Happy Paws Happy Hearts
Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) exists to create positive social connections between isolated Australians and rescue animals, improving quality of life and wellbeing and offering genuine volunteering, education and employment pathways. Our unique twist is to deliver training at rescue shelters and wildlife sanctuaries – a new animal therapy approach.
HPHH aims to solve two social problems at once:
1) 1.1 million Australians experience social isolation or deep social exclusion.
2) 124,000+ animals at the RSPCA are waiting for adoption across Australia.
Each week, across six Qld, NSW and NT locations, we connect with 430+ people overcoming mental health challenges or living with disabilities. Our courses include animal care, handling and training, and an intensive program for veterans and first responders living with PTSD. Demonstrated benefits for participants include increased confidence, skills development, improved quality of life, and genuine vocational pathways.
Defence Families Program
This is a seasonal program funded by RSL Queensland for veterans and their families.
Families who join the program work with RSPCA Queensland shelter animals to learn animal training skills. The small group animal training sessions are facilitated by Happy Paws Happy Hearts trainers and volunteers.
Along the way, families build strategies for better communication and cohesion and engage with other participants and the broader community.
Weekend programs are available. To express your interest in any of the above courses, please contact our enrolment team.
