Savour Life News

Why foster?

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 12:00:00 Z

SavourLife Grant Applications are Open!

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 12:00:00 Z

Buddy’s Grant is back for a third year,: we will be offering a grant of up to $50,000 to an organisation with a strong plan for improvement, which will create a direct and long-term positive impact on helping rescue dogs!
We are also opening applications for Missy’s Mini Grants – these are grants of up to $10,000 for projects that will provide a direct impact on the current crisis in rescue, with the aim of increasing a rescue groups capacity to rehome more dogs both in the short term and with a view to the future.

These grant initiatives have previously funded a whole range of projects including building kennels and outdoor enclosures, training and education programs, community outreach programs, de-sexing programs, funding emergency care, and last litter programs.

This could be your chance to finally turn the project that you’ve been dreaming of into a reality!

Both grant programs have the same overriding objectives:
Rather than pay off regular vet or food bills and recurring operating costs, these grants are intended for projects that will create long-term change for dogs in need. Our intention is that the projects will:

🔸Assist dogs needing help through rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming initiatives
🔸Be proactive in reducing the euthanasia rate of abandoned dogs
🔸Support a local or wider community of people and their dogs, keeping them at home, and preventing the occurrence of unwanted puppies
🔸Provide education and awareness about rescue dogs
🔸Be sustainable and ethical

We can’t wait to hear your ideas!

For more details click here:

https://savourlifegrants.shortstack.com/d5xJN2

Focus on Foster Care Month

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:00:00 Z

Throughout August we'll be sharing foster carers' first hand experiences, both to celebrate and thank them for their amazing work, and also with the hope of encouraging more of you to get in touch with your local rescue and see if you too could be a life-safer!

We can't overemphasize the difference that foster carers make to rescue groups and the dogs in their care; unfortunately more than ever we are seeing rescue groups having to make hard and fast decisions about whether they can save dogs that have limited time - an available foster carer is often the only thing that will change a "no" to a "yes".

In many cases a foster home is the first opportunity that a dog has to feel safe, secure, and loved, which gives them a chance to reveal their true personalities and let their rescuers know who they really are and what makes them happy.

Our own kids Missy and Max are here with us today because their foster carers gave them time, patience, and lots and lots of love while they waited for us to find them.

We know that many of you are or have been foster carers and we'd love to hear your stories too! Share your experience and a photo of one of your fosters in the comments, letting us know which rescue group you foster for, and we'll choose one of you to send a treat package, a SavourLife bandana, and an Every Dog Counts Tee to! We'll also send a big box of treats to the rescue group that you foster for!
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If you think you'd like to get involved in fostering a dog and changing a life forever, get in touch with a rescue local to you and offer your help!

You can find 241 rescue groups listed on https://www.savour-life.com.au/adopt-a-dog/rescue-groups/
who would be thrilled to hear from you!

Building Better Behaviours

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:00:00 Z

An Adopt-A-Dog Update!

Fri, 27 May 2022 12:00:00 Z

Thanks to the amazing efforts of our rescue partners, many thousands of dogs and puppies just like these have been given the chance to have a better, happier, and love filled life, with families of their own. We are very proud that our Adopt-A-Dog platform has now helped bring so many pups and families together, while at the same time providing financial assistance for the rescue groups who are doing all the hard work.

In the last 12 months we donated $333,675 to rescue groups as part of our Adopt-A-Dog initiative, with rescues receiving a donation for each dog they list for adoption, to support them with that dog's care.

We teamed up with the Pink Paw Program in March to provide adopters free on-line training with personal support to help make sure their new pups settle in to their new homes as easily as possible. It's been fantastic to see the number of people who have already taken up this opportunity!

Adopt-A-Dog has now facilitated 1/4 million enquiries about adoptable pups - it makes us very happy to see so many people considering adoption as their first choice and we hope it continues!

A huge thank you to all of our rescue partners for their passion and dedication through what is becoming a tough time in rescue; we have the upmost respect for you all 🙌

Pups featured below: (top to bottom, left to right)
Peatie - Sydney Animal Second-chance
Lindy - SMART Animal Sanctuary & Rehoming Centre
Halo - Paw Prints Canine Rescue
Dot - Dusty Paws Dog Rescue
Tofu- Denise at Paws
Penny - Safe Haven Animal Rescue
Toro - Best Friends Animal Community
Myrtle - Scruffer Lovers
Sabine - Precious Paws Animal Rescue

Hotel Bookings with a Difference

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 12:00:00 Z

The Rainbow Paws program was established in 2016 when it was identified that there was a lack of services available to Canberrans who were struggling to meet the needs of their beloved pets. When an individual is experiencing homelessness, medical or mental health issues or crisis events such as domestic and family violence, they will often discover human service providers are stretched to breaking point. The Rainbow Paws Program was created to provide support for pets and their people during hard times, and help to reduce the stress on owners, human services providers and the pets.

The Hotel Bookings Program provides emergency pet boarding at local kennels for the pets of people who are temporarily unable to care for their animals. This can be due to the pet owners experiencing homelessness, entering a refuge after escaping family and domestic violence, or entering hospital for treatment with no support network to care for their beloved pets.

In Canberra, there is only one homelessness service for women that will consider pets, leaving many pets and their owners in unsafe situations or clients choosing to sleep rough or decline medical treatment to remain with their pet. The Rainbow Paws Program is regularly approached regarding this program from services such as the Domestic Violence Crisis Service, RSPCA ACT, Onelink and social workers within ACT Health and at various refuges.

Sadly, pet owners who are in these vulnerable situations, may have to make the heartbreaking decision to surrender their beloved pet in order to seek assistance for themselves. With local pounds facing increasing numbers of surrendered pets and rescues unable to save all of them, euthanasia of healthy pets is far too frequent. By offering emergency boarding for the pets of people facing tough times, it increases the opportunity to save an animal being surrendered (and possibly euthanised) and helps to keep people and their pets together.
You can find out more about the program here:

https://rainbowpaws.org/hotel-bookings/

We’re very much looking forward to hearing about some of the dogs and their families that this program will assist!

From Pound to Pub!

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:00:00 Z

We've teamed up with the Pink Paw Program

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:00:00 Z

Being able to act quickly makes all the difference

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 12:00:00 Z

We have reached $4Million in Donations!

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:00:00 Z

These donations have supported over 250 different rescue groups across the country, and while the funds are used in a large variety of ways, they are always directed towards the end goal of helping reduce the number of adoptable dogs euthanised in Australia to zero.

We know how incredibly hard our rescue partners work each and every day (and often a lot of the night too!) and knowing that we have our loyal SavourLifers support means that we can continue to commit to help them help as many dogs as possible.

So what’s next?

With essential input from our experienced rescue partners we are always looking for new and innovative ways to achieve our mission and see all dogs in happy and safe homes. As well as assisting rescue groups find forever homes for their dogs with our adoption platform Adopt-A-Dog, we’ll also be working with them to focus on more preventative measures, trying to prevent dogs needing to enter pounds and rescue in the first place. Together we hope to make Australia a place where every dog has a home to call their own 🐶

Thank you for helping us reach this huge milestone; rescue dogs all around Australia are very grateful for your support! 🙌

We awarded a grant of $10,000 to Thursday Island Animal Support Group

Sat, 29 Jan 2022 12:00:00 Z

Why adopt a senior dog?

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 12:00:00 Z

Getting food to where it's needed

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 12:00:00 Z

Happy 8th Birthday to Us!

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 19:15:42 Z

It’s been another incredible (and equally strange) year at SavourLife. As with all small businesses, we have had the challenges with managing around COVID, but feel so lucky in comparison to some many other businesses that have been doing it so tough.

We’re thankful for the great team of people (and their dogs!) that work here at SavourLife, we do an incredible amount of good, with such a small team. We’re grateful to our retail partners who have supported and promoted us at every possible opportunity. To our rescue partners, your devotion and passion knows no bounds, we’re hugely proud of supporting the work you do. But we are most thankful, to you, our passionate SavourLifers. We are nothing, and can achieve nothing, without your support of our Aussie made food and treats.

And so, as always, we look forward into 2022 and push our team for what’s next, how do we help more, what are our goals? So here’s our dream. We want to eliminate the euthanasia of healthy dogs in Australia. That’s our goal. That’s our mission. And everything we do is now in support of that dream. Of course, you’ll see new products (and some fun ones at that!) and some new programs helping rescues along the way. But every time you purchase one of our products, we want you to know you are helping us reach our dream, one that when we started this company, we didn’t think would be possible, but now we think we can make happen.

Thanks for helping us make it a reality. Michael, Kim, Missy and Max 🧡

We've been busy getting dog food and treats to rescue groups in need!

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 19:03:17 Z

So far this year we've donated over $330,000 worth of our premium quality products to help feed dogs getting ready for the next exciting stage in their lives - adoption!

We know just how hard rescue groups are working at the moment, many with very limited ways of fundraising, so as well as providing monetary donations to assist them for each dog listed on our adoption platform Adopt-A-Dog, we are helping out with food wherever we can, filling tummies with nutritious meals so that dogs go off to their new homes healthy and happy.

A huge thank you to all the rescue groups who have taken the time to share and send us some beautiful photos of their dogs with our food - it honestly makes our whole team's day every time we see them! 🧡

This collection are courtesy of Sydney Dingo Rescue, Qld Staffy & Amstaff Rescue, Australian K9 Rescue Vic, Fetching Dogs, Lucky Paws Dog Rescue Inc, and Happy Tails Animal Rescue Inc.

We've awarded Buddy's $50,000 grant to Dog Rescue Newcastle!

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 18:52:47 Z

After a long search, Dog Rescue Newcastle (DRN) recently secured a 2-acre property on which to create their new "Newcastle Animal Shelter"; much needed in this region. The goal of the shelter is to give death row dogs in pounds and at-risk situations in the Hunter and surrounds a second chance to find a forever home.

Many pounds don't have the resources, tools, or time to help dogs that have behavioral issues, severe anxiety, or those recovering from illness or injury, and as they are often not suitable for going straight into a foster home or being adopted immediately, they are sadly at a much higher risk of being euthanised.

Our grant funding will allow DRN to build a special "Safe House" away from the main kennel block to give these dogs space and quiet to decompress, be properly assessed, and receive the extra time and rehabilitation that they need before they are ready to move into foster care or to be adopted from the shelter. Dogs in the Safe House will receive personalised training plans to address any specific behaviours and allow them to socialise with humans and other dogs in their own time.

The Safe House will be created from 2 x 20ft containers which will be converted into 6 dog houses with their own runs for exercise. DRN expect it to see well over 100 dogs pass through on their way to their happy new beginnings over the next 2 years!

We are really excited to partner with Dog Rescue Newcastle on this project, knowing that it will provide a safe place for dogs that may otherwise never have got their second chance.

We also want to say a big thank you to all the other rescue groups who applied for Buddy's Grant, it was not an easy choice to make; there were many brilliant ideas and applications and we hope to help you bring their ideas to life in the future.

Thank you for helping us reach $3 million in donations!

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 15:01:04 Z

Please give your dogs a kiss, a tummy scratch, and an extra treat and let them know what their love of our food and treats means to rescue dogs all across Australia!

Because you’ve chosen to feed your dog the food that we’re so very proud of, we’ve been able to help rescue groups save and improve the lives of rescue dogs in bigger ways than ever before. As well as our regular donation projects and rescue challenges, in the last 9 months we established two different grant programs dedicated to helping rescue groups get projects off the ground which have a direct and positive impact on helping rescue dogs and help reduce the number of adoptable dogs euthanized in Australia to zero.

Our adoption platform Adopt-A-Dog has just celebrated it’s 2nd birthday, with over 23,500 dogs listed for adoption in that time! It continues to assist rescue groups with every dog that they re-home, while helping connect families with their soul-mutts!

Our team is small, but our enthusiasm couldn’t be bigger; we are all so proud to be able to work with and support the incredible rescue groups that are there day in day out for the dogs that need them. It goes without saying that none of this would be possible without their partnership, encouragement, and passion.

We’re so excited for what the next year will bring; new food, new treats, and even more donations!

Thank you from Kim, Michael, Missy, Max and all of the SavourLife team!

Buddy's Grant Update - Bunbury Animal Rescue

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 10:43:10 Z

BARRC's project involved replacing their current deteriorating kennels with larger, easy to clean, secure ones; providing a safe and sheltered environment for dogs while they are being assessed before moving into foster care. The funding also covered two new containers, for office and storage use, as well as solar paneling to provide much needed electricity to the site!

The major items are now in place and the team are finishing off the fit out and some mid size jobs to prepare for their opening day in a couple of weeks!

Hearing Rachel and Jenni talk about the work that BARRC are doing in their community made us so proud to be able to be involved with this project, and we don't mind admitting, a little teary!

It was so lovely to hear that this project has also inspired some volunteers to recreate a garden and care for the surrounding area. They are going out regularly to water and weed; this is great for the vollies who can't quite manage the kennel shifts anymore but still want to support and volunteer.

We're looking forward to the Grand Opening in a few weeks and will be sharing the next installment in this story afterwards!

Donations making a difference - Angel-Paws Inc Animal Rescue North QLD

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 11:04:24 Z

Heartworm is a mosquito transmitted parasite that develops in animals and can eventually, if not treated be fatal. Now is a very important time to be ensuring that your pets are on a preventative. With all of this wet weather and the fact that there is definitely heartworm through Queensland, mosquitos will be breeding and spreading this disease.

Angel-Paws has been struggling with heartworm positive dogs for the last 18 – 24 months. In 2018 it was brought to their attention that they had rehomed several dogs that ended up testing positive to this disease. Fortunately these dogs went to wonderful homes and the new families provided the needed treatment for them. This was however a huge concern for them. For many years they did not heartworm test dogs coming into their care, the same as they do not do blood tests on every animal. Their adoption policy was to ensure each animal had a basic physical, was wormed, vaccinated, desexed and microchipped.

In 2019, through consultation with their vet clinics and JCU parasitologists, Angel Paws decided to waive their surrender fee and request that all dogs surrendered to them are tested for heartworm. This did not mean that they would not take a heartworm positive animal in, it just allowed them to manage the number of Heartworm positive dogs in care. To date they have not rejected any animal put up for surrender due to heartworm. To treat a heartworm positive dog costs around $1,500 and takes 3 – 6 months (sometimes longer) to get the all clear. It also means that foster carers need to commit to these animals for at least 3 months which then takes up space for the next dog to come in.

In the last 12 months Angel Paws have had 25 heartworm positive dogs through their doors. Most of these have stayed with them for the entirety of their treatment, albeit a few have been rehomed with the agreement that the new family will take over the treatment. In all cases each and every one of these dogs is now heartworm free and on a preventative to stop a reoccurrence. Based on these numbers, it costs Angel-Paws around $40,000 per year just to cover the cost of heartworm disease.

Thank you for being so proactive Angel Paws, and for sharing this important information with us. We encourage you all to have a chat to your vet to make sure that your dog is fully covered to prevent them from contracting heartworm.

"Fostering animals is one of the most rewarding experiences you could ever have"

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 15:10:23 Z

We feel very lucky to have been able to watch these little pups grow from tiny guinea pig size babies into the sweetest, funniest, most loving little dogs, and will miss their cheeky faces and puppy breath very much!

Have a watch and hear Kerri - the President of Sydney Animal Second Chance Inc - talk about what SavourLife donations mean to her rescue, and Jac - foster carer extraordinaire – talk about her experience fostering this beautiful litter of pups and her advice to anyone thinking about fostering for a rescue group.

Our donations to help pups like these wouldn’t be possible without your support. Every time you treat your dog with our food or treats, you are helping a rescue dog!

Happy Birthday Savourlife!

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 10:17:00 Z

Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s seven years!! We are no longer young pups (both literally and figuratively)!

Many businesses don’t survive the first two years and for us, like many others, it was a big struggle. We always strongly believed that we had an awesome and unique purpose and we managed to get through those initial puppy years with persistence, resilience, and sheer hard work. But most of all we made it because of you, our SavourLifers! 🙌

It seems like yesterday, but also a lifetime ago, those early years. But now here we are on our seventh birthday! We’ve reached some milestones we never thought possible:

🔸 We have now passed $2.5M in donations

🔸 We have supported the re-homing of over 20,000 dogs

🔸 Our Adopt-A-Dog platform has exponentially grown and now actively helps 225 rescue groups, and we facilitated an incredible 107,000 dog enquiries in the last year alone.

The year 2020 has been a once in a lifetime year. Many people have had an incredibly tough year, with lockdowns across the nation. If there is to be a silver lining or a positive to come out of it, it has been the thousands and thousands of dogs that have found new homes thanks to the incredibly hard work of rescue groups all over the country. To give you some context we have had a ten-fold increase in enquiries from this time last year through the Adopt-A-Dog platform. We are hoping that we have played a small part in helping bring a little sunshine to people when they have desperately needed it, in the shape of a new four-legged friend (Missy asked that I mention that there were also some three-legged friends too!) 😄

So, as always, we look forward! What will 2021 bring? As usual, we have some big plans! We’ll continue to expand our product range (look for some new goodies in the new year), Adopt-A-Dog will continue to expand and grow, we’ll focus on more programs like Buddy’s Grant; all helping to drive our ultimate goal of reducing the euthanasia of healthy dogs to zero.

Lastly, a few big thank yous! We have a very small, but incredibly hard working and passionate team that you see here in the photo. What we achieve at SavourLife, with the number of employees we have, is nothing short of phenomenal. Thank you to all of them for their dedication! To our retail store partners and all their staff members - we would not be here without your help. Your support of us and our cause is something we are forever grateful for. To the hundreds of rescue groups that we work with - thank you for everything that you do; your dedication and commitment blows us away and you are our constant inspiration to work that bit harder, dream that bit bigger, and continue to come up with new ways to support you 🧡

And to our SavourLifers (that’s you!). We are doing things and helping more than we ever dreamed possible; but we wouldn’t be anywhere without you guys - you’ve made us what we are today. You are part of something that is making a massive difference to the rescue dogs of Australia. It’s incredibly important and you are contributing to that change. Every purchase, every comment, every share, every person you tell about us…they all add up to something big! 🙏
So happy birthday to us! 🎈We’re still the same little family company that you’ve always known. We’re still the social enterprise that exists to help rescue dogs. We’re still proudly Australian made and owned.

From the SavourLife family - Michael and Kim (and Missy and Max, of course!) 🧡