Happy Paws Happy Hearts
Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) exists to create positive social connections between isolated Australians and rescue animals, improving quality of life and wellbeing and offering genuine volunteering, education and employment pathways. Our unique twist is to deliver training at rescue shelters and wildlife sanctuaries – a new animal therapy approach.
HPHH aims to solve two social problems at once:
1) 1.1 million Australians experience social isolation or deep social exclusion.
2) 124,000+ animals at the RSPCA are waiting for adoption across Australia.
Each week, across six Qld, NSW and NT locations, we connect with 430+ people overcoming mental health challenges or living with disabilities. Our courses include animal care, handling and training, and an intensive program for veterans and first responders living with PTSD. Demonstrated benefits for participants include increased confidence, skills development, improved quality of life, and genuine vocational pathways.
Defence Families Program
Happy Paws Happy Hearts’ Defence Families Program is open to anyone who’s completed at least one day of service in the ADF, and their family. The program runs over 10 weekly two-hour sessions, and is proudly funded by RSL Queensland, so there’s no cost to participate.
Online resources are available in case enrolled participants can’t make an in-person session.
