Community Education

 The AWL works tirelessly to educate the wider community about responsible companion animal care through educational resources, short courses, seminars and outreach programs. We understand the importance of actively reaching out to the community in order to spread our messages about desexing, identifying, training and keeping companion animals safe and happy. The AWL has developed several programs and resources to educate the community about these issues for the purpose of reducing the number of unwanted, stray and surrendered animals.  Please explore the links to discover more about our Community Programs. Any queries about our community programs can be directed to our Education Division.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pregnant Paws Program 

Families all too often surrender their companion animals to pounds and refuges because they are expecting, or have recently welcomed, a new baby in their home. AWL believes that many of these families may have reconsidered their decision to give up their animals if only they had had access to quality information about keeping both their babies and animals safe in the home.  

The Pregnant Paws program was therefore developed to encourage pet owners to take a ‘pregnant pause' and become informed before making the decision to give up their animals due to pregnancy or a new baby in the family. The program may be accessed in a variety of ways; through our Pregnant Paws Guide, by inviting one of our Education Officers to Guest Speak at your antenatal class or by accessing our Help and Advice Line.

The Pregnant Paws Guide is an information booklet that gives tips on how people can prepare their animals for the arrival of a new baby, keep their newborn babies safe around their cats and dogs, as well as pet safety for pregnant mums with their companion animals. It also highlights the benefits of animal companions for pregnant women and babies and gives advice on how to nurture and develop the relationship between a family pet and a new baby. You can order a copy of the Guide for a cost of $5.00 (for printing and postage) by downloading the Booklet ORDER FORM or contacting the Education Division.  

If you are a pregnant mum attending an antenatal class at your hospital, or a midwife who leads an antenatal program, then why not invite an AWL Education Officer to come and Guest Speak at your next class? Our Education Officer is available free of charge to come and answer any questions you or your expectant mums have about safety with animals and babies and provide you with a wealth of resources to access further information about the topic. For more information contact the AWL Education Division.

Help and advice is also available to those who are worried about managing their pets during pregnancy, or concerned about the safety of their new baby around their animals. The education team is available during business hours to discuss issues related to cat and dog behaviour and training, and to direct you to further help or resources that may be needed. Contact the Education Division.

 

 

  

 

 

 

  Friends for Life: New Dog Owner Training Program

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Friends for Life' is a training and support program designed to help build a life-long friendship between new owners and their dogs. The program is made up of a series of training workshops, help booklets and a new owner advice and support line, which can all assist owners in creating a harmonious and mutually beneficial relationship with their new companion dog. For more information on the Friends for Life Program, please see our New Owner Support section.

 

  

 

 

 

 Happy Cats Program 

Happy Cats is an advice and help program for new cat owners. New cat owners have the opportunity to contact the AWL Education to seek advice and help during the important 'settling in' period for their new cat. As part of the program, AWL produces a series of Booklets that assist new cat owners in developing a strong bond with their new cat and providing their cat with everything it needs for a contented and happy life. The Happy Cats Booklets are available to download from our New Owner Support section or can be obtained in hard-copy from the AWL Rehoming and Education Centre in Coombabah, Gold Coast. If you would like some advice or help with your new cat, please contac the AWL Education Division on (07) 5509 9032.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get Aware about Animal Welfare: Online Resource Guide COMING SOON!

   

The Get Aware About Animal Welfare Online Resource Guide is an 'online portal' to quality resources and links, related to a variety of animal welfare topics. This online resource guide is designed to be used as a starting point for people who want to learn more about issues related to animal welfare in farming, sport, entertainment, science and much more. It can be used as a starting point for school students to assist with research projects, or simply by those members of the community who are concerned about animal welfare in this country and wish to 'get aware'. Click on a category below to explore downloads and links within that topic.

 

  

 

DVD & Booklets: Caring Responsibly for your Cat or Dog

  

  

Packed with everything pet owners need do to ensure that every cat and dog will have a lifelong caring and responsible home, these DVDs and accompanying booklets have been put together by a large team of people involved in every facet of the pet industry. With the hope of ending the euthanasia of healthy pets caused by the large numbers of unwanted animals and the lack of homes for them, these DVDs promote caring responsibly for pets, starting with de-sexing to prevent unwanted litters, and then introducing new furry additions to the household in the best possible way, as well as general care.

Our DVDs are distributed to every person who adopts a new cat or dog from the AWL, and are also available to buy from most pet stores on the Gold Coast. They are also available for sale for just $10, with an additional $2 cost if you require both cat and dog booklets from the Merchandise section of our website. The DVD may also be ordered in bulk at a discount for for use in businesses and councils. Please phone (07) 5509 9027 for more information.

  

 

Guide to Choosing your New Cat or Dog Booklet 

This booklet tells you everything you need to know about choosing your new cat or dog. Developed by a variety of stakeholders in the pet and animal industry, this booklet guides you through your options when purchasing an animal and the specific questions you should ask breeders, pet stores, newspaper sellers refuges and pounds to ensure you are buying a healthy and well-adjusted animal. The booklets also recommends particualr websites and organisations which can provide you with further information about certain breed types and where to find registered breeders.

This booklet is absolutley essential reading for anyone thinking about getting a new companion animal and is absolutley FREE! You can pick up a copy from your local Gold Coast City Council Library, the AWL Rehoming & Education Centre in Coombabah or email education@awlqld.com.au and we will post one to you. Alternatively, click on the link below and download the booklet in three parts. The AWL also offers the short course Finding your Pefect Match: A guide to Choosing and Caring for your New Dog for those interested in learning more about how to make the right choice when purchasing their new pet.

 A Guide to Choosing your New Cat or Dog: Cover  Page 1 & 6  Page 2 & 5   Page 3 & 4 

 

Community Education Brochures

AWL has produced Four Community Education Brochures that are distrubuted in a variety of ways, in the hope of spreading the word about De-sexing, Identifying, Training and keeping companion animals safe.

The flyers are part of a strategy by the AWL to end the pet overpopulation crisis. The brochure titles are listed below, where they can be downloaded as PDF files. Alternativley, you may order a set of the brochures for business or classroom use by contacting the AWL Education Division.  

It's Not a Game: The four steps to ending euthanasia:   Cover   Back

Keeping Cats, Dogs and Wildlife Safe:   Cover   Back

Let's Make Sure Every Kitten Has a Home: A flyer to promote desexing:   Cover   Back

 

 

 

 

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