What is Pets in Crisis?

The Pets in Crisis program is a free service providing a temporary home for pets whose owners are experiencing immediate family and domestic violence. Pets are placed in a loving foster home for up to three months while their owner seeks refuge or temporary accommodation of their own.

The Pets in Crisis program is offered throughout Perth and the metropolitan area, the South West, and in the Great Southern.

The Pets in Crisis program gives pet owners peace of mind knowing that their pet will be safe and well cared for, enabling them to focus on their own safety.

Domestic violence affects ALL family members, including pets.

The service is available via a referral from a caseworker only. Pets in Crisis is open to all domestic pets including cats, dogs and pocket pets (rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, etc.) for up to three months.

See how Pets in Crisis provided a lifeline for this family in need.

Do you, or someone you know, need assistance?

Victims of Family and Domestic Violence

Ask your case worker or healthcare professional to make a referral on your behalf to RSPCA's Pets in Crisis program. They will give you an application form to complete and return to the Pets in Crisis team, so your pet can be assessed and matched with a suitable foster carer. This process usually takes a couple of days.

To learn more about the program and how it works, see our program FAQs.

The scheme is not for emergency situations and the Pets in Crisis team is only available during normal business hours.

What do you need to bring with you?

Check with your caseworker or refuge about the personal documentation that you need to have ready. In addition to that, we will need some vital information from you about your pet(s):

• Proof of ownership. This can be council registration paperwork, receipt of purchase or adoption papers, vet bills relating to your pet, microchip details in your name, or even text messages and photos on your phone that reflect ownership.
• Vet records and any medications that your pet needs.
• A favourite toy that your pet loves, which will help them to feel comfortable.

If you have paperwork and records, take photos of them on your phone so you always have them, and can be ready to leave whenever it is safe.

If you don't have the information above, that's OK, too. We will try and establish ownership during the application process. The above documentation makes the process a little easier, and it's one less thing to worry about if you've prepared for it earlier.

Information for Caseworkers and Healthcare Professionals 

If your client is in need of RSPCA's Pets in Crisis program, please ask them to complete the relevant application form (below) before returning it to you. You can then forward the forms to the Pets in Crisis team.

Download the Owner's Agreement Form (*mandatory for all applicants)

Download a Dog Intake Form

Download a Cat Intake Form

Download a Pocket Pet Intake Form (use for rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, etc.)

Please note your client must fill out one form per animal.

 

Would you like to offer a safe haven for a Pet in Crisis?

If you’d like to provide a safe haven for pets in crisis, we’d like to hear from you.

We need compassionate people to become foster carers specifically for animals rescued from family and domestic violence situations. As a foster carer, RSPCA provides all the food, health care and equipment you need for the pets, and we will ensure your identity and location remain unknown.

Foster Carer application form

By opening up your home to animals rescued from domestic violence situations, you’ll be making an immediate and meaningful difference to animals in crisis, as well as their owners.

Find out more about being a foster carer

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RSPCA WA gratefully acknowledges the support of Vetwest for providing veterinary services