SWEET PAWS DOG RESCUE INCORPORATED

Our Mission & Vision

We are a registered Victorian animal charity, our mission is to rescue and rehome small dogs in Melbourne, providing them with essential veterinary care, grooming, and securing loving forever homes. Our vision is to create a community where every dog receives the care and love they deserve, living out their years in comfort and happiness.

Why Donate to Sweet Paws Dog Rescue Incorporated?

Your generosity is the foundation of our ability to make a positive impact in the lives of vulnerable small dogs. By contributing, you enable us to provide ongoing care for the dogs in our organisation and expand our capacity to rescue and support more dogs in need. Sweet Paws Dog Rescue Incorporated is solely run by volunteers, ensuring that 100% of your donation goes directly towards the well-being of these deserving dogs. Every donation directly fuels our mission, ensuring that these loyal companions receive the love and care they deserve. Your support is invaluable and helps us create a brighter future for each dog we rescue.

Adopt a Dog

Choosing to adopt from Sweet Paws Dog Rescue Inc means welcoming not just a pet but a cherished family member into your home. Our focus on small dogs ensures that your adoption makes a profound difference in the life of a dog who may have faced neglect. We take pride in our thorough adoption process, which includes careful screening, home visits, and ongoing support. By adopting from us, you are not just gaining a loyal companion but also contributing to our mission of providing love, care, and forever homes for these deserving dogs. Dogs available for adoption can be viewed on our website, social media and PetRescue.

Why Foster with Sweet Paws Dog Rescue Inc?

Fostering a dog with Sweet Paws Dog Rescue Inc is a rewarding and compassionate way to make a direct impact on the lives of small dogs. By opening your home to a dog in need, you provide a safe and loving environment where they can thrive while awaiting their forever home. Fostering is a flexible and fulfilling commitment, allowing you to experience the joy of transforming a dog’s life without long-term responsibility. Sweet Paws provides support, covers essential veterinary care, and ensures you have all the necessary resources. It’s a great way to give back to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of dogs in need. 

We Welcome Volunteers!

Our rescue organisation welcomes volunteers who are passionate about supporting our mission. As a volunteer, you become an integral part of our dedicated team, contributing your time and skills to support various aspects of our mission. Whether assisting in dog transport, participating in events and fundraisers, or helping with administrative tasks, your efforts directly contribute to the well-being of these deserving dogs. Thank you for considering volunteering with us. 

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to adopt/learn more about/meet one of your dogs. What do I do?

You can view photos and read about all our available dogs by visiting our adopt page. When you see a dog that captures your heart, the next step would be to fill out and submit our Adoption Form.

I submitted my application. What happens next?

Once your application is submitted, it typically takes a few days for our foster carers to review your application (remember we are all unpaid volunteers with jobs, families and our own pets). 

Please read more about our Adoption Process on our Adopt page.

I need to re-home my dog. Can you take them into your organisation?

We take in owner surrenders on a case-by-case basis. If you are looking to rehome your dog, please send us a detailed email with as much information on the dog as you can provide, including all medical records and some photos. We will get back to you as to whether we can assist or with recommendations of other rescues to try and reach out to. 

How much is it to adopt one of your dogs?

There is no set adoption fee. Our adoption fees help to cover the cost of the care and veterinary treatment our dogs will receive. Our fees vary based on age, temperament and health status of the dog.

Do you do interstate adoptions?

No. While we appreciate the interest from potential adopters across different regions, our commitment to the dogs welfare drives our decision to stay local. Conducting home visits is a crucial step in our adoption process, allowing us to ensure that the living environment is safe and suitable for our dogs in need. This hands-on approach ensures a smooth transition for the dog into their new home and provides peace of mind for both the adopters and our dedicated team. Local adoptions enable us to maintain the highest standards of care and guarantee that every dog finds a loving forever home within our immediate community.

I want to adopt a specific breed, but I don't see any on the website. Is there a waitlist I can be added to?

We are a small team of volunteers and due to the number of applications we receive, we are unable to keep a waitlist for dogs of a specific breed. Please continue to check our Adopt page on our website to view available dogs and fill in an adoption form when you see a dog that is suitable for your lifestyle. 

Latest News

Jazz is feeling so much better. Her cough has gone, which means we can reschedule her dental and knee X-rays in the next week or so. In the meantime she is melting hearts wherever she goes! 💕

Who remembers little Millie? Millie was surrendered to us a few months ago, she’d been fed a daily diet of roast chicken and fairy bread leading to not only a mouthful of decayed teeth, but she was seriously obese. Adopted by her foster parents, Millie is now off to...

Anyone want to purchase a fundraiser bandana? Dog not included!! Happy Sunday everyone from my home to yours ♥️ T's Dog Coats

We were kindly gifted a brand new boxed Kitchen Aid Mixer by good friends (thank you Stuart and Lina) and decided to sell it online instead of using it as a raffle prize at last weeks fundraiser due to its cost. It was snapped up for $500, add this amount to our total...

I know so many of you have been waiting on news about little Patches. With Poppy being unwell and her rapid decline on Thursday I just wanted to focus on her and didn’t get around to updating everyone: apologies. Our fragile tiny man is eating!! Finally with his...

Poppy passed peacefully in our arms yesterday evening. Her time with us was supposed to have been short, yet she almost made it to a year. A year of love and affection, a home where she had everything she deserved. Sadly she developed severe respiratory disease in the...

Our precious tiny tot Jazz ended up at the emergency vet late last night with an awful cough and lethargy. After a thorough examination Jazz has been diagnosed with a nasty bout of kennel cough - plenty of rest for now and as this morning she was booked in for a...

We are one of those small dog rescues, with few donors due to our size. The majority of our money comes from the team working hard to fundraise, without that we wouldn’t still be here. We only take dogs if we have the funds to care for them, right now we have two...

We had an amazing day at our fundraiser on Sunday - not only was the weather perfect, but we had the opportunity to meet some beautiful dogs (and owners!), plus we raised $2200! Our raffle was a great success, with lots of raffle prizes to be won, we were blown away...

Our sweet little man Patches is quite unwell. He had a lack of appetite while in the shelter, bloods were unremarkable and the diagnosis was very much focused on his anxiety in the pound. Since his arrival last Friday, Patches has refused to eat. He’s now chronically...