Geelong Animal Welfare Society is a not for profit organisation that has been in operation in Geelong for over 50 years.   We are the third largest shelter in Victoria, and the only shelter in the Geelong, Surfcoast, Golden Plains regions. We receive over 5,000 animals in a twelve month period.

A change of management in December 2011 resulted in a stream of new work practices, investment in infrastructure, and staff training to ensure we provide compassionate care for our animals, including behavioural and medical rehabilitation.   

Our aim is for every healthy, treatable shelter animal to be rehomed. This focus was a result of the community outcry with protests to council demanding the shelter lowers its euthanasia rates; allow volunteers onsite; work with rescue organisations and transparency of its operations.

GAWS runs a boarding centre business on site which assists us financially. This year of 2013 we are establishing a shelter vet clinic and an onsite community vet clinic. We also provide Microchipping service at a discounted cost.

We have employed two part time Veterinarians and we have a staffing team of 30, made up of full time, part time, casual and contracted staff.  We are supported by individual volunteers and work placement students for which we are extremely grateful.

We recognize our staff and volunteers are the most valuable asset to the organisation. Their dedication, compassion, and work ethic; the lengths they go to care for our animals and to save lives is immeasurable and paramount to our organisations’ future.

G2Z Elements & Strategies:

Our cat adoption centre has been revamped, increasing from an average of 9 cats on display to now having 32 cats available for adoption at any time.

We are focused to reduce disease spread and have been working with Council (as owner) in relation to the incoming stray animals. Council are building a new Cattery in 2013 which will increase our housing capacity.

We have implemented a foster care program and continue to nurture this.

We have implemented a volunteer program, and are working to streamline and grow this program.

We work with some rescue groups but would like to increase the numbers of rescue groups we work with.

We have volunteers that walk our dogs and provide them with basic training to assist in their rehoming.

Geelong City Council will finalise the construction of exercise pens for our dogs which will allow us to improve our enrichment program.

We work with volunteer dog trainers to help us with behaviour modification for animals we believe can be rehabilitated.

GAWS extended its opening hours allowing increased public access to our shelter.

Throughout the year we hold discount adoptions days/specials, such as Staffy specials, Mothers Day, and Winter Warmers.

We have developed an offsite adoption program with local (PETStock) and Melbourne based pet supply shops.  

We have established supportive media relationships with a local radio station and the Geelong Newspapers.  The media have helped us promote our adoptions specials, ran stories on our stray pets which succeeded in reuniting pets with their owners. The media have published instances of injured or abused animals to raise public awareness and much needed funding/donations.

We carry out pre-adoption interviews; encourage meet and greets with families considering adopting another pet into their family with their existing family pet.

Our sheltermate computer system provides profiles and temperament details to prospective adoptees.

The introduction of our PenPal sponsorship program, spearheaded by our two Ambassadors Paul Chapman (Geelong Football Club Player) and Marisa Siketa from K-Rock Geelong) enables us in some instances to fund high cost elective surgery.  

We have trained and experienced staff assisting with after adoption care, support and advice.

We provide emergency boarding for animals when circumstances are required. We hope to attract funding for our “Project Paws” emergency boarding program.

We subscribed to the Centrelink ‘Centrepay’ payment plan facility which has assisted and assured low income earners who qualify, to reclaim their pets quicker and easier without financial burden.

Upon commencement of our veterinary clinic, we will offer discounted desexing and health checking rates for low income earners and to rescue groups.

Recent Achievements in Getting to Zero:

GAWS have decreased the euthanasia rates of cats and dogs for the last financial and Calendar year.  Contributing factors towards this decrease is the creation of our foster care program, promoting our adoptions of animals via media, Petrescue and our Facebook Page and adoption days with PETStock.  We are working with some rescue groups (we are trying to grow this program), and also PETSco who have been adopting our animals out into the Melbourne and surrounding community via their Save a Pet program through their various stores.  

Support Needed:

GAWS would like to work with more rescue groups and are currently attempting to establish rapport/relationships with Victorian rescue groups. We have a staff resource allocated to foster, volunteer and rescue group, and we aim to build on our connections with rescue groups to facilitate more saving of lives.

We would like to work with more Petshops to showcase our animals and provide them with greater opportunities for rehoming.

We will continue to seek and explore financial funding and support so that we can rehabilitate more animals.

We will advocate legislation in regard to selling desexed animals.

Adoption, reclaim, foster and euthanasia statistics for last two full financial or calendar years:

Dogs - Incoming

 Dogs - Outgoing

This leaves an amount of 130 Canines

** 85 dogs in shelter on June 30

** 20 dogs in Foster Care

** 25 dogs unaccounted for under the previous management system.

 Cats - Incoming

 Cats – Outgoing

We also handled 26 chickens, 10 Guinea Pigs, 2 Pigs, 24 rabbits, 1 duck, 3 rodents, 1 ferret, and 17 Native Bird

* We recognise that there was an error in the 2010/11 Annual Report’s animal statistics as the total 'incoming' and 'outgoing' animals were balanced to zero. This means the report states there were no cats or dogs at GAWS as of the 1 July, 2011. Therefore a discrepancy is noted of unaccounted animals comprising of 45 dogs and 60 cats. We can only assume on the 1 July there would have been animals onsite. As of the 1 February, 2012 we upgraded our record keeping to a system called Sheltermate. This program accurately collects detailed information of all our incoming and outgoing animals which is cross referenced to ensure accuracy.