AWLQ and City of Gold Coast Launch Nation-Leading Strategy to Keep Pets with Families

GOLD COAST, QLD (17 August 2026) — Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) has partnered with City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate to launch the Community and Companion Animal Wellbeing Strategy 2026–29, a revolutionary blueprint shifting animal welfare from crisis response to early prevention.

Why It Matters

National research shows that 86% of pet surrenders are caused by human circumstances—such as housing strain and cost-of-living pressures—rather than animal behavior or health issues.

“The most powerful thing we can do for animals is to help their families before they ever reach our door.”

— Sam Jacklin, CEO of AWLQ

How the Strategy Helps

By focusing on keeping pets and their owners together, the new strategy introduces practical, community-first supports:

  • Emergency & Crisis Care: Temporary foster care and emergency boarding for families experiencing hardship.

  • Accessible Veterinary Support: Expanded low-cost and mobile vet clinics using a flexible “Spectrum of Care” model.

  • Pet-Inclusive Systems: Partnering with government and housing, domestic violence, and aged-care services to make pet ownership easier for renters and vulnerable residents.

  • Relieving Shelter Pressure: Preventing surrender keeps pets in loving homes while opening shelter space for animals with nowhere else to go.

A Unified Vision for the Gold Coast

Supported by Queensland rental reforms and built on the global One Health, One Welfare framework, this initiative highlights how animal, human, and community wellbeing are deeply connected.

“Gold Coasters love their pets—they’re part of the family,” said Mayor Tom Tate. “When household budgets are stretched, the family pet shouldn’t be the casualty… Once again, the Gold Coast is leading the nation.”

Implementation begins this quarter, with all key pillars rolling out over the coming year.

Find out more about the plan, the AWLQ and the beautiful animals looking for their forever families at https://www.awlq.org.au/