 5 households owning a pet that number becomes substantial as 1/3rd of pet owners delay leaving a violent home for fear for their pets lives. Through the SHPP we are able to remove this barrier and literally save lives and prevent harm of both pets and people.
The Safe House Program has predominantly assisted women and girls. Requests for help have been from mothers and their families or single women without children. In the past year the number of emergency boarding animals in our care has nearly doubled and length of stay of each animal jumped from 2 weeks to 2 months. This puts additional financial strain on SCAR. With the rise in DFV cases this service is essential is supporting people fleeing violence sooner, enabling them to seek safe refuge without fearing for their pets safety.
Project Outcomes
By supporting 800 animals in emergency boarding we directly assist 1500 people owners and their families: saving lives.
People who benefit:
- People escaping DFV to leave violence sooner reducing figure from 33% to 20%
- Community groups as the programs fosters connections and collaborations between SCAR and human services.
- Volunteers of SCAR as they witness the positive difference they make through this meaningful work.
- SCAR itself as through these programs we create awareness for the shelter leading to future adoptions, sponsors and donor support.
The emotional and mental wellbeing of the 800 pet owners we directly support as countless studies support the benefits of pet ownership on mental and physical wellbeing.
Ultimately we will delivery unwavering support to pet owners facing crisis enabling people and their pets to stay together and stopping shelter relinquishment at a grassroots level and saving the lives of people and their pets.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $56,000
FUNDING
Funding source | Amount |
---|---|
Second Chance Animal Rescue (confirmed) | $20,000 |
In Kind SCAR contribution (confirmed) | $16,000 |
Funding Gap (unconfirmed) | $20,000 |
EXPENSES
Expense item | Amount |
---|---|
Medical supplies: Vaccinations, medications, syringes, emergency surgeries, equipment and supplies. | $15,000 |
Vet and Vet nurse subsidised salaries for Outreach and emergency cases only (not contributing to part of their regular vet surgery salaries) | $12,000 |
Project Coordinator specific to Outreach and Safe House programs: Project Specific Salary only | $10,000 |
Promotional and marketing materials | $3,000 |
Emergency boarding coordination, rates, Shelter rates and recovery room bedding, toys, food and other consumables. | $12,000 |
Emergency pet transport, fuel, running costs tolls, vehicle maintenance | $4,000 |
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