Dogs' Refuge Home WA

What Dogs' Refuge Home WA does

Dogs' Refuge Home WA is a Western Australian non-profit animal welfare organisation founded in 1935 and headquartered in Shenton Park, Perth. It operates the oldest dog shelter in Western Australia and is constitutionally committed to a no-kill, 'pro-life' rehoming policy. The organisation rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes more than 1,500 dogs per year, supported by approximately 30 paid staff and over 250 volunteers.

Core operations span rescue and rehabilitation, an in-house veterinary hospital headed by Dr Grant Emmerich, adoption services with fees set between $490 and $790 per dog, boarding, a retail shop, and flagship community events such as Million Paws Walk and Founders Day Lunch. Recent capital investment has gone into a major kennel rebuild and modernization program alongside the new veterinary hospital, materially upgrading clinical and housing infrastructure.

The business model is a diversified non-profit income stack: charitable donations form the primary funding base, supplemented by adoption fees, boarding revenue, retail merchandise (including a 90th anniversary calendar, Christmas cards, and commemorative book launched around 2025), event proceeds, and corporate partnerships. Governance is provided by a board that includes Deloitte partner Justine Winston Smith, with day-to-day leadership under General Manager Robyn Slater.

Name

Dogs' Refuge Home WA

Legal name

Dogs' Refuge Home

Website

https://dogshome.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dogs' Refuge Home WA is a Perth-based non-profit founded in 1935 that rescues and rehomes more than 1,500 dogs per year, funded by donations, adoption fees, boarding, retail, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Dog rescue services
• Animal welfare shelter
• Pet adoption services
• Veterinary hospital care
• Pet boarding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenton Park

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Adoption Fees: Adoption fees charged for dogs placed in forever homes. Adult dogs (6 months to 7 years) $590, Puppies (up to 6 months) $790, Senior dogs (over 7 years) $490. Fees help cover some costs including vet works, sterilisation, vaccination, microchipping, flea and worming, behaviour assessment, training and food expenses.
2. Retail Shop Sales: Online shop selling merchandise including calendars, apparel, dog accessories, treats, toys and enrichment products. 42 products across multiple categories including apparel, pet accessories, pet treats, health and wellbeing, and toys.
3. Donations: The organisation is almost entirely self-funded and relies on community support. Multiple donation options available including direct monetary donations, in-kind donations of supplies, and themed Christmas donations. Donation products available online including dog food, blankets, and supplies.
4. Boarding Services: Dog boarding services offered as part of the refuge's service offerings.
5. Event Fundraising: Annual events including Home Open, Quiz Night, and seasonal fundraisers like Easter raffles. Special merchandise tied to events such as Christmas cards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dogs' Refuge Home WA rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes dogs across Western Australia from its Shenton Park shelter funded through adoption fees, donations, and retail sales. The organization also provides foster care, dog boarding, lost and found services, dog surrender intake, an in-house veterinary hospital, and a historic pet cemetery, alongside a branded merchandise e-commerce shop.

Product overview

Dogs' Refuge Home WA operates a comprehensive animal welfare organization offering dog adoption, foster care, and volunteering services alongside an e-commerce shop. The core services include dog adoption (with fees ranging from $490-$790 for senior, adult, and puppy dogs), a foster care program (with approximately half of shelter dogs in foster homes), dog boarding, lost and found services, dog surrender intake, pet cemetery, and an in-house veterinary hospital. The shop sells merchandise including calendars, greeting cards, apparel (caps, beanies, jumpers, rain jackets, bandanas), drinkware (coffee cups), and dog-related products including treats, toys, and accessories from brands like Benebone, Ziwi Peak, SavourLife, and The Paw Grocer. Additionally, the organization offers various donation options including specific item donations (dog food, blankets, puppy pads) and Christmas-themed donations as gift alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dog Adoption Services Dog adoption service matching potential owners with rescue dogs, including adoption questionnaire, interviews, and meet-and-greet process. Adoption fees range from $490-$790 depending on dog age.
• Foster Care Program Temporary foster care program placing dogs in volunteer homes until permanent adoption, with approximately half of shelter dogs in foster care at any time.
• Volunteer Program Volunteer program offering roles including dog walking, transport, administration, and gardening with more than 250 active volunteers.
• Dog Boarding Services Boarding services provided at the shelter location for dog owners needing temporary care.
• Lost & Found Services Lost and found service helping reunite lost dogs with their owners.
• Dog Surrender Services Service accepting surrendered dogs when owners can no longer care for them, with intake assessment process.
• Pet Cemetery Historic pet cemetery service, the oldest in Australia, with plans for a memorial wall.
• Veterinary Hospital In-house veterinary hospital with state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated veterinarians providing care for shelter dogs, not open to general public.
• Online Merchandise Shop Online shop selling branded merchandise including calendars, apparel, pet accessories, treats, toys, and donation products, with 42 products across categories.
• Donation Program Multiple donation options including direct monetary donations, in-kind donations of supplies, themed Christmas donations, kennel sponsorship, workplace giving, and legacy gifts.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Evoke MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalendar sponsor for the 90th Anniversary 2026 Dogs' Refuge Home Calendar.
• Skin BoxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalendar sponsor for the 90th Anniversary 2026 Dogs' Refuge Home Calendar.
• SafeStyleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalendar sponsor for the 90th Anniversary 2026 Dogs' Refuge Home Calendar.
• DiversifiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalendar sponsor for the 90th Anniversary 2026 Dogs' Refuge Home Calendar.
• Little Pink TypewriterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalendar sponsor for the 90th Anniversary 2026 Dogs' Refuge Home Calendar.
• Quality PressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrinted the 90th Anniversary edition Christmas cards and calendar.
• Black Dog WearcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe refuge's 'go to' harnesses are Black Dog Balance Harnesses. Described as effective, simple to use and adaptable. Staff recommend this product highly.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Animal Welfare League WA: AWL operates shelters across Western Australia providing dog adoption, boarding, and surrender services — a directly overlapping service model serving the same Perth/WA catchment.
• Cat Haven: WA's largest cat shelter, operating from the same Perth metro area with a similar non-profit, donation-funded shelter model — directly comparable in scale, governance, and community fundraising approach (though cat-only).
• RSPCA Western Australia: Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals WA — the largest and most established animal welfare charity in Western Australia, offering adoption, vet, and shelter services directly competing with Dogs' Refuge Home for adopters, donors, and volunteers in WA.
• Saving Animals From Euthanasia (SAFE): Brisbane-based not-for-profit dog rescue operating kennels and a foster network for surrendered and abandoned dogs — a closely analogous rescue/rehome/foster model, though regional.
• Second Chance Animal Rescue (SCAR): Victoria-based dog rescue operating shelter and foster programs with a similar non-kill philosophy — directly comparable mission and operating model.

Others

• PetRescue: Australia's largest online animal adoption platform, connecting rescue dogs from member shelters to nationwide adopters — a critical ecosystem partner and indirect competitor for adoption traffic originating from Dogs' Refuge Home's catchment.
• Black Dog Wear: Australian supplier of the Black Dog Balance Harness that Dogs' Refuge Home endorses and retails — a commercial product partner embedded in the refuge's training and retail strategy.
• Australian Pet Welfare Foundation: National pet welfare advocacy and research non-profit — adjacent enabler that influences policy and funding that flows through to shelters like Dogs' Refuge Home.

Broad incumbents

• Best Friends Animal Society: Large US no-kill animal welfare organisation operating sanctuaries and adoption programs — comparable mission, scale, and no-kill policy framework that Dogs' Refuge Home can benchmark against.

Regional players

• SAFE Perth: Perth-based rehoming organisation focused on cats and dogs; overlaps in surrender and adoption services but operates as a smaller volunteer-led rescue without a fixed shelter facility.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dogshomewa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dogs-refuge-home-wa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Dogs' Refuge Home WA