SAVING ONE LIFE AT A TIME: MICHAELA NEWELL ON HER SUCCESSFUL ANIMAL REHOMING SERVICE
First published in Adore magazine

Micheala Newell is a well known animal rights activist based in Victoria.

Adore: You said you don’t have a web-site, so how do people find out about your service?

Michaela Newell: People find out about the service via word of mouth. I have several hundred people on my email list at the moment, but could always do with more! The more that people receive the emails, the easier it is to find homes for the unwanted animals.

Adore: Without the web-site how do people get to see the pets? Do you only have dogs, or do you have cats and other animals?

MN: They receive an email with a photo and description of the animal together with the owner or foster person's contact details. The mix of animals would be 80% dogs, 10% cats and the final 10% would be everything from rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats, emus… all of which I’ve managed to rehome!

Adore: Can you give me a brief explanation of your service and how it came about?

MN: It's like a matchmaking service for animals in need and people looking to adopt them. It started unintentionally, when I managed to rehome a few animals via emails to friends and family and it’s been growing ever since

Adore: What is your motivation for providing this service?

MN: It's a labour of love, not money! When the animals need vet work (especially desexing) I get the new owner to cover the costs and hand them the vets' receipt, so I don’t make a profit. My motivation is keeping animals alive and minimising the stress that rehoming causes them. It's far better for an animal to go from "Owner A" to "Owner B" without them having to go through the extreme stress of a stay at the pound, not to mention the risk of euthanasia should their time run out.

Adore: Where do the animals come from that you try to re-home? What sorts of problems do they have, if any? Do you ever have to put down any animals that you cannot place?

MN: They come from owners who for whatever reason, need to move their pets on. It's often due to divorce, changed financial circumstances or a move overseas. The problem lies 99% of the time with the owners' inability to keep their pet, not with the animal itself.

Adore: What is the success rate with your service, i.e.: do many people return their pets after the adoption? If they do return their pets, what is the reason?

MN: So far, it’s been 100% successful. Whilst doing everything I can to ensure the new homes are lifelong propositions, I actively encourage people whose circumstances have changed, to contact me to rehome their pets again, if necessary.

So far, I've had only one, a boxer, returned six months after adoption, as their other boxer started picking on her. She was medically assessed and found to be fine (sometimes dogs can sense illness in another dog and will either be doubly loving or quite nasty, as they manoeuvre to become top dog). Needless to say, another great home was found for her.

Adore: It is amazing how many shelters there are, for example when I do a search on the web there are hundreds of places that are trying to find homes for pets… do you think that this makes it easier for people or do you think people get overwhelmed and don’t know where to start looking? What would you suggest to people just starting to think about getting a dog?

MN: Most people think of Shelters, Breeders or Pet Shops when they decide to get a new pet, so my service provides another option.

I’d suggest that people do their research into appropriate pet breeds but also take into consideration the best age their pet should be, to best fit their lifestyle. For example, it’s not a good idea to get a puppy when you work long hours, lead a hectic social life or are quite elderly. I also encourage people to get two or more dogs. They’re pack animals, so being alone for extended periods is completely unnatural to them. Two or more dogs keep each other company, stimulate their minds and keep their bodies active. That in turn, puts their owners mind at ease.

Adore: What sort of service do you provide for people adopting pets before and after the adoption?

MN: I provide advice and practical help to both those rehoming their pets and those adopting. Most people deal directly with the owner of the pet looking for a new home, as they know their pet's idiosyncrasies and can best judge the kind of new home they’d suit.

Should people feel overwhelmed by the rehoming process, I get actively involved.

With the dogs that are fostered from foster homes, I’m involved in the process from start to finish.

Adore: Do you have an example of a happy ending for one of your adopted pets?

MN: Every one ends with a happy ending! I get emails and photos back all the time from people showing off their new family member! There’s nothing better than seeing a once unwanted dog, that’s fallen on its feet!

Adore: Do you think the animals realise that they have been saved when they are adopted?

MN: Yes definitely, as they seem eternally grateful!

Adore: What do you think people should consider before adopting a pet?

MN: They should think it through and research all options thoroughly. If you say to people "your pet will die if you don't think this decision through thoroughly", they'd think you were mad, but that's what happens to the over 200,000 Australian dogs each year, which end up in the pound system. I'm sure each one of them seemed like a great idea at the time, but obviously not a well thought out one.

The average age for dogs in Australia is 3 years. Not because of illness or accidents, but due to the high euthanasia rates at pounds (it's even worse for cats.) These animals find themselves running the risk of being put down, simply because they're no longer wanted. If people bothered to do the research, rather buy on impulse, that figure would decrease markedly.

Once the decision to get a new pet has been made and given those previous statistics, it would be great if people chose to save a life at a shelter or through a service such as the Animal Rehoming Service.

For those whose living arrangements aren't conducive to owning a pet, or the timing's just not right, there are alternatives. I’m forever looking for foster people as most end up adopting the animals they’re looking after!

There’s also several council based services which provide free pet care, i.e.: dog walking etc, to people who find that difficult due to age or incapacity. Here are links to some of those services:

City of Boroondara area

City of Port Phillip area

City of Knox and Yarra Ranges areas

Macedon Ranges area

Adore: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing shelters, or what is your biggest challenge?

MN: My only challenge is ensuring that the animals are rehomed to committed animal lovers and enjoy their lives in loving homes!

Adore: How do people get in touch with you if they’re interested in adopting or rehoming a pet, or even fostering a dog or cat?

MN: If they’re in Victoria they can contact me on mnewell@hn.ozemail.com.au or 0409 21 31 31.

People from interstate should also contact me and I’ll put them in touch with a similar service in their area.