Pets of the Homeless Australia was founded in 2015 by Yvonne Hong. At the time, Yvonne volunteered in animal rescue and for a soup kitchen in her free time. Often when passing through the city, Yvonne would stop to chat to those living on the streets with their pets and she would buy them and their pets some food but always wished there was more she could do.
Upon researching services that look after the pets of people experiencing homelessness, she soon realised there was actually none. A simple need, it seemed, was not being tended to. It was then Pets Of The Homeless Australia was born.
With no funding or support, Yvonne bought pet supplies and set out on the street herself to hand the items out. Sharing stories of her experiences on social media, she saw that people resonated with her work; the online community started to grow and the donations came flooding in.
There’s now 50+ drop off points around Victoria and counting, but they need your help to keep growing.
There’s a variety of ways you can help, by donating physical goods, money, or volunteering your time.
Head to their website to find out more, and give them a follow on social media to stay in the loop.