Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) is filled with incredibly big-hearted participants who make a paw-sitive difference to the lives of shelter animals every week. Through training, socialisation, enrichment and, of course, plenty of extra love and care, participants help support animals while they wait for their forever homes.

For some, that care extends far beyond the session space. They invest extra time, energy and thought into finding ways to support the animals they have come to know and love.

For Jenny, helping shelter animals has become a mission she carries with her throughout the week, long after she leaves the walls of HPHH.

A participant in our Wednesday morning Basics group in Cessnock with Hunter Valley Animal Facility and Rehoming Centre (HVAFARC), Jenny arrives to session each week with something thoughtfully chosen to gift to the animals. What makes her contributions so special is that they are never random. Jenny pays close attention to the needs of both the shelter and the animals, always looking for ways she can help.

When a ringworm outbreak meant scratching posts needed to be removed from the cattery, Jenny visited local carpet stores and collected offcuts of carpet so the shelter cats could continue to enjoy scratching enrichment.

In another heartfelt act, when one of the shelter dogs, Tequila, underwent dental extractions and could no longer enjoy harder treats, Jenny arrived with a loaf of dog wet food so Tequila could still participate in training and enjoy special rewards, soft for her recovering mouth and jaw.

Jenny’s generosity extends to the everyday needs of shelter life too. Toys, treats, peanut butter and cream cheese regularly find their way into session thanks to Jenny's thoughtfulness. When HVAFARC puts out a call for supplies, Jenny listens. Whether it's cat litter, wet food or other essentials, she does her best to help, often arriving the following week carrying as much as she can manage.

While the donations themselves are meaningful, what makes these big-hearted acts so special is what they represent. From her time at HPHH, Jenny has developed a deep connection to the shelter animals and a genuine understanding of the role shelters, animal care teams, volunteers and whole communities play in supporting them. She recognises that even small acts of kindness can make a difference, not only to the shelter, but to an animal's comfort and wellbeing while they wait for their forever home.

For Program Trainer Tara, Jenny's actions are a beautiful reflection of the compassion and purpose that can grow through HPHH. Tara shares that Jenny represents something she sees in many participants: a genuine desire to give back to the animals who play such an important role in their lives. The care they develop for shelter animals doesn't stop when the session ends. Instead, it becomes part of how they move through the world—looking for opportunities to help, contribute and make life a little better for animals in need.

From the bottom of our hearts and paws, we thank Jenny, and every other participant who shows up to our shelter locations across the country each week, helping care for and enrich the lives of animals in need.