Paws and Recover offers puppy love to pets in need of care

Jacki Largo, a Darlington local, runs the volunteer-based Paws and Recover around the City of Sydney to provide people in hospital, temporary accommodation or in respite with pet care.

Jacki Largo runs the volunteer-based Paws and Recover to provide people in hospital, temporary accommodation or in respite with pet care.

Volunteering comes in all shapes and forms — and for animal care charity Paws and Recover, might even involve a big, wet kiss from a grateful canine companion.

Jacki Largo, a Darlington local, runs the volunteer-based Paws and Recover around the City of Sydney to provide people in hospital, temporary accommodation or in respite with pet care.

After noticing a gap that neither healthcare, housing or other animal services were addressing, Ms Largo decided to set up the charity to “give people hope”.

Ms Largo organises a pool of about 70 volunteers to help provide care for pets.

The passionate animal lover organises a pool of about 70 volunteers to help provide care for pets — fostering, feeding or walking them.

At any one time Ms Largo, who has three dogs herself, will have up to 12 animals at her home, reflecting a “desperate need” for others to get involved.

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“This is important because nobody else is doing it,” she said.

“The dogs or cats end up at pound or with council and become stressed in a kennel environment.”

Often people refuse to be admitted to hospital until they know their beloved furry friend will be looked after — a commitment which inspired her to her cause.

After noticing a gap that neither healthcare, housing or other animal services were addressing, Ms Largo decided to set up the charity to “give people hope”.

“I love the fact that (pets) are non-judgmental and live in the moment. They are just beautiful, sentient beings and we have to recognise that,” Ms Largo said.

Ahead of NewsLocal’s DoSomething Day, those looking to do a good deed can put their hands up to volunteer with Paws and Recover, which is always looking for more helpers. For details visit pawsandrecover.org.

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DoSomething Day

The first-ever DoSomething Day, to be held on June 15, will be Australia’s biggest ever celebration of volunteering and random acts of kindness.

Launched by NewsLocal newspapers, the DoSomething charity and Your Local Club, it aims to encourage everybody to pitch in and do something positive in their community.

It might be helping an older person with their shopping, buying a homeless person a cup of coffee or a meal, picking up rubbish in the park or mowing an ill neighbour’s lawn.

Big or small, it doesn’t matter. As long as it improves the community or makes a positive difference to someone else’s life, we want to celebrate it.