Volunteer-run · Newcastle, NSW
Second Chance Animal Rescue
Dogs, cats and the odd guinea pig, waiting in foster homes across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie for a couch to call their own.
- Foster-based — no kennels
- Desexed, vaccinated & microchipped
- Adoption days most Saturdays
Adoption match
Find your new best mate
Tell us about your place and we'll shuffle the pack. Everyone here lives in a foster home, so we know how they really behave on a couch.
Who
Size
Energy
Must be good with
Nobody fits all of that just yet
How adoption works
- Find a match
Use the filters, read the profiles and pick a few favourites.
- Tell us about home
A relaxed chat about your household, yard and routine — no trick questions.
- Meet & greet
Meet at the foster home. Bring the family, and your dog if you have one.
- Trial sleepover
A week at your place with the foster carer a text away, then it's official.
Adoption fees
- Dogs $300–$420
- Cats & kittens $150–$220
- Rabbits $90
- Guinea pig pairs $80
Sample prices. Every animal goes home desexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and flea-treated.
Can I adopt if I rent?
Yes — check that your lease allows pets, and we'll help you put together a pet application for your landlord.
Do you adopt outside Newcastle?
We place animals across the Hunter, from Lake Macquarie to Port Stephens and Maitland. Meet & greets happen at the foster home.
What if it doesn't work out?
Call us. Every animal can come back to us at any time, for any reason, and we'll find them the right home.
Foster care
Lend us your couch
We don't have kennels. Every animal lives in a volunteer's home until adoption day — that's where shy cats learn to trust, and big dogs learn house manners.
- You bring the companyA spare room or a quiet corner, a routine, and a lot of patience.
- We cover the restFood, bedding, vet bills and a foster coordinator who answers texts.
- Kitten season is comingOctober to March is our busiest time — bottle-babies need night feeds.
Clementine, week one in foster
- Food & bowls
- Litter & tray
- Bed & blankets
- All vet care
Donate
What your gift could do
Slide to see what a one-off gift could pay for. The costs are illustrative — real vet and food bills vary.
Illustrative costs only. This is a design demo for a fictional rescue — no payment is taken and nothing is charged.
Volunteer
Lend a hand
No experience needed — just reliability and a soft spot for animals. Pick a job that fits your week.
Dog walkers
Saturday and Sunday mornings, an hour or two. Leads and poo bags supplied.
Cat cuddlers
Help shy cats learn that people are OK. Weekday arvos at foster homes.
Transport crew
Drive animals to vet visits and meet & greets. Your own car, fuel reimbursed.
Laundry legends
Wash and fold the towels and blankets that never stop coming.
Event helpers
Adoption days, sausage sizzles and market stalls around town.
Photos & words
Take the portraits and write the profiles that get animals noticed.
Come and say g'day
Upcoming events
- 10Sat · Oct
Adoption day
10am–1pm · Hamilton
Meet adoptable dogs, and a few cats in carriers. Bring the whole household — and your dog, for a meet & greet on neutral ground.
- 18Sun · Oct
Kitten shower
2–4pm · The Junction
Bring a bag of kitten food or a wand toy, stay for scones and a foster Q&A.
- 7Sat · Nov
Pack walk & coffee
7–9am · Merewether
A slow group walk along the foreshore with our foster dogs, then coffee.
- 21Sat · Nov
Volunteer welcome
9:30–11:30am · Lambton
A two-hour intro for new walkers, cuddlers, drivers and fosterers.
- 5Sat · Dec
Santa Paws photos
10am–2pm · Cooks Hill
Festive portraits of your pet. Gold-coin donation, all of it towards vet bills.