Lola was 11 months old when she arrived at RSPCA WA. The small terrier cross had been attacked by another dog in her home, and her owners had made the difficult decision to surrender her so she could receive urgent treatment.
She recovered. She was adopted. Her story has the kind of ending people hope for when they give to an animal welfare charity.
But Lola is also one part of a much larger picture. In the past financial year, RSPCA WA cared for 2,505 animals and investigated 8,065 cruelty cases , more than 22 a day. Its teams travelled over 333,000 kilometres across Western Australia, while its veterinary staff delivered more than 14,700 consultations and procedures.
On Thursday 1 October, the organisation will ask Western Australians to help sustain that work through Give to Get Them Home, its annual 24-hour matched giving campaign. Sponsors and individual donors will match contributions dollar for dollar, with a target of raising $400,000.
The campaign’s name points to the moment an animal finds a home. Getting there can involve emergency treatment, weeks of recovery, foster care and the work of finding a suitable adopter. It can also mean helping an owner keep a pet safe before surrender becomes the only option.
Last year, RSPCA WA’s community action days supported more than 1,800 people and their pets with health checks, food, parasite treatment and other assistance. The organisation’s work also reaches people facing upheaval, including those escaping domestic violence who cannot easily take a pet with them.
These quieter forms of help rarely produce a photograph of a dramatic rescue. They can, however, change what happens next for an animal and the person who loves it.
RSPCA WA is now seeking businesses and individuals to help build a $200,000 matching fund ahead of Thursday. Their pledges will give other donors the chance to double the value of their contributions during the campaign, as the shelter faces increased demand and record numbers of animals needing care.
Lola has a new home. The question facing RSPCA WA is how to make that outcome possible for the next animal through its doors and how to help others before they need to arrive at all.
Give to Get Them Home takes place on Thursday 1 October. Donations can be made at rspcagivingday.com/wa or by calling 9209 9311. Businesses and individuals interested in becoming Leading Matchers can contact Gosia Paton at gpaton@rspcawa.org.au.
