Welcome to Pet Refuge

The Pet Refuge shelter is a purpose-designed facility that provides temporary accommodation for pets while their families escape domestic violence and enter safe housing, where typically pets are not allowed.

Once families are safe in a new pet-friendly home, Pet Refuge reunites them with their families to start a new safe life together.

The shelter houses all pets regardless of their species, breed, or size. This includes dogs, cats, birds, other small pets, equine, chickens, cows, and more. The shelter has been designed to give pets comfort and security in their home away from home. There are no wire cages, and the enclosures have underfloor heating and are specially designed to give pets a space to sleep, play, and feel secure.

As part of the Pet Refuge service, all pets also have access to veterinary care, enrichment and training, free of charge to families, to help them heal from the trauma they have endured. To accommodate this we have dedicated play, enrichment, relaxation and training areas as well as an on-site veterinary exam clinic.

Pet Refuge works with the NZ Police, Women’s Refuge, Shine, Family Action and other domestic violence agencies to assist via referrals and take self-referrals for those in need.

Pet Refuge transports pets from all around New Zealand, providing a national service despite the shelter being located in wider Auckland. The address of the shelter is kept confidential to protect the identity and safety of the staff and pets we assist. 

The Pet Refuge shelter is a safe place for families to send their much-loved pets while they leave family violence behind. A service which changes the lives of many people and pets in need.

Heartbreakingly, there is so much need for safe temporary care for pets affected by violence that we aren’t able to help with adoptions, rehoming or rescues which don’t involve family violence. We’ve been operating at capacity since opening and are acutely aware how important it is to make sure we have space when families when they call.