Bendigo Animal Welfare & Community Services (BAWCS), was founded in 2003 and our shelter is located approximately 20 mins North of Bendigo.
BAWCS has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. This means that any donation over $2 is tax deductible. ABN: 62 708 178 788 Reg No. A0045039R
From humble beginnings, our vision for a larger shelter facility took shape in 2006 when we found the perfect site for our new facilities. Starting from scratch, we gradually put in place the infrastructure we now have and we officially moved our animals across to the new shelter in 2012.
We operate under a Pro Life Policy which means we do not euthanise animals in our care unless they are suffering from fatal injuries, an incurable illness or a seriously debilitating physical or mental condition and a reasonable quality of life cannot be maintained by veterinary care; or if they have repeatedly attacked other animals or people and cannot be retrained.
Thanks to our purpose built facilities, BAWCS is able to support animals available for adoption for any period of time and should an animal need to come back after being adopted BAWCS ‘return at any time for any reason’ Policy kicks in and we care for them once again until another great home is found.
To support our “No Kill’ Policy, our facilities are also providing a permanent home for ‘special needs’ animals who aren’t suitable for general adoption.
Our facilities also support requests for help that come in via our Community Pets Support Program where ‘boarding’ is required for a variety of reasons. This could include pets whose owners may be going into ‘detox’, hospital stays for ill health and domestic violence situations etc. For privacy reasons we aren’t always able to publicly acknowledge this work.
Our unique community programs offer support for disadvantaged pet owners in a variety of ways, to ensure a positive outcome for both pets and their owners.
BAWCS advocates for the safety and wellbeing of all animals, by providing education and support to the community in responsible pet ownership, and providing information on a range of animal welfare issues.