Information for Support WOrkers

Pets In The Park is a national community of local volunteer-delivered pop-up clinics, providing free essential veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing a form of homelessness. In order to access our free veterinary services, clients require a referral from a support worker confirming eligibility.

Is my client eligible for Pets In The Park?

Pets In The Park provides free services to people experiencing homelessness. A person is defined (by the AIHW) as "experiencing homelessness" if they are living in non-conventional accommodation, 'sleeping rough', or in short-term / emergency accommodation due to a lack of other options. If your client meets the criteria described below, they are eligible for free veterinary treatment at a Pets In The Park clinic.

Eligible:

Non-conventional accommodation

("primary homeless") includes:

Eligible:

Short-term or emergency accommodation

("secondary homeless") includes:

living on the streets
sleeping in parks
squatting
staying in cars or railway carriages
living in improvised dwellings
living in the long grass.

refuges
crisis shelters
couch surfing or no tenure
living temporarily with friends and relatives
insecure accommodation on a short-term basis
emergency accommodation arranged by a specialist homelessness agency
(for example, in hotels, motels and so forth).

IMPORTANT: Our charity serves clients who are "experiencing homelessness". Clients who are NDIS participants, on a Centrelink / Services Australia payment, or in supported housing DO NOT automatically qualify for a referral. Please check the above eligibility requirements carefully.

Who can refer clients to Pets In The Park?

We accept client referrals from established, bona-fide organisations that provide professional support services to people experiencing homelessness ('Approved Sources'). Our criteria for recognising referring agencies is set forth below:

Approved Referral Sources

who may refer eligible clients to Pets In The Park:

Unrecognised Referral Sources

from whom we do NOT accept client referrals:

Specialist Homelessness Service (SHS) providers
Any other registered, professional agency / support worker that can satisfactorily demonstrate to PITP — through their credentials, registrations, reputation, accreditations, etc. — that they are a lawful, reputable provider of services / care for clients experiencing homeless.

We cannot accept referrals from any person or entity whom we cannot satisfactorily deterimine as meeting the 'Approved Sources' criteria. For the avoidance of doubt, we cannot recognise referrals from:

Members of the general public (e.g. family, friends, neighbours)
Commercial providers outside the 'homeless' sector (e.g. GP doctors, financial practitioners, veterinarians, psychologists)
Unregistered or non-professional practitioners withn the homeless space (e.g. not an incorporated entity, no professional infrastructure to carry on a business)

All referrals are scrutinised closely to check client eligibility and referrer legitimacy. Pets In The Park reserves the right to refuse any client referral at its absolute discretion. Inappropriate referrals may lead to the sending organisation being blocked from referring clients in the future. If in doubt, please contact us.

How do I refer my client to Pets In The Park?

If your client meets the eligibility criteria defined above, and you are an eligible referring organisation, then your client is most welcome to receive free veterinary services at Pets In The Park. Please follow the two steps below:

Step 1

Download and complete a referral form for your client using the button below. The referral form contains instructions about eligibility and the information that is required. A referral is valid for 6 months only. If the client wishes to continue receiving services, they will need to obtain a new referral from you.

New Client Referral Request Form (PDF)

Only the pets specifically listed on the referral form are eligible for free services. This policy is intended to prevent unrelated pets (belonging to other people) from receiving free treatment and consuming the charity's resources. Proof of ownership may be requested if a pet's ownership status is unclear. If the client acquires another animal, this pet must receive its own new referral letter.

Step 2

Once you have completed your referral form, please email it directly to the local clinic you intend to refer your client to. Do not email forms to the National Support Office of Pets In The Park, as these will not be processed. Forms must be sent from an official support agency email account; we do not accept referrals sent from private/free mail services (Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.). A list of local clinics, with their respective email addresses, can be found below:

Clinic Location Directory

Pets In The Park is a registered charity with limited resources. Please do not provide referrals to clients who do not align with the eligibility criteria described above. Clients should attend their local PITP clinic when instructed to do so by the local coordinating team.

Kindly note that Pets In The Park does not offer services to animals outside our clinic operating times (including after-hours emergency care). If an animal requires urgent medical attention, please connect with a local private vet practice.

What type of free veterinary services are offered at Pets In The Park?

Pets In The Park provides a wide range of veterinary services to support the health and wellbeing of pets. These include veterinarian consultations for health checks, behavioural advice, and owner education, as well as vaccinations, microchipping, and parasite control for fleas, worms, and ticks. We also offer treatment for certain common conditions, basic wound care, and distribute free pet products such as food, bedding, toys, collars, and leashes when donations are available.

During a consultation, our veterinarians typically assess pets' ears, eyes, teeth, gums, abdomen, heart, lungs, and skin health. This is a great opportunity for clients to have concerns addressed or ask questions about the pet’s care and behaviour.

In some cases, we can help facilitate additional services such as dentals, spaying or neutering, diagnostic imaging, surgeries, and euthanasia through third-party providers. However, these services depend on our limited available resources, funding, and volunteer support, and are not guaranteed. Each clinic may provide slightly different services depending on its specific circumstances.

"Thank you for this service. It was one of the few services I could suggest/offer our clients that did not have a cost attached. It is also one of the only positive activities I could offer vulnerable/disadvantaged people on my caseload."

— Justine, Community Mental Health Worker
Melbourne, VIC

"Thank you all so much! Your service is a godsend for many of our clients, and I hope you know how appreciative we are to be linked with your organisation."

— Donna, AOD Support Worker
Collingwood, VIC

Files available for download

PITP Client Referral Request Form - v11.24 pdf