About PATCH

The Melbourne based Paws Animals Shelter first opened its doors in 2019. Over the last decade we have successfully rehomed hundreds of animals to loving families. But we have noticed that our older pets are often the last to find their new homes.  

At Paws, we believe that all pets deserve a second chance – especially our senior pets. That is why we started the PATCH Project.

PATCH ~ People and Animals Together Creating Happiness

PATCH first launched in 2018 with a mission to pair older pets with senior citizens living in aged care facilities. The initial local trial was a success with 30 PATCH matches achieved.

Living on my own, at my age, I didn’t see much point in getting to know other people here. But Rusty makes sure I talk to other people. We have to be sure we are not all feeding him! Being part of PATCH has given me a sense of real purpose in this place that I didn’t have before.

Brian Smith, 89 years old, Aged Care Resident, Melbourne

This year, we want to expand PATCH and match more elderly pets with senior citizens than ever before!

Why You Should Care 

Pets are loving members of many families. However, an alarming number of animals are being surrendered to pounds and rescue shelters. According to RSPCA Australia, more than 40,200 dogs and 53,000 cats were surrendered to their shelters between 2017 and 2018 alone. That is a staggering number! While some are able to be rehomed, sadly many others are euthanised.

At the same time, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that there are more than 170,000 Australians living in residential aged care facilities. Did you know that up to 50% of aged care residents are reported to suffer from depressive symptoms? And in the last year alone, 40% of residents have received no visitors?

With Australia’s ageing population continuing to rise, we need to develop strategies to improve the quality of life for our senior citizens.

This is where the PATCH Project comes in. 

The PATCH Impact

PATCH provides benefits for both elderly pets and senior citizens. We’re not only giving our senior pets a second chance at a new home, but we are also helping to bring joy and companionship back into the lives of residents of aged care facilities. 

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Why we need your help

We want to expand PATCH and continue to help more people and animals find happiness together. But we need your help!

So far, we’ve secured a $50,000 grant from the Victorian Government’s Dreams for Good Fund. However, we need to raise another $50,000 through crowd funding initiatives to ensure that we can meet our goals by June 2020: 

1. Rescue 100 older pets from kill shelters across Victoria.
2. Increase Paws Shelter’s capacity to care for an additional 50 animals.
3. Establish PATCH partnerships with more pet-friendly aged care facilities across Victoria. 
4. Rehome over 100 elderly pets though PATCH. 
5. Fund medical treatments and behavioural assessments to ensure pets are ready for adoption. 
6. Support our pets and their new owners with a Pet Care Basket filled with all the essentials they need.
7. Provide elderly pet owners with the assurance that their PATCH pet will be taken care of in the event they are no longer able to care for it.
8. Prevent more pets from being surrendered to animal shelters by working to improve policies at aged care facilities allowing animal companions to stay with their owners. 

Risks and Challenges

We recognise that while PATCH has significant benefits, it is not without its challenges. As a result, we have taken special steps to mitigate these factors. 

1. Well-Mannered and Healthy Pets: We perform extensive behavioural assessments to evaluate if the pet is suitable for adoption. We also cover microchipping, desexing, vaccinations and other procedures to ensure that our pets are ready for their new homes. 
2. Aged Care Partnerships: We have partnered with several aged care facilities who have agreed to support the PATCH Project and feel that their staffing environments and residents are a good fit for the program.
3. The PATCH Matching Process: Our partner aged care facilities provide residents with the opportunity to sign up to the PATCH Project. When a suitable match is found, we begin an initial introduction to see if they’re compatible. If both parties are happy, we then proceed with the adoption process. 
4. The PATCH Promise: We consider everyone who comes through our program as part of our family. So if something happens, we’ll be there to support them no matter what!
   1. Lifestyle Changes: If the pet owner is no longer capable of caring for the pet, the pet will be rehomed by the PATCH Project. 
   1. Veterinary Expenses: We understand that medical treatments for pets can be expensive, especially for older pet owners. That’s why we provide health insurance for all of our PATCH Pets. 
   1. Death and Loss: We recognise that instances of death and loss are likely to be higher compared to other adoption programs as we work closely with elderly people and pets. As a result, we provide owners with the assurance that Paws will take care of all pets in the event of their passing.  

Support Us 

We believe in the PATCH’s potential to make a real difference in the lives of pets and people. In recognition of your generosity, backers of our campaign will be offered:

Become a PetPal for $20: You will be matched with an elderly resident of an aged care facility and receive updates from them and their new PATCH match. 

Gift a PATCH Pet Care Basket for $50: You will have your name written in the card that will be received by the new pet owner and your name will appear in the Paws Newsletter.

Rescue a Pet for $100: Join Paws and the rescue culture and save a senior pet from an uncertain future. Paws does not euthanise. You will be named on the pet’s adoption certificate and receive updates on their adoption process as well as become a member of our PetPals program.

Provide a Better Life for $200: Help fund the general but sometimes life changing medical treatment of our senior pets. You’ll also receive all the aforementioned rewards listed. 

Make a difference by supporting PATCH today!

*The PATCH Project is a fictional crowd funding campaign. It is all part of making media for Deakin University – ALC701. Thank you for reading.*