About UsOn this page: Who We Are, History, Funding, Where Our Dogs and Cats Came From, Who We Are
We are a group of people, just like you, who love animals. We have decided to do something about the disgraceful number of dogs and cats who are euthanased daily right here in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter and Central Coast of NSW. Statistics show that every year there are 250,000 companion animals killed in Australia, including 60,000 in New South Wales alone. These numbers are increasing. Visit Death Row Pets for details. Most of these are healthy, re-homeable animals, with their only crime being born into an uncaring society. We don't have a kennel facility. All of our pets are in loving foster homes while they are waiting to be adopted. To keep informed about our activities, please go to our News page to read or sign up for our Newsletter. Our ABN is 92 544 122 852, our CFN (Charitable Fundraising Number) is 21652. We have Tax Deductible Gift Recipient Status, which means donations $2 or more are tax deductible. HistoryDog Rescue Newcastle was officially established in May 2008. Before that time we were helping dogs in need, but not under the official banner of Dog Rescue Newcastle. Sue and Anne are the co-founders of this group, and spend many, many hours and dollars of their own money each week making sure that the pets and their foster carers get what ever they need. Their phones never stop ringing. Sue and Anne each have many, many years of experience in dog rescue.
Early in 2010 we started trying to save some of the thousands of cats and kittens on death row. Since formation, Dog Rescue Newcastle has re-homed more than 2,200 dogs and over 600 cats who would otherwise now be dead. See photos of some of the pets which we have saved. This is a great achievement considering our size and funds. We always welcome more volunteers into our small, friendly group. FundingWe are all volunteers. We don't receive any government or big business funding. Our greatest expense is veterinary fees, which are thousands of dollars each month. We manage to pay our vet with money raised from BBQ’s, chocolate sales, donations and money received from the sale of the dogs and cats. After vet fees are paid, there is very little profit left from the sale of each pet, and many dogs which have had extraordinary needs are sold at a loss. We are a registered charity. Donations are tax deductible. Please make a donation or learn more about the many ways you can help us. Where Our Dogs and Cats Came FromOur priority is to save dogs, and cats when possible, from "Death Row" in local pounds. These are the ones with the most desperate need. They have only days, sometimes hours, to live. We rescue dogs from Cessnock Council Pound, Port Stephens Pound, Wyong Pound, and sometimes Singleton Pound, Musswellbrook Pound, and beyond. We are not able to get animals from the RSPCA at Rutherford, which is used by Newcastle and Lake Macquarie City Councils instead of having their own pounds. Dogs and cats in pounds are perfectly healthy, normal family pets. They have become lost and remain unclaimed, or are surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them. Very occassionaly we find a pet who has suffered from neglect, such as Victor, below. Victor was close to death from starvation. His dedicated foster carer nursed him back to health and now he is very happy in his forever home.
Finding a New Home for Your PetWe regret that our resources do not allow us to take dogs or cats from people who can longer keep them. Are you sure you really must give up your pet? Please read this article first Alternatives to Giving Up Your Pet. If you must give up your pet, it is your responsibility to find a suitable new home for him or her. Do not be under the impression that the pound will rehome your pet. The majority of dogs and cats in pounds get put down (and that's after spending a week or two terrified and in bad conditions)! Do not advertise your pet ‘free to a good home’. Some people who respond to ads for free or cheap pets do not have the best of intentions. It’s been known for people to target ‘free to good home’ or cheap pets for the purposes of animal testing, puppy farming, to be used to train fighting dogs (ie: tied up and killed), and other general acts of cruelty. By employing a few simple screening techniques, you can ensure your pet goes to a genuine and loving home where they will not fall victim to cruelty. Please read this important guide to Finding a New Home for Your Pet. |
Because of the limited number of foster carers, space and time, when the group first formed we concentrated our efforts on small dogs. As the number of carers increased and the demand for medium and bigger dogs became obvious, we now take almost any type of dog, as long as we have a carer available. 
