Sharp family foster more than 100 dogs through SAFE Karratha

An animal foster family have cared for more than 100 dogs and puppies across the Pilbara region in a bid to tackle the looming increase of families surrendering animals.

Charmane Sharp, along with her husband John and her 14-year-old son Jett, have fostered abandoned and surrendered dogs for the past three years while living in Karratha, working with Save Animals From Euthanasia.

SAFE — WA’s largest volunteer-based animal rescue — was founded in Karratha in 2003 and has cared for more than 32,000 animals that have been rehomed and given a second chance at life.

More than 6000 animals have been rescued by SAFE’s Kimberley and Pilbara branches over the past three years alone.

Starting off as a way to teach her youngest son “responsibility”, Ms Sharp said they have cared for more than 100 dogs over the years while a global pandemic and housing crisis affected families across the State.

“Fostering as a family for SAFE Karratha has been invaluable to teach our boys about giving back and being a part of our community,” Ms Sharp said.

“It’s taught them responsibility, how all animals need love, support and guidance as you don’t always know the background behind why they have been abandoned.

“Jett has learnt that fostering as a family means we all help to meet the needs of the dog in our care. Whether that be training, walking, feeding or bathing.”

The family work with SAFE to foster small dogs and puppies in their home, while also caring for their own dog Tahlia. After a certain period of time the foster dogs are then rehomed to new families.

Ms Sharp said fostering “united” her family and allowed them to give much-needed love to abused dogs and teach them how to trust humans again.

“Helping the timid and shy ones come out of their shell is our specialty. We had Kaylee come into our home as a foster dog who spent the first four days hiding under the dining table.,” she said.

“As a family we had to teach her she was in a safe environment now and how to accept love from us.

“It was so rewarding to see her open up and evolve over a couple of months. Showering us with love in return, Kaylee became a completely different dog learning new behaviours and becoming a member of our family, so we couldn’t help but adopt her.”

Teenager Jett loves the fostering experience and running around the backyard teaching the dogs how to play, with Ms Sharp saying it’s had a great benefit to his mental health and “gets him outside”.

“Some of our fosters come to us scared and afraid, others have been mistreated or too many puppies to handle,” she said.

“They all need love and support some more than others. . . whenever we receive updates from the adopters enjoying life with their new family members we love it. Makes all our efforts so rewarding.

“Nothing better than ending the day in front of the telly with a lounge full of dogs snuggled up to you. Fostering warms our hearts and keeps us smiling every day.”

It comes as Karratha’s SAFE team received the Lotterywest grant last month, with more than $100,000 being awarded to the team to pay for “desperately needed equipment”.

SAFE Inc. founder and chair Sue Hedley said the money had gone to buying many items including crates for cats and dogs, airline crates to transport animals down to Perth, and microchip scanners.

It can cost up to $500 to fly a dog to Perth for adoption, and up to $100 to fly a cat, according to Ms Hedley.

“People don’t realise how much a ‘little’ can help a lot,” she said.

“Every penny saved enables SAFE Inc. to spend more on saving homeless, injured, neglected or starving animals.”