Sydney Dogs and Cats Home was established in 1946. Originally a pound for three council areas, the then-known St George Animal Shelter, became a charitable not for profit organisation in 1999, with the aim of becoming an active re-homing facility for all suitable lost and abandoned pets.

Today the Home services 11 council areas across Sydney: Botany, Hornsby, Hurstville, Kogarah, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Randwick, Rockdale, Waverley, Willoughby and Woollahra. Each year the Home receives up to 4000 dogs, cats & pocket pets.

Being an impound facility that services the community in our council areas, means we do not refuse any animal that comes to us regardless of their temperament, medical condition or age.  

Our goal is to prevent unnecessary euthanasia of healthy, loving, domestic pets, young or old, or with special needs, by re-homing them and giving them a second chance at life.

G2Z Elements & Strategies:

The Home prides itself on being a responsible rehoming facility and for not putting a time limit on any adoptable animal.

Animals that are available for adoption are desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and receives a medical assessment by the Shelter Veterinarian. They also go through a behavioural profile process so they can be matched correctly with their new owners.

The Home has trained staff to care, take people through the adoption process and treat animals, as needed. 

The Home works alongside other likeminded rescue organisations and has a foster care program to ensure that an animal’s stay in the Shelter is as brief and enjoyable as possible.

Have partnered with a number of community organisations that are seeing our animals become someone’s loved companion and even lifeline ie: Inner West Neighbourhood Aid Senior Pets for Senior People, Young Diggers – Dog Squad program, Guide Dogs NSW – assistance dogs.

Recent Achievements in Getting to Zero:

2013 has seen the beginning of partnerships with boutique pet supply stores as adoptions partners for the Home. This initiative will see residents be cared for by their staff and be rehomed through their store following the Home’s responsible rehoming policy. These partnerships are a step in the right direction for the community to adopt a rescue animal, in the familiar environment of a pet shop.

Through our partnerships with likeminded organisations, pet supply stores and vet hospitals in the 11/12 financial year saw 300 cats and kittens be rehomed through this means.

With our community partnership with the Inner West Neighbourhood Aid we have seen a number of our senior animals give life back to the elderly and have even had one of our residents be placed into to care facility with House with No Steps.

Our first recruit joined the Dog Squad Program with the Young Diggers organisation this dog will be trained to become an assistance dog by ex-service men and women suffering from combat stress and the Home looks forward to this program growing into the future.

Thanks to our corporate partner Ichor Constructions a new state of the art cattery was built. This improved accommodation has virtually eliminated stress related illness within our feline population.

As part of our Foster Care Program, the Home has begun partnerships with dog boarding facilities such as DOUGE and Paw Paws luxury pet care which sees a resident reside in their 5 star facilities until adopted. These partnerships enable the animal to be exposed further out of a shelter environment and aids with the animal’s socialisation.

Support Needed:

Financial support - Should an animal not be reclaimed, Councils pay a fee-for-service for the first 7 or 14 days, depending on whether or not the animal is microchipped. After this, the Home relies on the generosity of a compassionate community to cover the cost for the animals, including medical care, while they wait for their forever homes. All financial contributions go directly to the care of animals patiently waiting for their forever homes.

Foster Carers – especially during the warmer months we are always looking for Foster Carers to help rear young kittens. Dogs from the Shelter go into Foster Care if they are showing signs of Kennel Stress or are puppies that need socialisation. 

Volunteers – to enable us to provide enrichment for our animals we rely heavily on the support of our dedicated volunteers.

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