About Canberra Pet Rescue
A registered not-for-profit charity, rescuing pets in the Canberra region for over ten years, with no shelter and no government funding, run entirely through a network of volunteer foster carers across Canberra and Queanbeyan.
What we do
Who we rescue
Canberra Pet Rescue primarily takes in cats and kittens facing euthanasia in pounds, driven in large part by the scale of the Canberra Cat Crisis, but the organisation isn't limited to cats: they also take in and rehome dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, mice and other pets who have been abandoned, neglected or surrendered. Whatever the animal, the stated principle is the same: always act in the animal's best interest, so every rescued animal gets a chance at a happy, loving forever home.
Our approach
Fostering, not sheltering
Instead of a shelter building, care happens in the homes of volunteer foster carers (described by the organisation as the lifeline of the whole operation). Foster carers house animals who would otherwise be stuck in a pound or on the street, while Canberra Pet Rescue covers vet costs, food and equipment. See Foster Caring if you're interested in becoming one.
Community cats
A different approach to stray cats
For healthy, semi-independent stray cats, Canberra Pet Rescue doesn't default to removing them from their outdoor home. Instead they work with community members to have the cat desexed and vet-checked to stop the breeding cycle, then either return it to the same outdoor home, being fed and cared for, or relocate it to a rural property under similar conditions. Kittens and cats who are able to be socialised are handled differently: rehabilitated, vet-worked and placed into loving homes through the usual adoption process.
Who runs it
Governance
Canberra Pet Rescue was founded by, and is still led by, its President, Amanda, who remains actively involved in all aspects of the organisation. A board (a Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and an Ordinary Member) sets direction and provides strategic oversight, while coordinators manage day-to-day operations. Volunteers support fundraising, marketing and design work across the organisation.
Trust
The essentials
- Registered not-for-profit charity
- Registered Deductible Gift Recipient: donations of $2 or more are tax deductible
- Registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
- Rescuing pets in the Canberra region for over ten years
- Run entirely by volunteers and funded solely by donations, with no government funding
More of our story
Read about Cats on Mats (Canberra's original yoga-with-kittens sessions) and stories of pets who found their forever homes.
Read our story →