Each year in Australian shelters well over 100,000 animals are euthanased, the majority of them dogs and cats. Most shelters are stretched for resources due to the sheer number of unwanted pets.

There are more than 220 shelters and care organisations in Australia; most of them are small or individually run. They have sprung from an overwhelming need felt by these individuals to help abandoned animals. Most of them are under-funded and continually stretched for resources to care for their animals.

The logistics of finding new owners for the animals is often a full-time job in itself. There is little time for finding resources and funding, and for investigating the latest research in adoption techniques or the logistics of implementing new programs to match.

From our knowledge of the industry, although there are willing parties, there is also reluctance from both sides. Many shelters disagree with pets in pet stores, and many pet stores only want puppies. It is an emotionally charged debate. The traditional pet store, like zoos, have come a long way in recent years to improve animal welfare, of course, while some still have a long way to go, many offer good advice and don't stock pets at all. In many ways, however, we believe responsible pet stores may be part of the solution to the huge oversupply of animals in shelters. The rise of internet sales of live animals is alarming, equally so, the rise of backyard breeders. These practices promote an industry unconcerned about animal welfare and concerned only with profit, there is little regulation, accountability or health checks.

Of course, many steps need to be in place before adoption from pet stores can occur. If adopting shelter animals from pet stores can be a positive experience for all involved parties, then this provides another solution to Australia’s massive oversupply of dogs and cats.

We know that independent shelters need funding and we also know they don’t have time to find it because they’re so busy looking after their animals. So that’s where we come in. Our first step in this project will be raise funds to produce a gift book publication that will be sold to shelters at cost. Most shelters have lists of supporters that with one click can be accessed. We’ll supply the logistics – all shelters will have to do is provide information to their supporters. And with the quality of publications we produce, this gift book will treasured by supporters and will also make ideal birthday or Christmas presents.

The next step in the project will be to find shelters and willing (and able) pet stores to participate in a pilot project. And we’ll need a sponsor for this. So we’ll find the sponsor, all shelters will have to do is nominate their availability. As the majority of shelters are small organisations or individually run organisations, and they’re the ones with the stretched resources, these are the shelters we want to help.

The Adore Animals Foundation Shelter Project is a holistic, collaborative approach to a massive problem. The Foundation views this project as a well-reasoned, intelligent and pragmatic approach to solving the crisis of unwanted dogs and cats in shelters. We know people working in shelter adoptions are working with the very best of intentions. We aim to provide them with a comprehensive program which will ensure positive outcomes not only for dogs and cats, but for all animals, industry and society.

To register your interest for our first gift publication on children and animals please email us at giftbook@adoreanimals.com

If you are a shelter organisation and want to register your interest for raising funds for your shelter or to participate in the pilot project please email us at shelter@adoreanimals.com

If you want to help with this project, visit our volunteer page. 

Together, we can all make a difference to animals and help foster positive relationships between humans and animals based on protection, respect and care for all animals and their environments.