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

Thank you to Tania at T's Dog Coats for making and donating these beautiful Wrap Coats; we’ll be selling these along with our other items at our upcoming fundraiser in April. We hope you’ll pop the date in your diary…..♥️

We have a jogger stroller. And a path stroller. We have a stroller that fits in the car which Is lightweight enough to be used for days when it’s too hot to walk the hour round trip to the dog park, but we can load the gang up allowing the younger ones to have a run,...

Our sweet and gentle Pippa is ready for her next adventure in life 💖 A home to call her own.

#foster #seniordogs #adoptdontshop #rescuedog #love A middle-aged woman peeks into her kennel. She smiles. She wags her tail. Maybe she will adopt her she’s thinking. Then she walks away. Par for the course. Everyone who peeks into her kennel usually walks away....

We have our first fundraiser locked in for the week before Easter, all proceeds will go towards the vet bills for those we have in care. Dogs on lead are welcome, we’ll have our own handmade with love dog jumpers and wrap jackets courtesy of Barb and Chris! A range of...

Last week we had some scorching weather, Pippa and her foster family certainly had the right idea of keeping cool in the pool! With a groom booked in in the next couple of days, our little Pips will soon be on the lookout for her new place to call home 💛

Our little precious Izzy has another bout of an upper respiratory virus. We’ve started her on a course of antibiotics and a short course of prednisolone which we hope will make her feel better soon. Get well soon sweetheart ♥️

Lolly has come on in leaps and bounds and is ready for the next step of her journey to finding her new family. She’ll need someone with lots of patience, understanding and bucket loads of love as she continues to navigate this big wide world that she’d been denied...

If you’re looking for dog harnesses from a small business owner you honestly will love the range of matching options from leads/collars/poop bag holders and wrap vest harnesses from Ash at Eastside Style Co. Ash was super kind to visit us at home with a free supply of...

I’m not sure how the BBQ team coped in 40c heat yesterday, but they did us proud! Taking home a $2000 profit we can’t thank them enough for their hard work and commitment to our dogs in care. We’d like to give a shout out to the BBQ crew, and our suppliers and hosts -...