Grace Hambling has saved the lives of more than 100 dogs and cats in the past eight months.
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No animals have been euthanized at Mudgee Pound since the 24-year-old established 'Friends of Mudgee Pound' - a website and Facebook page dedicated to re-homing unwanted animals.
Each week Ms Hambling travels to Mudgee Pound where she spends time photographing and taking notes on each animal before uploading the details online and responding to questions about each animal.
All this is done with her own car, petrol, camera and laptop. It's this voluntary work that has earned her a nomination for the Australia Day Young Citizen of the Year.
“I have a huge love of animals and have ever since I was a kid,” said the second year veterinary nursing student.
She saw the need for a pound page after moving to Mudgee more than 12 months ago.
“The Mudgee community really surprised me, I came into this not knowing anyone and it was a daunting thing taking on this task but everyone has been very positive and supportive.”
“I noticed at a lot of pounds in the city Facebook was a way of getting animals out there and adopted,” she said.
She took her proposal to Mid-Western Regional Council and was up and running in April last year. At last count the page had 1786 followers.
“The community has been fantastic,” Ms Hambling said.
“I never expected it to get to this point.”
The outreach of the page is nation-wide. Interstate animal rescue organisations have assisted to re-home animals while adoption enquiries are fielded from Sydney and beyond.
The pound has even received donations of blankets, dog coats and food on a regular basis.
“Pound animals have a very limited amount of time they are held for,” Ms Hambling said.
“You're saving a life essentially. While it can be tough adopting an older dog, it can be rewarding.”
The owner of seven dogs, cats, sheep and horses, Ms Hambling has been know to rescue those animals that can't find a home.
“I'm really trying to push the message about desexing your animals and not supporting backyard breeders.”
She said she was surprised and honoured by the nomination.
“The Mudgee community really surprised me, I came into this not knowing anyone and it was a daunting thing taking on this task but everyone has been very positive and supportive.”