Pet Support Services

Pet Support for Ageing Pet Owners

Pets and Positive Ageing recognises that supporting pet owners to care for their pets is a priority both for the welfare of the pet and the person.

If you or a family member need assistance there is more information at www.myagedcare.gov.au. You can arrange an Aged Care Assessment Team visit (at no charge) by phoning 1800 200 422. It is important to also mention your pet during your assessment, so that your pet can be included in your package. We have produced a useful flyer about how to ask for pet support services as part of your ACAT package, available here.

COTA ACT also provides a list of pet care services that provide a discount to seniors and pensioners.

Existing Providers who Provide Pet Support in Aged Care Packages

Dog Walking, Grooming and Transport
Northside Community Service offers assistance with petcare activities via their Pet Assistance and Wellbeing Service. Furry Favours is also able to offer support for pet owners and they have a subsidised scheme for pensioners. In Cairns Ten Years Younger Home Care offers support with dog walking.

Driving Miss Daisy offers safe, friendly and reliable companion driving services. You can book online or via 1800 324 791, the local Canberra number is 0419 255 395.

Veterinary Services
There are two big afterhours veterinary hospitals, the Animal Referral Hospital and Canberra Veterinary Emergency Service, it is always a good idea to call ahead and check staffing levels and wait times. We now also have an afterhours GP Clinic called the Walk-in Clinic for Animals, available Wednesday - Sunday 7pm - 11pm. If you need to transport your pet to the vet, consider using the Pet Ambulance.

Many veterinarians also offer home visits for your pet including Canberra Mobile Vets and Pawssum. End of life care, including palliative care and home euthanasia for your beloved companion is available with the compassionate Dr Ashlee at Sunset Vets or the Kindest Goodbye.

For online veterinary advice Your Vet Online can provide telehealth consultations for your pet and Knose Pet Health Hotline is a team of vet nurses who can provide advice 24/7 online.

Pet Behaviour
There are two veterinarians in Canberra with memberships in animal behaviour, Dr Isabelle Resche and our Vice President Dr Eloise Bright. There is information and an updated list of excellent, positive dog trainers here.

Emergency Boarding or Care
The RSPCA runs a Home Ever After, where you can make provisions for your pet should something happen and you can no longer take care of them. Details about the program are here. Rainbow Paws also offers a program for emergency boarding, as does RSPCA ACT.

Financial Assistance for Vet Bills
Local organisation, Care Finance is able to offer interest-free loans for up to $1500 for people in financial distress. This can be used for boarding, desexing and vet care. Good Shepherd Foundation also has a no interest loan scheme for up to $2000 which can also cover vet bills.

RSPCA ACT is in some cases able to help low income pet owners access veterinary care and financial assistance with vet bills can be provided by ACT Pet Crisis Support through any local veterinarian and Rainbow Paws. Some veterinary clinics, including RSPCA ACT also accept Centrepay.

Pet Loss Counselling
There are now a number of options to help with the loss of a beloved pet. Your Sunset provides specialised pet counselling as does Dr David Foote.

The information in this list is intended to provide general information and guidance. You must consider your and your pet's needs and resources before engaging any of these providers. While we endeavour to keep the information on the website as accurate, complete and up-to-date as possible, we do not represent or make any warranty in respect of the accuracy, reliability, completeness, currency or continuous supply of any of the content.

Pet Friendly Aged Care

There are now many facilities that allow pets. You can explore the list of Canberra and local villages here. Just be sure the check with the facility prior to signing any contracts. You can also conduct and Australiawide search here.

Renting with Pets

The recent changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to reduce discrimination against renters with pets, will improve access to pet-friendly rental accomodation. A Factsheet on what these changes mean is available here.

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