Sippy Creek Animal Refuge is celebrating turning 40 years old

Sippy Creek Animal Refuge is celebrating turning 40 years old

A pregnant female Rottweiler was found recently in bushland on the Coast. The lost and scared mum-to-be dog had been dumped after probably being forced to be a breeding dog for most of her life. The gentle giant was taken to SCARS (Sippy Creek Animal Refuge) where she delivered a staggering 12 pups.  Not all of them made it but over half did and they will soon need forever homes.  The volunteer who helped bring the mother Rotty back to health has fallen in love and has decided to keep her.  In a world of sick stories about animal cruelty there is a stand out birthday celebration this year of a beacon of kindness to animals. Sippy Creek Animal Refuge is celebrating turning 40 years old.  The animal and cat refuge has housed 40 thousand moggies and mutts over those 4 decades. It is an impressive figure. They have also saved a few donkeys, snakes chickens and goats along the way.  Over 30 thousand of the animals saved have been rescued from the Pound and they would not have had a second chance at life otherwise.

Penny Brischke has been with SCARS for 13 years and is one of our human angels who look after the 4-legged friends. “We take in young and old animals,” Penny says. “If they are sick we provide them with all of the necessary vet care.  We adopt them out as permanent fosters if their condition is ongoing and we pay for their vet care for the rest of their lives.  We have over 40 cats and dogs in permanent foster care at the moment.  We spend over $250 thousand dollars in vet care each year.  Vet care is considered part of our standard practice and all of our animals are vet checked, micro-chipped, treated and whatever else it takes before being adopted,” Penny adds.

SCARS holds between 80 to 100 cats and dogs on site in our Tanawha shelter and also have a smaller foster care based program.  One dog was even flown from Sydney way back in 1999 with a sign on his cage saying “PLEASE take me to SCARS.”  That dog was taken to the refuge and found a home.  Felicty Hassan has been a volunteer at the refuge for 13 years.  “I have 5 cats and I do adore cats and I went to the refuge because they do not euthanise animals,” says Felecity. I have fostered 280 cats and to watch them grow and thrive and to see them get adopted, well, that is the best feeling. It is very hard to let them go and I am a failed foster mum which means some cats stay with me forever,” Felicity laughs.

But then adds with a serious tone: “Animals deserve people to look after them and love them and to be treated with respect.”  SCARS often ends up with unwanted animals after people leave rental accommodation.  The grubs simply leave the poor animal behind as if they are rubbish.  In other cases the dogs or cats are left without a parent if their elderly owner passes away.  So thank goodness for our angels at SCARS.  The Coast loves and trusts this non- profit organisation and I am proud to be an ambassador.  It does not have a lot of money and  can I please encourage you to share their posts on social media; to volunteer if you are able to; and most importantly: adopt and don’t shop when it comes to cats and dogs.

Sami xx