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In the final days of July, Little Phil ventured on a field trip to Animal Welfare League Queensland’s rehoming centre in Coombabah, on the northern end of the Gold Coast.
It was a perfect chance to explore the lifesaving work they do each and every day. Their team of vets, staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure every animal in their care is receiving the highest quality treatment and rehabilitation for each of their individual needs.
Anji Tierney, Corporate Relationship and Fundraising Manager, opened the doors and met us with a huge bubbly smile and continued to lead the Little Phil team throughout the precinct where we were introduced to dogs, cats, guinea pigs and other furry and feathery creatures along with the team and volunteers at AWLQ.
Some of the animals were being sheltered, waiting for their forever home, others were undergoing life saving surgery, some were in rehab, recovering from their operations and a few animals were ready to journey to schools for their educational events.
The feeling you get as you walk through their centre is a feeling of awe and admiration. I’d never seen such dedication and care toward each and every animal. Every so often, one of their vets would excuse themselves past you, rushing to assist their team. All the animals were treated equally with a medical skill that you’d witness in a hospital that you or I would visit.
The skilled AWLQ vets were reading charts, planning the operations and racing against the clock. Time is never your friend in the operation room, but the way the team worked together seamlessly was unbelievable to see. It’s easy to see that this unique care is the defining reason why they are saving and rescuing so many animals in need.
Observing injured animals is heartbreaking, but knowing they are in the care of AWLQ helps you rest easy. They never give up on any animal and tackle operations that seem far too challenging to complete.
Outside of their vet centre, you’ll find animals sheltered, waiting for adoption into their forever homes. The great thing you immediately see is the space that each animal lives in. Many of the rescued animals are quite shy or scared, so having this comfortably sized space is very much appreciated by the animals.
Walking through the dog section, you can see the difference in each one of their personalities. Some are jumping for your attention; others are resting quietly on the beds of their individual spaces. AWLQ realises that every dog is unique because their care for each one is individualised. Each dog has their own file that explains things such as their likes, dislikes and behaviours.
Now onto the cat section, and it’s immediately different to their canine friends. Their space is styled like a house, complete with lamps, TVs and chairs. This helps the cats get comfortable in a home space so that when they’re adopted, it’s familiar to them. They’re free to knock over things and get used to the sounds of a house. Like the dogs, AWLQ realises the unique nature of each cat, and they care for each one in a unique, caring manner.
Remember how I briefly mentioned that a few animals journey to schools for educational events? Well, it’s true, and these superstars visit schools regularly to teach children how to properly handle them, the responsibilities of owning a pet and the importance of adopting and caring for animals.
There are so many ways you can help the Animal Welfare League Queensland:
Setting up monthly giving is a fantastic way to show your ongoing support and increase your impact toward saving the lives of many animals in need.
Our visit to the Animal Welfare League Queensland was both eye-opening and incredibly rewarding. It’s so clear that the support they get from you and the community of givers is the only reason they can continue doing their incredibly important work every day.
