Cherished Pets Social Veterinary Service offers immediate support and vital veterinary services to vulnerable individuals and their pets during crises, removing the agonising choice between their wellbeing and their beloved pets.

Knowing that crises significantly impact the fundamental rights of individuals with pets, our veterinary social services address the gaps in services and unmet needs for effective crisis intervention for vulnerable pet owners.

We assist clients who are currently experiencing homelessness or residing in insecure accommodations, provide solutions for pet owners leaving situations of DFV, and support those dealing with challenges in caring for their companion animals, such as mental health issues and disabilities.

This enhances their quality of life, improves health and wellbeing, reduces isolation, and alleviates financial stress.

Veterinary social work is a means of facilitating a collaborative interdisciplinary approach to support vulnerable clients. Our collaboration between service providers, human health care professionals, and veterinarians ensures that adverse outcomes are limited, and benefits for humans and animals are maximised.

Cherished Pets is proudly the first veterinary organisation in Australia that focuses on the human-animal bond to enhance the health and wellbeing of people, pets, and communities.

We are a unique veterinary social enterprise established in 2015 in the Geelong region of Victoria, Australia by veterinarian Dr Alicia Kennedy. As a certified B Corp, we're deeply committed to ethical business practices.