Our Story

Welcome to Second Chance Animal Rescue (SCAR)

A not-for-profit, community-based registered charity powered by dedicated veterinary and animal welfare professionals, animal-loving volunteers, and compassionate foster carers.

Since our inception, SCAR has been on a mission to rescue and rehabilitate dogs and cats facing euthanasia in pounds and shelters across Victoria. We give these animals a Second Chance at finding their new loving homes, ensuring they have the opportunity for a happy and loving second chance.

Our Founder: Marisa's Vision

SCAR was founded in 2008 by veterinary nurse Marisa Debattista after years spent working in a vet clinic and volunteering after hours at a local animal shelter. Witnessing the sheer number of animals unable to find homes, many of whom were sadly put to sleep unnecessarily, Marisa was devastated.

Determined to make a difference towards the overwhelming need for companion animal support and the limited resources available to pet owners, Marisa launched SCAR from her living room, rescuing as many animals as she could fit into her home.

Since then, Marisa's vision and dedication have transformed SCAR into a medium-sized charity supported by a robust community of people united by their love for animals.

We have hundreds of Volunteers who contribute in numerous vital ways to help us take care of the animals in the shelter. Over 120+ local Foster Carers have opened their hearts and homes to provide loving care and rehabilitation to animals not yet ready for adoption. And we have a vibrant community of over 85,000 supporters across Facebook and Instagram.

To date, we have proudly rehomed over 16,000 animals, providing them with loving homes across the state and saved countless lives. As many adopters will tell you, the question remains—just who saved who?

SCAR NOW

From those humble beginnings, SCAR has continued to grow into a thriving animal welfare hub consisting of:

• An Animal Shelter:
  • Dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming companion animals in need, our shelter includes kennels for cats and dogs, a boarding cattery, grooming facilities, multiple animal training programs, a purpose-built education and multipurpose room, and an outdoor puppy school and exercise area.
• A Community Animal Hospital
  • Offering low-cost and accessible veterinary and pet care to all pet owners, regardless of their financial situation, which increases our ability to keep animals in their homes with the people who love them.
• Multiple Outreach Programs
  • Providing free pet food, emergency pet boarding and medical support to pet owners in need – keeping families together with the pets they love and stopping shelter relinquishment in its tracks.

Milestones

• April 19, 2015:
  • After years of planning and fundraising, our first animal shelter opened in Campbellfield, Victoria. This facility allowed us to save more animals and provide a welcoming space for potential adopters.
• August 2019:
  • We moved to our much larger current facility in Craigieburn, Victoria, which is home to our Animal Shelter, Community Animal Hospital, and the many vital Outreach Programs we provide our community.
• Jan 2020:
  • We launched our Safe House for Pets Program which supports pet owners escaping domestic and family violence to leave crisis situations sooner.
• June 2024
  • Our Free Pet Food Pantry has distributed over 1 MILLION free pet food meals, and we’ve provided emergency boarding and medical support to over 9,230 animals