The Animal Welfare League is the result of over 40 years of tireless work by staff and volunteers who care about the welfare of lost and abandoned companion animals.
We pride ourselves on providing the best care possible for South Australia’s less fortunate companion animals.
Through the years we have relied on the generous donations from kind animal lovers in South Australia.
The Animal Welfare League was formed in 1964 by a very generous woman named Joy Richardson. The AWL was originally located on Magill Road in Norwood. The property consisted of a cottage, two shops and a very large, unkept garden. After much hard-work the garden was cleared and it became the first cattery of the Animal Welfare League. The cottage consisted of five rooms and was used for general administration, council meetings and for raising the much needed funds to bulid more pens and exercise rows.
It was in 1966 that the Lost Dogs society and the AWL merged and began working together at Horsnell Gully. This property consisted of a four room cottage built on the side of a gully and 12 acres of land. A creek ran along the front of the kennels and this water was used in the cottage and for washing the kennel bedding. Over time the AWL became more financially secure, water was connected to the property and further staff were hired.
It is a sad reality that over the next decade the numbers of lost and abandoned animals continued to grow and the AWL realised it was time to re-locate to larger premises.
Our current shelter in Wingfield officially opened its doors to the many lost cats and dogs of South Australia in the mid-seventies, after many councils were approached for assistance. There was some doubt over the Wingfield site, but over the years it has proved to be a very wise decision. The Wingfield shelter was opened by the Premier of SA, Don Dunstan, in 1976.
Today, the AWL operates on a busy schedule, looking after stray and abandoned animals, with dedicated staff and volunteers working to raise money for the future survival of this crucial service. The AWL receives no direct Government financial support, other than minor assistance for providing a pound service for over 20 councils.
The AWL is a recognised 'not for profit' charity. We rely on memberships, donations and bequests to continue our care of the animals, so any help you can give is greatly appreciated. We are open to the public every day of the year (except Christmas Day and Good Friday) for people looking for their lost pets or wanting to give an abandoned companion animal a second chance at a 'forever' home.
Over the AWL's 43 year history we have re-homed thousands of abandoned companion animals and returned many ill-treated dogs and cats back to good health. We have come a long way since 1964 and we will continue to strive for a world full of responsible pet owners.