Donations

We always appreciate donations of supplies – our animal guests have big appetites and are often destructive! Donations can be brought to our facility during operating hours and we gladly accept:

  • Food for dogs, cats, rabbits, and chickens – dry or wet food, treats, bones, raw meat, hay.
  • Dog and cat toys with no batteries or easily swallowable parts.
  • Kitty litter, litter trays, and dog poo bags.
  • Dog beds that are either steel-frame or that can be laundered in a washing machine.
  • Carry cages and dog crates.
  • Grooming equipment.
  • Medicine, especially worming tablets.
  • Washing powder and cleaning products.

Thanks to previous generous donations we don’t currently need any more of the following (but you’re welcome to call and confirm):

  • Blankets, towels, doonas, and sheets.
  • Hutches / runs.
  • Cat scratching poles.
  • Dog and cat jumpers / coats.
  • Leads and collars.
  • Food and water bowls.

For hygiene, safety, and other reasons we don’t accept:

  • Pillows
  • Clothing (for humans)
  • Fabric dog beds that can’t be laundered in a washing machine.

Financial contributions are also greatly welcomed. We are a registered non-profit organisation and all donations go towards improving the life of animals in our care. Donations can be made via:

  • Our Paypal account.
  • Call us to donate by card.
  • Transfer to our account: Central Coast Animal Care Pledge, BSB 646000, Account number 100083072.

All financial donations over $2 are tax deductible. Material donations are tax deductible if you purchased the items within the preceding 12 months.

Volunteer

If you can spare the time, we know some dogs who would just love to go for a walk with you!

Exercise and sensory stimulation help make a dog’s time in a shelter as pleasant as possible. We’re lucky to be next to a lovely set of grassy bushwalking paths cared for by Earthcare Park Landcare.

There’s usually dogs available with a range of sizes, strength, and walking manners. We’re flexible with days and there’s no obligation to turn up every week – even half an hour once a month will brighten a dog’s day (and a walk outside does wonders for us humans too!).

Our friendly team also welcomes volunteers who want to assist with the (never-ending) laundry, cleaning the kennels, or socialising with the cats and kittens. And if you’ve got a different set of skills or interests, get in touch and we’ll see what we can work out.

Volunteers need to be aged 18 years or older. Younger volunteers are welcome to accompany you, however they cannot be in sole control of a dog while walking (use two leads if they want to have a hold) and you must supervise them at all times within the shelter.

We run a volunteer induction session on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 11am. The session usually takes 30-60 minutes and we’ll get you to fill out a volunteer application form before we tour the shelter. There’s no need to book and no obligation to volunteer if it’s not for you.

Foster Care

Fostering an animal means taking a dog or cat, puppy or kitten, into your home temporarily to share with them your love and care. There’s a lot to say about foster care so please check out this page to learn more.

Freedom Busters

When an animal is brought to our facility by council rangers, we are required by law to charge impound fees to the owners. As these fees can be substantial, a lot of families can struggle to find the funds to bring their loved ones home.

We have started a program called Freedom Busters where we, on behalf of the owners, invite the community to contribute to the impound and registration fees. This program ensures these animals go back with their loving families and don’t become another pound statistic.

If we assess that both the inability to pay is genuine and that returning to the current owner is the best outcome for the animal’s welfare, we will invite contributions via our Facebook page. If you might like to contribute, please follow us on Facebook.

Assisted Rehoming

Running a shelter is not like most businesses – we want as few customers as possible!

Often an owner knows in advance that they will need to surrender their pet. Assisted rehoming means we try to find a suitable new home that the animal can move directly into, without the cost and stress of transiting through the shelter. We sometimes put a call out on our Facebook page for leads on a suitable new home that we can connect the current owner with.

Pet Detectives

Each week we receive animals that have escaped from their home or that have been dumped in public by their owners. In both cases we draw on our helpful Facebook followers to identify those animals and their owners.