PetRescues Code of Ethics

PetRescue fosters a supportive community for like-minded members to come together and collaborate towards a shared goal. Respect and kindness are fundamental values that we uphold, and we're dedicated to maintaining a safe, progressive, and encouraging environment.

Our platform supports responsible and ethical rescue of companion animals, with membership being exclusively offered to organizations that agree to and abide by our Membership Code and Pet Listing Rules. Any violation of these guidelines may result in immediate suspension or cancellation of membership.

PetRescue members are known for their professionalism in all aspects of rescue, from liaising with surrendering owners to coordinating pet care, managing the adoption process, and providing exceptional customer service to the public and platform users alike.

We understand that searching for a new family member can be an emotional investment, and we strive to ensure all potential adopters have a positive experience. As a PetRescue community member, it's important to positively promote the adoption of rescue pets and create an experience that they'll want to recommend to their friends and family.

To ensure a positive experience for all, PetRescue members agree to the following:

• Respond to enquiries generated from any pet listings via the PetRescue platform within 72 hours.
• Maintain respectful, professional, informative and non-judgemental written and verbal communications at all times.
• Commit to referring unsuccessful applicants or enquirers back to the PetRescue website to continue their search should they not be the right match for your rehoming organisation.

Adoption process:

• We endeavour to match pets with appropriate new homes, ensuring a quality fit and alignment of needs and requirements for both human(s) and individual pet(s). 
• We are dedicated to the care of animals and educational efforts to promote the welfare of those animals. As part of this commitment, we make provisions to offer after-adoption follow-up and support to our adopters, including a returns policy for adopted animals.
• We will provide any relevant adoption paperwork such as change of ownership, desexing, microchip, vaccination and parasite control details, vet check and behavioural records to the new owner in a timely manner. (PetRescue strongly recommends that adoption paperwork goes with the pet at the time of adoption to avoid follow-up issues).

Organisation:

• We operate our rehoming organisation to support the welfare of the animals in our care. Any fees we charge for adoption or other services are directly invested in our organisation's ongoing animal welfare work. Our organisation operates as a not-for-profit, for-purpose, council, vet or charitable entity.
• We are a registered Australian business with an active Australian Business Number (ABN) registered in the name of our entity.
• We are operating our organisation according to, and in compliance with, all federal, state, and local regulations, laws, rules, ordinances, statutes and codes, and possess the required permits or licence(s).

PetRescue platform and membership:

• We have read and agree to abide by PetRescue's Pet Listing Rules and understand that failure to do so will result in the immediate removal of the offending listing(s) and may result in the suspension or removal of membership.
• We commit to keeping all information regarding our organisation on the PetRescue website correct and up to date, including our contact details and the current status of our pets.
• We recognise PetRescue makes no guarantee of any of the information posted by us. Any pets found, adopted through, or listed on PetRescue are the sole responsibility of us as the advertising organisation and/or the adopting party.
• We acknowledge that PetRescue may contact us at any time to verify the information submitted to the website. We are required to ensure a contact name and phone number are maintained in our account details for such purposes. We understand that our account may be suspended should we fail to maintain timely communication with PetRescue.
• We understand PetRescue may make changes and/or updates to the Membership Code or Pet Listing Rules at any time, which will be announced to members via PetRescue communication channels, and we will be required to adhere to these changes to remain a member. 
• We acknowledge that PetRescue has the right to remove, edit or alter any information posted on the website at their discretion.

If you have any queries about PetRescue's Membership Code, please email members@petrescue.org.au.

Please note: PetRescue does not comprehensively evaluate nor endorse the practices of any organisation or individual.