Ways to Save Lives

Rescue groups

Rescues do an incredible job saving lives and placing pets in loving homes, but with the benefit of best-practice guidance the outcomes could be even better. Your work is crucial in our quest to achieve zero killing of health and treatable pets.

Health and wellbeing

Ensuring the animals in your care are in tip-top health isn’t just a moral obligation, it increases the chances of a successful adoption and ensures that supporters maintain trust in your operation.

Prioritise vaccinations, spay/neuter programs, dental treatment and disease prevention to minimise illness and overpopulation, reducing the strain on resources and improving community health. Additionally, it’s important to include enrichment and socialisation within a wellbeing ‘hit list’, as they reduce stress for animals, which prevents behavioural issues and increases adoptability.

Establish practical boundaries

black and white cat on a woman's shoulder

Hard as it can be to say ‘no’, operating within your capacity ensures high-quality care. Taking on too many animals inevitably leads to poorer outcomes and damage to your reputation.

And, conversely, it’s worth looking at how often you say ‘no’ when it comes to potential adoptees! Streamline your process and aim for loving, if not perfect, homes. Then invest time in supporting adopters to ensure successful placements and reduce return rates.

Community Building

Collaborate within your community and across the sector to expand your resources, knowledge, and reach, enabling more lives to be saved. Collaboration between stakeholders helps to save lives.

Building relationships with the community increases support, donations and volunteering, as well as positioning your organisation as a source of help – rather than last resort – for struggling owners.

Protect your volunteers

Volunteers are essential for you to be able to do what you do. Establish clear guidelines, internal support networks and be proactive in addressing compassion fatigue and overwhelm. This is a tough world to work in, but together we’re making it better.