Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge Society

What Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge Society does

Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge Society (SCARS), legally Sippy Creek Animal Refuge Society Inc., is a non-profit animal welfare organization founded in 1979 and based in Tanawha, Queensland, Australia. It operates a 1.08-hectare facility housing approximately 50 dogs and 50 cats and rehomes roughly 1,000 animals per year under a no-kill policy. The organization is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as a Deductible Gift Recipient, enabling tax-deductible giving.

The organization's products and services center on animal rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming, supported by an on-site op shop (SCARS Market), adoption services, and community engagement programs. Its technology footprint is limited to operational tooling — notably ShelterManager software for animal records management — with no disclosed proprietary platforms or digital products.

The business model is a diversified non-profit revenue mix: adoption fees, individual donations, bequests, a pen sponsorship program, business/corporate sponsorships, retail from the op shop, and fundraising events such as the annual Open Day. The organization is supported by approximately 200 active volunteers and 11–50 paid staff, with stated operating costs of approximately A$1,500 per day (~A$600,000 per year). Geographic scope is concentrated on the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland.

Name

Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge Society

Legal name

Sippy Creek Animal Refuge Society Inc

Website

https://sippycreek.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge Society is a 1979-founded, Queensland-based no-kill animal refuge that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes approximately 1,000 dogs and cats annually from a single Tanawha facility, funded via donations, adoptions, sponsorships, and an op shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare and Rescue Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)

Keywords

• Animal rescue services
• Pet adoption services
• Animal welfare programs
• Foster care placement
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Adoption Fees: Fees charged for adoption of cats, dogs, kittens, puppies; varies by animal type and includes vaccination, microchipping, worming, desexing
2. Donations: Tax-deductible one-time and recurring donations; PAW Protector monthly giving program; online donation portal
3. Bequests: Gifts in wills; legacy giving programs including Animal Bequest Programme for surviving pets
4. Pen Sponsorship: Community members sponsor dog or cat pens for 12 months; includes plaque recognition
5. Business Sponsorships: Annual corporate sponsorships at Gold, Silver, Bronze tiers ($1,000-$3,000+ per year)
6. Fundraising Events: Raffles, community fundraising, GoFundMe, Containers for Change, Entertainment Membership sales
7. SCARS Market (Op Shop): Second-hand goods retail; open Wednesdays and Saturdays 8am-12:30pm; located at Sippy Creek Road and Parkyn Rd corner
8. Pet Surrender Fee: $79 surrender fee for owners relinquishing pets

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SCARS is an independent non-profit animal refuge that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes abandoned, abused, stray, and unwanted cats and dogs. All animals are vet-checked, vaccinated, wormed, desexed, microchipped, and medically treated before being placed via an adoption screening process. Supporting services include foster care placement, pet surrender intake, community desexing vouchers, lost and found pet coordination, and a retail op shop (SCARS Market).

Product overview

Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge Society (SCARS) operates as a nonprofit animal shelter offering a comprehensive suite of animal welfare services centered around pet adoption, foster care, and community support programs. The core offerings include dog and puppy adoption services and cat and kitten adoption services, supported by foster carer programs for both species. Specialty programs address animals with longer shelter stays through the 100+ Club and Golden Oldies program, while the Quiet Souls Gentle Hearts initiative focuses on shy adult cats needing patient homes. Revenue generation occurs through diverse donation mechanisms including online donations, the PAW Protectors regular giving program, bequest/legacy giving, pen sponsorship, and business sponsorship tiers. Additional services include pet surrender assistance, community desexing programs for financially hardship cases, lost and found pet coordination, and the SCARS Market thrift store. Educational resources on dog and cat care are provided alongside awareness campaigns like the Shame Files documentation of animal neglect cases. The organization hosts fundraising events including raffles, Santa Paws markets, and open days, with campaigns like Settle Them In promoting adult animal adoptions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dog & Puppy Adoption
• Cat & Kitten Adoption
• Cat and Kitten Foster Carer Program
• Dog and Puppy Foster Carer Program
• Pet Surrender Services
• Community Desexing Program
• Lost and Found Pets Service
• PAW Protectors Regular Giving
• Online Donations
• Bequest Program
• Pen Sponsorship
• Business Sponsorship Program
• SCARS Market Op Shop
• Online Fundraising Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 1,000 animals rehomed annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Queensland Quality RoofingcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Gold sponsor joined 2025; major sponsor of 'Quiet Souls, Gentle Hearts' campaign for long-term cats
• Sunshine Coast CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Community Partnership Funding Programme grants; supports SCARS through festive grants and infrastructure funding; refers impounded animals to refuge after owners cannot be traced
• Sunshine ToyotaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelped SCARS source van at a discount for animal transport
• Sign and Wraps WaranaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided significant discount on vehicle wrap artwork for SCARS transport vehicle
• Animal Emergency Service (AES)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner24/7 emergency veterinary care provider located at 431 Tanawha Tourist Drive; provides specialised emergency treatment for SCARS animals requiring medical attention
• Participating Veterinary ClinicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of vets across Sunshine Coast offering discounted desexing procedures through SCARS community desexing program; includes Buderim Vet Surgery, Landsborough Vet Surgery, Maleny Vet Services, and others
• 92.7 MIX FMcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio station; radio personalities (Sammi Muirhead, Todd Widdicombe, Mark, Caroline) actively support SCARS events and fundraising; raises awareness through radio coverage
• Maroochy RSLcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor; award-winning social and entertainment venue in Maroochydore
• Azura Building GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor; commercial construction company; partners on 'Forgotten Friends' campaign for special needs dogs
• SavourLifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates dog food to SCARS; partners on Forgotten Friends campaign providing food for adopted dogs
• YouicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor; insurance company; provides prize donations for raffles
• Century 21 Grant Smith PropertycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor; real estate agency; ambassador for SCARS; Grant Smith is passionate dog lover and community supporter
• McGrath CaloundracoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor; real estate agency; Cassi Nuske team has donated over $200,000 to 150+ not-for-profits through Community Giveback program
• BADGE GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor; major commercial construction company with $300M+ annual turnover; operating in four states
• Alpha Car HirecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor; Australian-owned car rental service; joined Paws Business Program October 2022; values alignment with animal welfare
• DV Safe PhonecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor; mobile security company
• Pet Rest CremationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor; local family-owned pet cremation service; 21 years of service
• Furkids RetreatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoutique pet boarding on 10-acre Tanawha property; day care and longer term stays for small dogs and cats
• Unleashed Dog Training QldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on Forgotten Friends campaigns providing post-adoption training support for special needs dogs
• Drain SurgeonsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor; plumbing services; long-term supporter of SCARS

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lort Smith Animal Hospital: Major Victorian animal welfare charity combining veterinary hospital, shelter, and adoption services. Comparable in mission and operating model, with a much larger scale and broader service portfolio including clinical care.

Regional players

• Saving Animals From Euthanasia (SAFE): Volunteer-run rescue network primarily focused on saving dogs from council pounds across Australia. Comparable in foster-based rehoming model and non-euthanasia philosophy, though operates as a distributed network rather than a single physical refuge.

Others

• Animal Emergency Service (AES): 24/7 emergency veterinary provider located adjacent to SCARS in Tanawha. Comparable as a strategic clinical partner providing emergency and specialty vet services to SCARS' rescued animals.
• SavourLife: Australian pet food and rescue-support brand donating dog food to shelters and partnering on adoption campaigns (including SCARS' Forgotten Friends). Comparable as an ecosystem partner/funding channel rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Sydney Dogs & Cats Home: Independent nonprofit animal shelter focused on rehoming cats and dogs in NSW. Comparable in scale, mission (no-kill policy), revenue model (adoption fees, donations, sponsorships, op shop), and community engagement approach, though operating in a different metro market.
• RSPCA Queensland: Largest animal welfare charity in Queensland operating shelters, adoption services, veterinary clinics, and inspectorate functions. Directly comparable as a state-level nonprofit offering cat/dog adoption, surrender, and rehoming services with similar regulatory and operational mandates to SCARS.
• Second Chance Animal Rescue (SCAR): Independent nonprofit animal rescue operating shelter and adoption services in Victoria. Directly comparable operating model — cat/dog intake, adoption, surrender, foster programs, community desexing, and donation-driven funding.
• Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ): Queensland-based nonprofit animal shelter and rehoming organization with multiple locations across the state. Comparable operating model — intake, vet care, adoption, foster programs, op shops, and community desexing initiatives — making it a close operational peer to SCARS.
• Cat Protection Society (NSW): Specialist cat welfare nonprofit operating shelters, adoption, desexing, and surrender services. Directly comparable for SCARS' cat/kitten adoption, foster, and desexing programs — a single-species peer with overlapping programs and supporter demographics.

Emerging players

• PetRescue: National online pet adoption platform aggregating rescue animals from hundreds of shelters and rescue groups across Australia. Comparable as a non-profit rehoming channel; functions as a marketing/distribution layer that SCARS animals could be listed on to expand adopter reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge Society