In the past two months we’ve welcomed nearly 300 cats and kittens at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, including several who tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) during the routine health check that we provide.

FIV is a viral disease that affects the immune system of cats. It makes them more susceptible to illness, but with proper care FIV cats can lead long, healthy, loving lives.

FIV is not transferable to humans or other species (e.g. dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, etc). It is commonly spread through deep bite wounds, which would typically occur during aggressive fights between cats over territorial disputes. The virus is also transmitted via seminal fluid and in the womb of an FIV-positive mother.

As the virus only lives within the infected feline it is unlikely to spread to a non-FIV cat. However our team recommends that FIV cats be rehomed as an ‘only cat’ or with other FIV positive felines as even domesticated cats can have spats resulting in bites which could transmit the disease.

FIV cats also need to be indoor-only cats. With a compromised immune system keeping them indoors reduces the risk of them contracting a disease or infection from other cats, parasites, fleas or ticks. Cats with FIV also require a diet that excludes raw meats because of the risk of parasites.

Currently there is no cure for the disease, but it is easily manageable through treatment, diet and care. Cats with FIV are living happy and healthy lives, bringing much joy to their owners.

Our current resident Lorenzo has FIV and has been patiently waiting in foster care 137 days to find his forever home. If you think you could offer one of our lovely FIV friends a home please contact the team at info@sydneydogsandcatshome.org

With the holiday season, a time of giving and sharing soon upon us, we wanted to thank our community for their ongoing  support and to share a touching story of a special dog named Rusty who, thanks to our community, we were able to provide the care and treatment he desperately needed.

So far this calendar year Sydney Dogs and Cats Home has welcomed more than 2,000 of Sydney’s lost, abandoned, injured and neglected pets through our doors.  Our team, sadly, is often confronted with animals that are malnourished or unwell. Many are infested with parasites such as fleas or mange mites. Some have untreated tumours and cancers. Serious dental problems are commonplace. Many have coats which are matted and overgrown.

One recent case that needed our help is current resident Rusty, a three-year-old Shar Pei who arrived in mid-September.  Rusty had been found wandering the streets alone and with severe and obvious eye problems causing squinting and weeping of both eyes. He was diagnosed with bilateral entropian.

This painful breed-related condition in which eyelids are inverted, causes the eyelashes to constantly rub and scratch the eyeball. Rusty’s entropian was so severe that it had left permanent scarring on the cornea, he was in constant pain and his vision was seriously impacted. This condition requires early correction and is ideally corrected in puppyhood.

With no owner coming forward, Rusty was transferred into our care and our vet team, led by Chief Veterinarian Christine Cole, set about with a surgery to correct Rusty’s condition and alleviate his suffering.  As with all our surgeries, Rusty was taken to an offsite vet clinic, as we have no facility to perform surgeries at our current location.

Examination of Rusty’s eyes under general anaesthesia revealed that scarring to his right eye from years of chronic irritation was irreversible, and that he had barely any vision left in this eye. The decision was taken to remove this painful and useless eye.

Thankfully, his left eye was able to be saved, and corrective surgery was done to restore comfort and function to the eyelids of this eye and protect his vision. Rusty was transferred back to Sydney Dogs and Cats Home to recover.

Rusty’s troubles were not over however. Although he had bounced back initially after surgery he was put on sick report after refusing food and vomiting. These were concerning signs taken very seriously. Another trip to the vet hospital was necessary to investigate these new concerns and it was just as well that we didn’t hesitate.  Our vet team worked on Rusty for three hours in what turned out to be a life-saving procedure.

Rusty had been suffering from a twisted bowel and part of his intestinal track had died. Dr Cole removed twenty centimeters of necrotic intestine and then stitched the healthy intestine back together. Once again Rusty was transferred back to Sydney Dogs and Cats Home to be vigilantly monitored.

Thankfully Rusty recovered uneventfully from this, his second procedure, and within 24 hours he was eating vigorously and up and about.  We know that the care that we are able to provide neglected pets like Rusty is only possible because of your generous support of the community.

As we prepare to build our new Home in Kurnell, we have the opportunity to establish a fully equipped and functioning onsite vet clinic, which will enable us to perform most medical and surgical procedures on site, more efficiently and without the need to transfer animals back and forth.

Having an onsite veterinarian facility in Kurnell will enable us to continue to transform and save the lives of the thousands of animals coming into our care like Rusty, but we desperately need funds for the build.

It is with this in mind, that we ask if you would support us this holiday season by making a donation. We are looking to raise $200,000 by the calendar year’s end to help fund the build. Please donate now to help us make this dream come true.

Rusty has recovered fully and is now available for adoption. In the meantime, we will continue to look after this beautiful boy until he finds his permanent new home.

From Rusty, all the team and residents past, present and future at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, we wish you and yours a happy holiday season.

This calendar year we’ve welcomed more than 2,000 of Sydney’s lost and abandoned animals into our care.  Sadly, not every animal that arrives on the doorstep of Sydney Dogs and Cats Home is in the best of health.

This month the team was particularly challenged when the council ranger brought Dorothy into the Home after she’d been abandoned at a veterinary practice.

Dorothy had a serious case of demodectic mange and a terrible skin infection.  She was also extremely underweight.  She had lost almost her entire coat of fur and nearly every centimetre of her body was red raw, inflamed and covered in scabs, and there was a strong odour emanating from her infected skin.

Our Animal Care Manager and certified veterinarian Renae Jackson said, “I’ve never seen such an extreme case of mange in a dog in the Sydney area.”

“What’s really heartbreaking is that Dorothy’s condition has not occurred overnight but has worsened over weeks or even months.  Since she is only six months old, this means that much of her life has been spent suffering from this itchy and painful condition.”

Despite this rough start to life the team saw from the very first moments that Dorothy was a very happy, friendly girl with a loveable demeanour.

They immediately set out to get this girl settled and comfortable giving her pain-relief medication and antibiotics to treat her infection.  Dorothy was also given Simparica to kill the millions of mites that were covering her weakened body and the root cause of the mange.

A protocol of antibacterial baths followed by treatment with a soothing conditioning lotion every second day was put in place and followed diligently.  Dorothy was also put on a diet of Hill’s Science puppy food to ensure she was getting the nutrients a growing puppy needs and to help her gain weight. 

Dorothy has been in our care for a few weeks and we can see a significant improvement in her condition.  We are confident that Dorothy will make a full recovery and quickly find herself a new loving home.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals, like you, we are able to provide the care and treatment that the lost and neglected pets, like Dorothy need, restoring them to health and ultimately a new loving home.

With the holidays being our busiest time of year, it is now when we need your help, more than ever. Your support today will go a long way to funding our vital work and helping the thousands of animals who we will welcome into our care in the future.  Please donate to help support pets like Dorothy.

From all of us here at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, we thank you for your support and wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.

We first welcomed Serpico into Sydney Dogs and Cats Home in 2016. Due to his approachable nature and willingness to accept kisses, the team was certain Serpico had a home. However this little darling was not microchipped and we were unable to find his original owner. Serpico had lost his way and was now looking for a new home. Over the next few years we would welcome Serpico back three more times.

Serpico’s initial stay with us was just a few weeks before we were able to rehome him. He enjoyed a couple of years in this, his second home, but his adoptive owner moved overseas, leaving Serpico in the care of a friend and ultimately his third home. The friend was not able to look after Serpico long term and surrendered him back into our care in July of this year.

Serpico second visit to Sydney Dogs and Cats Home lasted a month before we transferred him to our adoption partner Petstock Zetland. Just 10 days later Serpico was adopted by a new mum, who had another friend for him, at what would be his fourth home.

Sadly, Serpico’s stay in this home was just over a month. Serpico and his new friend, an older cat, did not warm to each other and would often fight creating a stressful home environment for everyone. So once again, we opened up our doors and our hearts to Serpico, welcoming him back a third time.

Serpico’s story, however does not end here without a happy ending. Serpico was only with us for a few more weeks before he was rehomed via our adoption partner Petstock Kingsford. Serpico is now in his fifth and what we believe will be his final home. He’s got a new name, Byron and his own Instagram account – @byron.cat. – where you can see this beautiful boy being spoiled and pampered on a daily basis. We are quietly confident that Byron has now truly found his forever home.

At Sydney Dogs and Cats Home we don’t put a time limit on any adoptable animal. We can only do this because of the generous support of the community who donate regularly to enable us to care for the thousands of lost, neglected and abandoned pets who come through our doors each year. In operation for more than 72 years, Sydney Dogs and Cats Home is currently Sydney’s only registered charity impound facility. Please support our work and the animals that we transform and rehome by signing up to become a regular giver here.

Bondi Behaviourist's Ian Shivers recently adopted Django from Sydney Dogs and Cats Home and has this wonderful advice for people looking to welcome a new dog into their lives....

When choosing a dog, as hard as it is we should select the dog for our homes with our heads rather than our hearts.

When I was looking for my boy I set out what I was looking for by being honest with myself about my situation.

While I love big dogs, I wanted a dog that was small, because I rent and that can make things easier in the future if I move home.

I live with a cat and so he had to be cat friendly.

I love to exercise, but when I thought about it... this is my alone time and so I didn’t actually need a high energy dog because I exercise for me rather than my dog.

I also prefer taking my dogs to places to relax with them such as quiet walks, picnics, cafes and pubs rather than dog parks so again not a highly active dog.

I work with dogs every day of my life, so I didn’t want a project. This meant choosing a dog that was good with children, adults and other animals.

And finally although I work from home sometimes, he does have to be left alone and so a dog that is comfortable with this was important so that I didn’t stress him out when I leave.

The other things I wanted with my heart was a male dog, a scruffy dog and one that was a bit older so that I could take on a dog that perhaps others might not.

I weighed up my options and waited patiently, there were many dogs that I could have taken home but didn’t quite fit the bill. Little Django came in and since then it’s been plain sailing, he’s a legend of a dog who has done nothing but bring happiness to my life and the only credit I can take is that I was honest with myself and waited patiently for the right one, he did the rest by just being him.

Everyone is different and lives different lives, some people will want the exact opposite from me and that’s perfect. Getting a dog requires commitment no matter what and even the best thought out plans go off track but if we all take the time to assess our situations and be patient when choosing then it is likely fewer dogs would end up in the shelters.