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Australia's first adoption centre for small animals from research opens

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The Central Coast of NSW is now home to Australia’s first adoption centre for small animals formerly used in research, looking for their forever homes.

The Liberty Adoption Centre in Wyong provides a haven for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice, supporting them to transition from research facilities into the community as pets and companions.

Operated by independent not-for-profit Liberty Foundation Australia (LFA), the centre is supported by funding provided by the NSW Government. 

LFA Director, Paula Wallace, said, “The opening of the Liberty Adoption Centre is a landmark moment for ex-research animals. The NSW Government recognises the need to work together to provide the best outcomes for animals when they retire from research, and has given a helping hand to charities like ours to scale up our operations. Simply, it means we can provide more homes for more animals coming out of research.”

LFA has been rehoming animals from research since 2017 and over that time has found loving homes for hundreds of animals including dogs and cats. The organisation is on track to celebrate it 1,000th adoption later this year – a milestone that speaks to the growing community demand for this kind of adoption.

Operating purely on charitable donations until recently, the organisation is one of only two in Australia dedicated solely to rehoming animals from research.

“This is a unique opportunity to showcase the benefits of adopting animals from research,” Ms Wallace said. “There is clearly a benefit for animals in being able to live out the course of their natural lives in the community and know a different way of life. Research establishments and the broader community also appreciate the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these animals.”

The animals available for adoption through LFA are healthy, sociable and adapt well to home life. The centre has been purpose-built with their needs in mind – from gymnasium areas where rats can exercise and explore, to naturalistic enclosures for mice, and a soft playroom where volunteers can spend relaxed time with the animals and support their social development. 

“It really is amazing to witness the capacity of these animals for love and connection. If you’re looking for a rewarding experience there’s nothing better than seeing a small animal begin to trust and experience the real meaning of home,” Ms Wallace said.

“This is a great initiative for the Central Coast and for New South Wales. It shows we are a compassionate society, willing to make a place in our hearts and homes for animals who literally have nowhere else to go.”

The Liberty Adoption centre is supported by funding provided by the Research Animals Rehoming Grant, an initiative of the NSW Government.

“We are grateful for the support of this unique grant program,” Ms Wallace said.

More information at: www.libertyfoundation.org.au

Adoption Centre details below.

Location: Liberty Adoption Centre is located at 6 Rose Street, Wyong NSW.

Trading hours: Open 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Images can be found HERE (All images are the copyright of Liberty Foundation Australia and can be used for publication with attribution)

About us:

LIBERTY ADOPTION CENTRE:

The Centre is a pilot facility that provides short-term accommodation for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice.

With a capacity of 120 animals, the Centre features state-of-the-art enclosures maximising space, enrichment and comfort, supporting instinctual behaviours and the development of social bonds.

The Centre includes unique gymnasium areas for rats where they can exercise, build strength, problem solve, communicate and explore. Its naturalistic enclosures for mice simulate a natural environment where residents can create safety within compatible groups.

The Centre also has a soft playroom where volunteers and visitors can spend relaxed time with specific animals and support their social development.

Operated by not-for-profit Liberty Foundation Australia, the Centre is supported by funding provided by the NSW Government.

People aged 16 years and over can apply to volunteer at the Centre, to assist with cleaning, feeding, socialisation and providing companionship.

The Centre is open to the public from 10am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday. Visitors are encouraged to make an appointment online if they’d like to meet animals at the Centre.

We ask all visitors and volunteers to wear clean clothes when they visit the Centre, sanitise their hands and wear disposable gloves and mask provided by us, when interacting with the animals.

https://www.libertyfoundation.org.au/visit/

 

RESEARCH ANIMALS REHOMING GRANT PROGRAM:

The Research Animals Rehoming Grant Program supports animal rehoming organisations to find ‘lifelong’ homes for cats, dogs and other animals after they have completed their involvement in research.

The aim of the grant program is to:

·       improve outcomes for animals at the end of their involvement in research including increasing the number of animals rehomed

·       make it easier for these animals to be rehomed by preparing them for life with families and others in ‘forever homes’ and

·       help rehoming organisations as they manage animals into the next phase of their lives.

This program is funded by the NSW Government and administered by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. 

Three organisations received funding under the grant program in 2025, including Liberty Foundation Australia, Animal Welfare League NSW and Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre.

Liberty Foundation Australia will receive $825,000 over two years to complete its Capacity Building Project, the centrepiece of which is an adoption centre for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice.

 

USE OF ANIMALS FOR RESEARCH, TEACHING AND SCIENCE:

In Australia each year there are estimated to be around 10 million animals used for science and teaching on average each year, although there is no national system for collecting or publishing statistics. Based on statistics published by the NSW Government, the state accounts for around 3-5 million instances of animal use by accredited research establishments annually in recent years. They are used for a range of purposes from research into human and animal disease and biology, to product testing and large-scale environmental studies on wild living populations of animals.

It’s estimated at least two million animals were kept in accredited research establishments in NSW in 2023 (calendar year), such as universities, medical and veterinary research institutes, and clinical and government bodies. Of these animals, around 15% were laboratory mammals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice.

While many research projects regrettably involve the death of the animal, around one third of laboratory mammals in 2023 were reported to survive research projects, more than 100,000 animals. These animals would either be used in further research, kept at research facilities, euthanised or in some cases retired from research so they may live out the course of their natural lives in the community.

Over the last decade, the rehoming movement for animals from research has been growing in Australia, with an increasing number of research establishments adopting rehoming policies to provide better outcomes for animals over their full lifecycle, supported by guidance from the NSW Government.

This is where Liberty Foundation Australia plays a vital role in providing a pathway for animals out of research into people’s homes as pets and companions.

Contact details:

For further information or interviews, please contact: Zoe Morley, [email protected]