Helping those doing it “ruff”

This story will make your heart sing. Happy Paws Happy Hearts, based at Wacol in Queensland, is all about creating a positive change for people and rescue animals. Now, thanks to a $511,860 grant, Happy Paws is upgrading its animal therapy facilities, allowing the team to reach even more of those in need of support.

The funding comes thanks to the department’s Community Infrastructure Investment Partnership program. The program invests in social infrastructure to boost community services and create local jobs, just like those at Happy Paws.

The not-for-profit organisation flipped the traditional animal therapy model, helping people from within a rescue shelter rather than taking pets to visit them. The upgrades will help expand their care and employment programs - in fact, it will enable the team to double animal interactions at the centre.

The project will also have long-term impacts, with an employment pathways program introduced within a year. Within two years, the group will be working with over 10,000 animals and offering more than 5000 hours of volunteer support to the RSPCA Qld each year.

...thank you for continuing to offer such an amazing program and support[ing] people to reach their goals. 

Mandii Byrne-McGee – Support Coordinator

Find out more about the Community Infrastructure Investment Partnership program.