Since Pets Of Older People (POOPS) began in Busselton in April 2019 its group of volunteers have walked dogs that belong to elderly or disabled people in the community 32,000 kilometres.
A group of 100 volunteers from the not-for-profit organisation are currently walking 40 dogs to help people in the community who need assistance to care for their pets.
POOPS Busselton coordinator Cathy Gibson said it was so much more than dog walking.
"Mainly our clients are elderly who tell me that they enjoy it every bit as much as their dogs are enjoying it," she said.
"We have gotten involved in many weird and wonderful things, I had a phone call from a lady in Perth who had a friend in Busselton that had been admitted to hospital, she had a little dog at home.
"Somehow she found out about POOPS. We had a volunteer who went around to the house to grab the little dog and our volunteer was able to care for the dog at home for the week.
"It wasn't technically a thing that POOPS does but we've had a number of elderly clients who have asked, and lucky there has always been a volunteer who has been able to help mind the dog for them.
"It is just as much about the clients' welfare as it is about the dogs' welfare."
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Ms Gibson said when a new dog came onto their books they could be hesitant at first and look behind for their owners when they went on a walk.
It doesn't take long for the dogs to know when their POOPS volunteer arrives to take them for a walk.
"The dogs are always waiting at the door and jumping off their sofas, it is lovely for the clients," Ms Gibson said.
"They bounce off the bed and do twirly whirlies until they get their lead on and hit the high road, which makes their owners happy because they do not have to feel guilty."
Ms Gibson first became involved with the organisation after she had been walking a rescue greyhound Twiggy for a women with multiple sclerosis and a blue heeler staffy cross Roxy for a woman with cancer.
Ms Gibson could see there was a need for people to walk dogs for those who were sick or elderly, realising there were only so many dogs she could walk herself.
In 2019, a member of the Busselton Greyhound Awareness Group sent Ms Gibson a video about POOPS, a few emails and meetings later she was able to establish a group in Busselton.
POOPS is looking for more volunteers to help walk dogs in the community.
"The more people we have the more walks the dogs can go on," she said.
The average age of their volunteers is 43 years with the youngest being 18, while the oldest are in their early 80's.
Volunteers are asked to commit to one walk a week between 30 and 60 minutes with most dogs being walked 3 to 7 times a week.
To volunteer you must be over 18 and have a current National Police Clearance or Working With Children Check.
Anyone who would like to volunteer for POOPS may contact Ms Gibson by emailing busselton@poopswa.org.au or phoning 0417 935 434.
POOPS is also registered for the Container Scheme, donations can be made to Container Scheme ID: C10266974.
