How the ‘I Give a Wag’ toy range supports animal welfare

The Rufus & Coco pet care brand have partnered with pet advocacy group the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation (APWF) to bring unnecessary pet euthanasia to Zero, through their ‘I give a wag’ toy range.

As part of their partnership, they have created the ‘Pets are Welcome’ campaign  to help raise awareness of the fact that each year in Australia 20,000 cats and dogs are euthanised, simply because their owners’ rental or strata agreement say they aren’t pet friendly.

In a survey of 652 Australians (615 pet owners) by Rufus & Coco³, findings show that 1 in 5 pet owners (22%) have given away a pet or have left them with a family member due to being unable to find pet-friendly accommodation.

The survey³ also found that:

• 79% found it stressful securing pet friendly accommodation
• 73% experienced rental or strata accommodation where pets weren’t allowed and
• 42% had chosen not to have a pet, because of concerns in accessing pet friendly accommodation.

With 62% of Australian households owning a pet¹ and around 30% of Australians renting their homes,  there is a massive discrepancy between supply and demand, with less than 5% of advertised rental properties saying they allow pets².

Campaign efforts include lobbying state governments to change rental laws and providing resources for pet owners to make their case to property managers and landlords. To download information on how to create a pawsome pet resume click here.

Rufus & Coco have also released the ‘I give a wag’ toy range, donating a percentage of sales to the APWF. The range is sold through Coles, Woolworths, select IGA stores and online.

To check out the I Give a Wag toy range, click here.

Sources:

1. Animal Medicines Australia Pet Ownership in Australia Report (2016).
2. www.petwelfare.org.au/pets-are-welcome
3. Rufus & Coco Pet owner survey, June 2018 Australia.