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Save-A-Dog Scheme, 36 Weir Street, Melbourne (2025)

16/06/2025

At Save A Dog Scheme, we don’t shy away from the hard cases.
We specialise in second chances, especially for the dogs that other organisations can’t take on.

Big dogs, misunderstood breeds, dogs who need extra training, time, and patience. Dogs like Zuko.

We believe every dog deserves a chance at a better life, even when that life won’t come easily. And we’ve seen time and again just how incredible these dogs can become in the right hands.

Zuko is one of those dogs. 💛

This 4-year-old German Shepherd X is smart, loyal, and full of potential. When he first came to Save A Dog Scheme, Zuko was bursting with energy but had no idea how to channel it. He hadn’t had much exposure to other dogs and lacked the confidence and guidance he needed.

But he wanted to please, he just needed someone to show him how.

Since then, Zuko has made huge strides. He picks up new skills quickly, loves toys and training games, and thrives when he’s given structure and purpose. He’s eager to learn and deeply devoted once he forms a bond.

Now, Zuko is ready for his forever home, but he needs the right match. His ideal person is an experienced dog owner who can continue to guide him with firm but kind leadership. He’s a big, strong boy who’s still learning how to navigate the world, so he’s best suited to an adult-only home with someone around most of the time.

Zuko also needs to be the only dog in the home. He’ll do best with all your love and focus to himself as he continues to grow in confidence.

In return, Zuko will give you his whole heart.

If you believe in second chances like we do, and you’ve got the skills and heart to offer Zuko the home he’s been waiting for, you might just be his perfect match.

👉 Meet Zuko: https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/601/medium-large-dogs/4008/
💸 Support dogs like Zuko by donating to our EOFY fundraiser: https://www.givenow.com.au/sadseofy

16/06/2025

🐾 Meet Theodore! 🐾
🐱 Domestic Short Hair
♂️ Male | ~3 years old
📋 Source Number: BR100902 | 📎 Microchip: 956000013326475
🔗 Meet Theodore: https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/602/short-haired/5105/

Theodore has only recently arrived at the shelter, but it didn’t take him long to show us just how friendly and people-focused he is. He’s already letting his affectionate nature shine, and he’s more than ready to find a home to call his own.

This very sweet boy thrives on human companionship and loves nothing more than to be showered with attention. Honestly, it’s hard not to fall in love the moment you meet him.

Theodore is a true people cat, he never passes up the chance to give gentle headbutts or simply be near you.

He must be an indoor-only cat, and will be happiest in a calm, secure environment where he can fully relax and soak up all the love you have to give.

He’d be a wonderful fit for a home with cat-savvy teenagers, young people who will love being around such an affectionate cat, and who also know when to give him a little space.

💛 If you’re looking for a loving, loyal companion, Theodore might just be the one. Apply using the link above and tell us all about your home, we’d love to hear from you.
📍 Open daily from 11 am to 4 pm
✨ Please like, comment or share to help Theodore find his people
💸 Support our EOFY fundraiser and help us care for cats like Theodore: https://www.givenow.com.au/sadseofy

15/06/2025

💛 Meet Hank: A Gentle Soul Waiting for His Second Chance 💛
🐾 Anatolian Shepherd X | 🧡 ~18 months old

At Save-A-Dog Scheme, we believe every animal deserves to feel safe, loved, and understood, no matter their past. We don’t know Hank’s full story, but we know it wasn’t kind. He arrived with two others: Bubblegum and Ayla. Bubblegum has found her forever home. Ayla’s still waiting. So is Hank.

Hank doesn’t rush in. He’s watchful, cautious, protective of his space, because life taught him to be. But offer him a little time, a treat in hand, and you’ll see those soft eyes lift with quiet hope. “I want to trust you,” they seem to say. “I just need a little time.”

Take him outside and a different Hank appears: curious, goofy, quietly joyful. He comes to life on walks and loves lounging in the sun, soaking up the world at his own pace. He’s never known the comfort of a loving home, only uncertainty. That’s why he needs a calm, stable place with a secure yard where he can breathe and begin again.

Hank gets along well with other dogs. He’s confident, independent, and doesn’t look for trouble, but won’t back down if challenged. Because of his breed and temperament, Hank needs an experienced owner who understands the Anatolian Shepherd mindset. He’d thrive in an adult home that’s calm, patient, and willing to let him bloom on his own terms.

What Hank needs is someone who believes in him. Someone with patience, empathy, and the heart to see beyond the walls he’s had to build. In return, he’ll give you the deepest loyalty and love.

He’s not just a number to us, he’s family while he’s here. And we know the right person is out there. Someone who will love Hank not in spite of his quirks, but because of them.

Could that someone be you?

👉 View Hank’s Profile & Apply to Adopt:
https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/601/medium-large-dogs/4951/

Let’s give Hank the life he’s always deserved. 💛

15/06/2025

Please don’t scroll past me.
I’m Tonka. I’ve spent over a year waiting.

Every week I watch new faces come and go. People walk past my kennel like I’m not even there. It’s hard not to take it personally.

I don’t mean to be different. I just need a home where I can feel safe. Someone patient. Someone kind. Someone who won’t expect me to be perfect.

I’m not a puppy. I’m not tiny or fluffy. I’m not the dog everyone wants.

But I’m still someone’s dog, I just haven’t found them yet.

💚 Apply to adopt me:
👉 https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/601/medium-large-dogs/4403/

14/06/2025

🌟 Dog of the Week: Meet Mace! 🌟
📍 Glen Iris Shelter | 💙 Male | 🐾 ~8 years old

Mace is a joyful, high-energy boy with a big heart and even bigger personality. He’s been waiting for someone special to come along, someone who understands that an active dog like Mace isn’t just looking for a home, he’s looking for a partner.

This handsome American Staffordshire Terrier mix is bursting with love and thrives on connection. He’s affectionate, playful, and loyal to the core. His favourite thing in the world? Bonding closely with his person. While he enjoys meeting people and other dogs, he’d prefer to be your one and only at home so he can soak up all the attention.

💚 Mace needs a home with someone around more often than not, he doesn’t cope well being left alone for long hours. He’s best suited to an adult-only household that can match his energy and give him the companionship, consistency, and engagement he craves.

His ideal home:
🏡 Active, adult-only household
👣 With someone home more often than not
🎾 Lots of walks, playtime, and training opportunities
🐶 Best as the only dog, so he can be your one and only

Mace’s previous adoption didn’t work out because his energy level was just too much for the home. But with the right person by his side, someone who understands active dogs, Mace will be the most devoted, joyful, and fun-loving companion you could ask for.

🔗 Head to saveadog.org.au to learn more and apply to adopt.

Let’s help this beautiful boy find the forever home he’s been waiting for. 💙

Source Number: BR100902
Breed: American Staffordshire Terrier X | Male | ~7 years old
Microchip Number: 956000009373057

13/06/2025

🌟 Cats of the Week: Meet Art & Easel! 🌟
📍 Foster Care | 💗 Males | 🐾 ~6 months old

Art and Easel are bonded brothers who’ve been patiently waiting for someone to see just how special they are. These sweet boys came to us shy and unsure, but since being in foster care, they’ve blossomed into affectionate, playful, and endearing little characters.

Art is the chatty one, he’ll meow hello when you walk through the door or if you’ve dared to disturb his nap. He also has an unexpected party trick: fetch! He loves carrying a toy over and dropping it at your feet with pride. Easel is a little more reserved, preferring head scritches and windowsill sunbathing, and he has a secret stash of hoarded toys hidden in mysterious places.

Together, they’re a quirky, charming duo who’ll follow you to the bathroom, cuddle up when you’re relaxed, and greet you with headbutts to the shins. They’ve come so far, and they’re now ready to find a home that’ll celebrate their sweet spirits and continue building their trust.

💚 Art & Easel are looking for a calm, indoor-only home with a friendly resident cat to help them feel safe and confident. They’d thrive with a patient adopter who understands shy cats and finds joy in the little wins, like a purr, a cuddle, or a game of fetch.

🔗 We would prefer for Art & Easel to be rehomed together, as they provide each other with comfort, confidence, and endless entertainment.

Their ideal home:
🏡 Quiet, predictable, and indoors only
🐱 Must have at least one friendly resident cat (if adopted separately)
💞 Patient humans experienced with timid cats
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cat-savvy teens or adults only

If you’re after a pair of loving, slightly quirky kittens with so much potential, Art & Easel are waiting for you.

🔗 Apply to adopt Art & Easel today:
Art: https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/602/kittens/5005/
Easel: https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/602/kittens/5006/

Let’s find these beautiful brothers the loving home they’ve been waiting for. 💗

Source Number: BR100902
Art: Domestic Short Hair | Male | ~6 months old | Microchip: 956000015757166
Easel: Domestic Short Hair | Male | ~6 months old | Microchip: 956000015655008

13/06/2025

💔 The truth about rescue work, it’s heavy, it’s constant, and it’s breaking our hearts right now.

We post our animals every single day, we tell their stories, we hang up signs, we film their best moments. We stay back late, come in early, even on our days off, and try to show the world how special they are. Because they are. But the applications don’t come.

We launch fundraisers, we share updates, we talk about the lives we save. And still, so little comes in. Out of the $50,000 we need, just to cover half a month of operating costs, we’ve raised under $12,000.

We are running out of time.

Our vet bills are piling up, supplies are running low, and we’ve had to turn away animals in desperate need simply because we don’t have the space or the resources.

Sometimes people ask why animals have been with us “so long.” The truth is, we wish they weren’t. We try everything to find them homes. But when you take in the ones who don’t get picked first, that means longer stays, more care, and more love, for as long as it takes.

We take in the animals others won’t. Not the small, fluffy breeds people sn**ch up in seconds, but the ones who are bigger, misunderstood, or have medical or behavioural needs. The ones that sit here waiting for months, or even years, for someone to choose them.

We’ve watched kittens grow up in the shelter. From bottle babies to full-grown cats, still waiting for someone to see them. It’s devastating.

We take in stray cats that have never known a kind touch. It takes months of rehab, patience, love and consistency to help them learn to trust again, only for them to be passed over in favour of kittens or lap cats.

We cry, we celebrate wins, we go through heartbreaks, we say goodbye. We see the worst in humanity, but we also see the best. We see community coming together for those who can’t speak for themselves, and that’s what keeps us going.

People praise us for being no-kill. But what they don’t see is the cost.

Every life we keep safe, no matter how long it takes, adds to the pressure, the bills, the heartbreak. And we’re not alone. Every rescue we know is struggling. This is one of the worst times we’ve seen in rescue. Ever.

We love what we do, but we are drowning.

We don’t say this lightly: we need help.

🙏 Please donate if you can. Share our posts. Tag a friend. Tell your workplace. Ask your local café, gym, vet clinic or business to sponsor us. We are looking for supporters. We are looking for believers.

This is what ethical rescue looks like. It’s not glamorous. It’s gritty, relentless and run on love and fumes.

But we won’t stop fighting for them, not now, not ever.

👉 Donate now: https://www.givenow.com.au/sadseofy

13/06/2025

💔 When Sherlock’s world changed, ours did too.

For 15 years, Sherlock knew exactly where he belonged, curled up in a quiet home beside the person he loved most in the world. But when his beloved owner passed away, Sherlock lost everything. The home he trusted. The gentle routines. The quiet companionship.

Now, in the shelter, Sherlock waits.

He’s a reserved soul, gentle, dignified, and quietly grieving the life he once had. He isn’t the first to run to the front of the enclosure, and he may not meow for your attention. But if you sit with him long enough, speak softly, and give him space, you’ll see the flicker of trust return to his eyes. He hasn’t given up, and neither have we.

Sherlock would thrive in a calm, adult-only home with no other cats, just someone who understands that love doesn’t always come loudly. He’s not asking for much. Just a warm bed, a quiet corner, and someone to love him in his final chapter.

There’s something profoundly beautiful about giving a senior cat like Sherlock a second chance. It’s not flashy. It’s not dramatic. It’s soft, quiet, and full of meaning.

🏡 Ready to adopt Sherlock? Read more about him here:
👉 saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/602/short-haired/5106/

💛 Not in a position to adopt? You can still help. Your donations help us provide the ongoing care, food, medical support and love cats like Sherlock need, for as long as it takes.
👉 givenow.com.au/sadseofy

Let’s not let him grow old waiting.

12/06/2025

🎯 Help Derek Find His Future This End of Financial Year 🎯

Derek’s story will pull at your heartstrings. He’s been through so much in his short life, and yet he’s still waiting for someone to give him the love and home he deserves. This brave little guy has faced challenges most of us couldn’t imagine, but his resilience and sweet personality shine through every day.

When Derek first arrived, his journey was anything but easy. During a routine check, staff noticed pigmentation in his left eye, which led to the devastating diagnosis of feline diffuse iris melanoma. The rapid spread of the condition meant that Derek needed urgent surgery to remove his eye.

Thanks to the incredible care he received, Derek recovered beautifully and is now thriving. This brave little guy doesn’t let anything hold him back, he’s just as playful, curious, and loving as any other cat. But despite all he’s overcome, Derek is constantly overlooked and still waiting for his forever home.

Derek has been through so much in his short life. All he wants now is a family to call his own, someone who can give him the love and stability he deserves. He’s a quirky little livewire who loves wrestling with his toys and exploring delivery boxes. While he needs to be the only cat in the home, Derek could live with a cat-savvy dog and may also live with another cat who respects his boundaries. He would thrive in an indoor-only environment.

Your donations to our End of Financial Year Appeal make stories like Derek’s possible. Without your generosity, we simply wouldn’t be able to provide the medical care and support that animals like Derek so desperately need.

👉 Help Derek find his forever home by visiting his adoption profile on our website. https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/602/short-haired/4440/

👉 Or donate to our End of Financial Year Fundraiser, every gift helps us keep saving lives. https://www.givenow.com.au/sadseofy

💔 Derek has been waiting for far too long. Let’s find him a home where he can truly shine.

11/06/2025

🎉Happy Adoption Tale🎉

✨ After nearly three years in our care, Bagel has finally found her forever home, and this update is everything. 💛

“Hello SADS team,

We wanted to provide an update on how Bagel has been doing in her new forever home. She has been with us for over a month now since we adopted her in early April and we could not be more happy to have her in our lives.

She has slowly but surely opened herself to our hearts, becoming a little more vocal and ever more confident in establishing her place as the queen of the house. She’s gotten plenty of zoomies in and has even taken up a new occupation as a night chiropractor with residency on our backs, whether we like it or not.

Bagel has become a guardian of the home, ensuring we are safe at all times from any and all crinkly paper monsters that emerge. No paper is too big or too safe from the jaws of Bagel.

Almost without fail, every night she brings in her little tiger toy that she kept from the shelter into the bedroom so that everyone is ready for bed. We sleep a little better knowing Bagel feels safe enough to bring her comfort toy into sleep with us.

Bagel is a true beacon of joy that we will never tire of cherishing. Thank you to everyone at SADS who helped look after Bagel all these years. We couldn’t imagine life without her, and will be forever grateful that we got the opportunity to adopt her.

Kindest regards,
Heather and Jake”

🌈 Bagel was in our care for almost three years. Always overlooked, often passed by, but never forgotten. We loved her every single day she was with us, and we never gave up hope.

Because that’s what we do here at Save-A-Dog Scheme. We commit, fully, unconditionally, and for as long as it takes.

Every animal in our care matters. Every life has value. And while we can’t save them all, we can promise that the ones we do take in will be safe, cherished, and loved until their forever home comes, even if it takes years.

And when it finally does… well, we all cry a little, cheer a lot, and know deep down that the wait was worth it.

💛 Bagel, now sleeping soundly with her tiger toy and her people by her side, is living proof of that.

If you believe in this kind of rescue, and want to help us keep doing what we do, please consider donating. Your support gives long-waiting animals like Bagel the second chance they deserve.

🔗 Click here to donate: https://www.givenow.com.au/sadseofy
📸 Bagel and her tiger toy, officially home, finally safe, forever loved.

11/06/2025

Zuko’s been learning a new trick… 🛹
This clever boy is picking up skateboarding like a pro! He’s all about mental and physical challenges, and he’ll do anything to impress his human. 💛

Training tip: For smart, energetic dogs like Zuko, tricks that work both brain and body, like skateboarding, are a great way to build focus and confidence.

Looking for a loyal adventure buddy with a love for learning? Zuko’s your guy.
👉 Meet Zuko: https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/601/medium-large-dogs/4008/

10/06/2025

Why We Adopt Kittens in Pairs (or Into Homes with Another Cat) 🐾💛

We know it might seem surprising, or even inconvenient, when we say we won’t adopt out a kitten to be a solo pet. But we promise, there’s a reason, and it’s all about setting them up for the happiest, healthiest life possible.

Kittens need other cats.
Not just for cuddles (although yes, there are lots of those), but for learning how to be a cat.

❤️ They have emotional support.
Imagine being taken from your mum and siblings, and then left alone for long stretches of the day. That’s what life is like for a single kitten in a busy household. With a feline friend, they feel safer and more secure.

🧠 They learn boundaries.
Biting too hard? Pouncing too rough? Another kitten will let them know, far more effectively than a human can.

💬 They learn cat language.
Body language, play styles, social cues. These things are learned through daily interaction with other cats. It’s not just cute, it’s essential.

🏃‍♀️ They burn energy.
Two kittens will chase, wrestle, and play together endlessly. Without that outlet, a solo kitten often redirects all that energy into mischief, or becomes lonely and anxious.

⸻

But here’s the bigger picture:

So many of the older cats we take in come from homes where they were raised alone, and they never learned how to properly interact with other cats.
These cats often can’t live peacefully with other felines, which makes them harder to rehome and limits their future options.

We don’t want our kittens to face the same fate.
We want them to grow up well-adjusted, socially skilled, and emotionally balanced, ready for a lifetime of companionship.

So when we ask you to adopt two, or to make sure there’s already another young cat at home…
It’s not about rules.
It’s about rescue done right. 🐱💕

📸 Kittens shown in the photo are siblings Sonnet and Haiku, still looking for their forever homes. To adopt, click the links below:

https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/602/kittens/5090/
https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/602/kittens/5089/

To view all our available kittens and adopt today, click the link below:
👉 https://saveadog.org.au/animals-adoptions/

Save-A-Dog Scheme

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