Pets In The Park (PITP), a national charity providing free veterinary care to the companion pets of people experiencing homelessness, will open a new regular pop-up clinic in Wangaratta from 19 October 2025, thanks to the generous support of the Victorian Government’s Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program.
The new clinic, which will be based at the Wangaratta Kennel and Obedience Dog Club, has been awarded $131,234 to enable the volunteer team of local veterinary professionals to establish and cover the costs involved to run the clinic for the next two years.
PITP is one of 33 successful projects to receive funding in Round 12 of the grants program, and will be the 12th PITP clinic to be established since the charity's inception in 2012.
“For many of the people we support, their pet is family: sometimes all they have,” said Dr Lachlan Campbell, PITP vice president.
"This funding means we can set up a dedicated clinic in North East Victoria and provide two years of essential veterinary care, completely free, for those who need it most.
Latest Stories
“We're incredibly grateful to the Allan Labor government of Victoria and to the Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes for making this possible.”
Run by veterinary professionals and community volunteers, the clinic will offer services such as vaccinations, parasite control, microchipping, essential treatments, and ongoing medication support through referrals from local homelessness or social service providers.
It will operate once a month, with scope to expand across the North East based on community need.
Dr James Cameron, a local veterinarian and volunteer PITP North East clinic coordinator, said many people experiencing homelessness face significant barriers in accessing care for their pets.
“A lot of people are slipping through the cracks,” Dr Cameron said.
“With the privatisation of veterinary care, it's increasingly out of reach for many doing it tough—especially in regional areas like Wangaratta.
“These animals are often a person’s lifeline.
“Being able to provide even the most basic care goes a long way in supporting both the animal and the person.”
Dr Gabby Lawson, PITP program support officer, said the program not only meets a practical need but honours the deeply emotional bond between people and their pets.
“This initiative really speaks to the importance of the human-animal bond, especially for people in vulnerable situations who may have no one else,” she said.
“It’s about dignity, compassion, and providing care where it’s most needed.”
PITP receives no recurrent government funding and relies on individual grants, public donations, and volunteer support to deliver its life-enhancing services.
For more information on accessing PITP services and how to support the charity, visit petsinthepark.org.au
According to data released by Beyond Housing, over 600 people in the Wangaratta area were experiencing or at risk of homelessness during 2023–2024, with the region experiencing a 67 per cent increase in homelessness between 2016 and 2023.
The data shows that of the 648 people seeking homelessness support, 45 were children, 98 were aged 55 and over, 116 were on a Disability Support Pension, and 162 were young people aged between 17 and 25.
A staggering 246 people were seeking assistance for the first time from the region’s primary homelessness access point, and nearly 10 per cent identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
