Happy Paws Happy Hearts marks its 10th anniversary
Published by Third Sector, Geraldine Grones April 1, 2025. View here: Happy Paws Happy Hearts marks its 10th anniversary
Charity founder and CEO Zoe Black reflects on a decade of creating life-changing connections between people and animals.
Founded in 2014, Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) was born from Zoe Black’s deeply personal experience with social isolation. During that difficult time, she found solace in animals, particularly through spending time at the RSPCA Brisbane. She saw the struggle in animal shelters, where staff didn’t have the time or resources to give animals the attention they needed.
That’s when inspiration struck: What if socially isolated people could connect with animals who could benefit from their attention? This simple yet powerful concept laid the foundation for HPHH, a program that harnesses the human-animal bond to break cycles of isolation while also adding value to rescue animals.
Over the past decade, HPHH has grown into a national organisation working with the RSPCA and other animal shelters. “Our participants don’t just help train animals, they also build new skills, participants learn responsibility, gain confidence, and find purpose,” says Black.
With over 1.2 million Australians facing social isolation and more than 87,000 animals waiting for adoption at the RSPCA each year, Black recognised the urgent need for a structured program to support both. As HPHH grew, she expanded its reach to support a diverse range of people, including those processing trauma, people with disabilities, veterans, first responders, older Australians, and survivors of domestic violence.
One of HPHH’s key initiatives is the in-shelter programs, which give people the opportunity to engage with animals in a way that reduces stress, promotes social connection, and improves mental health.
“The animals give real-time feedback,” Black says. “When a dog learns how to lie down or a nervous cat becomes more comfortable around people, participants see the direct impact of their efforts. It’s incredibly powerful for people who may have previously felt invisible or disconnected.”
HPHH’s 2023/24 Impact Report showed remarkable improvements in participants’ social skills, psychological wellbeing and self-confidence. With over 500 participants each week, the goal is to scale up and create even more impact by reaching 10,000 people by 2032. “We see young people going back to school, taking on traineeships, people returning to careers or simply just extra independence that they didn’t have previously,” says Black.
As HPHH celebrates its 10th anniversary, Black expresses deep gratitude to the partners and supporters who have championed the cause. “We are incredibly thankful for those who have believed in our impact-first approach to connecting socially isolated Australians.”
“I’m so proud of the lives we’ve touched, but I know this journey is far from over.” With her unwavering commitment to social connection and animal welfare, Zoe and HPHH are set to create lasting change, one person and one paw at a time.
Photo credit: Third Sector