A decade of creating positive connections for socially isolated Australians and rescue animals in need
As we mark 10 years of Happy Paws Happy Hearts, we celebrate participants’ journeys of change from social isolation to social inclusion and wellbeing.
Through over 118,000 animal interactions, our participants have found connection, confidence, and purpose. With the support of our dedicated program trainers, they have contributed more than 59,000 hours of animal training to rescue animals in shelters—helping both hearts and paws on their journey to change.
Together, we’ve facilitated more than 83,000 participant interactions, creating over 244,000 hours of social connection for Australians facing disadvantage. Each of these interactions represents more than a number—it’s a moment of belonging, a step out of isolation, and a real example of how powerful connection can be.
We also joyfully celebrate and extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible rescue animal location partners across Australia! We honour the countless beautiful rescue animals that our participants have trained and socialised over the past 10 years.
Join in the fun and celebrations by watching this video of our participants, staff, and supporters expressing their Happy Birthday messages to Happy Paws Happy Hearts!
Help Happy Paws Happy Hearts create positive change for the next decade
Our goal is to raise $5,000 to help connect 10,000 socially isolated Australians by 2032, giving them the chance to experience the power of connection with animals, people, and community.
Every donation - big or small - will make a powerful impact. Your kindness will help more Australians facing social isolation find companionship and purpose through our programs. Join us in making the next 10 years even more impactful.
We are incredibly grateful to our Happy Paws Happy Hearts community including our supporters and partners who have backed our impact-first approach in connecting socially isolated Australians to people, place and purpose.
Paws and Hearts stories over a decade
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![Happy Paws Happy Hearts Wacol volunteer Alex]()
Alex's volunteering journey
Alex started volunteering in March 2023. With plans to study in the animal field, this arrangement perfectly matches his goals and interests.
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Cathy's Confidence Shines to Strengthen Bonds Between Generations
Cathy’s time with HPHH has helped her overcome her fears, leading to a remarkable array of positive outcomes.
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Why Rocky-Joe is ‘a lot happier’ thanks to HPHH
“I’m excited every Saturday because I get to go and see all the animals. It’s just amazing.”
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Why Emily loves working at Happy Paws Happy Hearts
Emily grew up in regional Queensland and has always been passionate about helping people and animals.
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Why our Defence Families Program is a ‘really rare’ experience
“The Defence Families Program is a great way to connect with a community of people who all have the common element of defence but a wide range of different experiences,” Eloise says.
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Celebrating our ‘paw-some’ Toowoomba Explore graduates
We celebrated the launch of Explore in Toowoomba with a media event in May 2023, where our participants spoke to major news publications including, ABC, The Chronicle and Triple M radio.
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How rescue animals are helping this father-daughter duo flourish
John and Tiffany O’Loughlin have a lot of things in common, more than just their last names and strong father-daughter bond. They have a shared love of animals, evidenced by having 9 budgies, 5 chickens and 2 cats in their shared home.
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How HPHH helps young person with their mental health
Ashleigh T was going through a difficult time in their life in 2022. Struggling to balance school with their mental health challenges, they decided they needed to branch out and find something to look forward to each week.
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Our Hunter Heroes: Explore cohort take bounds towards their future goals
HPHH Hunter is a tight-knit group filled with like-minded people passionate about animals. A select few participants were invited to join the first cohort of this exclusive program, including Jax, Dylan, Steph and Gabby.
