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

Zeus has been the best boy while he’s in desex recovery mode! Patiently sitting on the front lawn watching foster dad Damien fix the caravan, he happily took it all in his stride on a beautiful sunny day 🩵

Poppy is home 💕

Jazz is in the clinic today for her patella surgery. We’d hoped that she would be able to avoid surgery but the past few weeks Jazz has shown signs of lameness leading us to reassess her condition. With a 6-8 week rehab period she will need to take it easy and rest,...

Bert is off on a little road trip with his foster family, how lovely is that - from having minimal human contact to being included in the day to day activities of what we’d refer to as a normal life. Go Bert 🩵

Our dear little man Patches is still slightly underweight and unable to undergo an anaesthetic for his dental. The plan is to add a variety of calorie dense foods, obviously avoiding high fat foods, enabling him to safely get through his procedure. He’s otherwise...

Dash is booked in to see the cardiologist in a couple of weeks for an ultrasound to determine the best way forward for him. He does have a loud heart murmur, but no clinical symptoms thankfully, hence we’ll see what the specialist advises. Dash is a super sweet man...

Yesterday was the day Zeus entered the vet clinic with more body parts than he left with! In other words he was desexed. His general vet assessment was also done, aside from some allergies between his toes, Zeus is a very healthy pup. He’ll go back for a post-op check...

Big thanks to Lyka Pet Food for their generous donation! We appreciate your kindness and knowing our foster dogs are receiving the best nutritious fresh food possible is a huge plus 🐾

On a lazy Sunday morning what do I do but sit and watch the Grand Prix with foster dad Malcolm! Jazz has recovered from her recent dental, she’s due a postop checkup later this week and from there we can move forward in getting her patella repair surgery locked in....

Zeus was surrendered to us on Friday. At just 6 months of age he was unable to be cared for adequately by his owner. He’s booked in tomorrow for his desex surgery, we’ll do his vet assessment while he’s in the clinic, and from there it’ll be a matter of recovery...