WA Pet Project

About the shelter

The WA Pet Project was founded in October 2015 by a group of animal-loving and well-meaning volunteers with a combined experience of 50 years working in companion animal rescue. Based in Perth, WA, the not-for-profit and incorporated group works hard at rehoming cats and dogs that have been abandoned, surrendered, or have overstayed at council pounds.

Volunteers of the organisation believe that the sad cycle of companion animal overpopulation can be addressed by educating the public about the value of spaying or neutering companion animals. To address this issue, they promote their “Spay It Forward” program, which aims to reduce and prevent the number of unwanted pets in the state. Supported by the Vida Group Grant Program and funded through the generosity of the state community, the program assists underprivileged pet owners through subsidised (or free) desexing and microchipping in various partner veterinary clinics.

Since WA Pet Project is run entirely by volunteers, their fostering program operates through the kind hearts and homes of their foster carers. Through their years of cumulative experience, their foster carers have found that rescued companion animals are easier to assess when the pets have experienced a stable and loving environment. Foster carers are the saints of the rescue organisation, opening their hearts, their valuable time, and their wallets to the rescued animals until they find permanent homes. However, the WA Pet Project promises to provide foster carers with support, training, and advice.

The adoption process for fostered animals from WA Pet Project involves choosing a desired companion from their website, completing an enquiry form, “meeting and greeting” the animal through the foster carer, checking the suitability of a potential home and owner, and going through a two-week trial period. It is only after this process that a potential adopter can fully bring their new companion home.

As part of their public education efforts, WA Pet Project offers helpful resources on their website. They have online articles on dog and cat adoption preparation; toilet training dogs; crate training dogs; important things to teach dogs; extensive information about desexing; resources on local sterilisation assistance; information on pet ownership (including laws specifically for cats and dogs); animal care tips and tricks; a list of common emergencies; and thought-provoking information about the realities of pet ownership.

Mission

• As proud supporters of the no-kill movement, the WA Pet Project strives to educate the community about responsible pet ownership through a variety of educational programs, learning materials, and courses on dog training.
• They believe in a world free from animal shelters and where all companion animals have a loving home.
• Guided by their values of professionalism, humanity, agility, and transparency, the rescue hopes to change the lives of pets and their respective owners.

How you can help

Can you help WA Pet Project? The organisation relies on the assistance of the public in a number of ways. They are always happy to have a chat about how you can help. Assistance can be in the form of fostering, donating both monetarily or in kind, lending your professional experience and skills, and/or supporting the various community events that they hold all year round!