In the wake of the Black Saturday bushfires that ripped through Victoria, The Lost Dogs’ Home initially collected a few stray dogs from Kinglake. Donations of pet food, blankets and towels we received were taken to fire relief centres. We provided emergency accommodation and veterinary treatment for affected pets free of charge.
Our most practical contribution was providing free identification tags and microchips for cats and dogs in the bushfire zones, or those in high risk areas.
We obtained permission from the CFA to attend community meetings in these areas. Our staff went to as many meetings as we could physically get to. We issued our free National Pet Register tags to grateful owners.
As well as collecting the standard information from pet owners, we also made sure that a secondary contact was recorded – a friend or relative from outside the area, who - in the event that the owner needed to evacuate and their pet went missing after the fact - would be in contact with the owner so they could be reunited with their pet.
We plan to work with the CFA to continue to provide this free identification service. Ideally, this will become a part of every pet owner’s fire plan. It is a free service, as it is supported by donations.
This valuable community service already reunites 1,000 pets with their owners every week and is totally funded through the generosity of our donors. But we want to reach more pets.
In order to expand this service and ensure that every pet owner living in fire-prone areas, all across Australia, is able to register their pet with the National Pet Register, we require your support today.
The unconditional love and companionship of our pets is a blessing and no more so than in times of stress and trauma. One of the most rewarding things we do here at the Home is reunite owners with their lost pets and this is only possible through the generous support of people like you. Your donation will help us to reach more pets and make sure they have current identification, reducing the number of permanently lost pets and saving lives.
