Volunteer or donate

Volunteers play an important role in helping in the aftermath of bushfires, floods, storms, and other disaster events.

You don't need to be a primary producer to assist in an emergency situation. However, it is vital that all volunteers are:

• part of a recognised organisation
• trained appropriately.

Do not place yourself or others at risk in an effort to help, especially regarding native and non-native animal safety. It is not safe, and can be illegal, to handle injured or deceased animals without the appropriate authorisation or training.

Register to volunteer

If you are a member of an official response organisation, such as SA Veterinary Emergency Management (SAVEM), you can volunteer to support stressed and injured animals following emergency events. This can include:

• assisting in-field
• staffing emergency response centres
• documenting lost and found animals
• caring for wildlife
• providing temporary accommodation for companion animals
• fundraising.

Contact SAVEM for more information and to register.

You can also register with Volunteering SA and NT – a recognised organisation that helps with any recovery effort.

Donations

It is more beneficial to collect money for those affected by a disaster, than to provide goods. This allows people to purchase what they need, while supporting their communities by spending in local businesses.

When contributing to a charity or fundraiser, it’s important to know exactly where your donation is going and what it will be used for.

Learn more about donating to official recovery funds, including corporate donations and avoiding scams.