Every time you purchase a Big Dog product, you’re helping us support Smart Pups with a weekly donation of over 300kg of food to nourish dogs through their customised training programs and support the life-changing work of this extraordinary charity.

This incredible initiative aims to enrich the lives of children with special needs by providing them with highly trained canine companions that improve their physical health and safety, independence, confidence, self-esteem, social interaction, life experience, happiness and wellbeing.

Your big impact on little lives

Our relationship with Smart Pups Assistance Dogs began in 2016 when Big Dog’s Founder, Chris Essex, heard a story about a beautiful little girl, Akira, who has autism and suffers from a rare form of epilepsy, which causes her to have multiple myoclonic seizures daily.

When Chris heard Akira’s story, he donated the $25,000 needed to raise and train her assistance dog, Jagger. After seeing the astounding positive impact Jagger has had on Akira’s life, Big Dog joined with Smart Pups.

Thank you for purchasing a Big Dog product and helping to improve the quality of life for these deserving Aussie families.
 
Check out our video here.

Big Dog Pet Foods are proud to be a business supporter of AMRRIC – Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities.

Indigenous Australians have a profound love for their companion animals, but ensuring their health and welfare can be challenging as many Indigenous communities in Australia are hundreds, if not thousands of kilometres from the nearest veterinary clinic. Adding further challenge, many remote communities are cut off in the wet season, or only accessible by expensive charter flights or infrequent barges.

AMRRIC’s approach is founded on a deep respect for the cultures and values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Their ‘One Health’ approach recognises the inseparable links between the health and wellbeing of companion animals, their owners and their communities. AMMRIC support the health and wellbeing of animals in Australia’s rural communities by:

• Coordinating veterinary programs – focusing on desexing and anti-parasite treatment.
• Education programs – empowering local community members through school and community education programs.
• Advocacy, strategic planning and research to build the evidence base and sustainability of effective remote community animal health and management programs.

AMRRIC Allies

Our relationship with AMRRIC began in 2020, when Big Dog’s founder, Chris Essex learnt of the tick-borne disease of dogs, Ehrlichiosis, which has been sweeping through remote communities with devastating impacts.


An initial donation to help support the work of AMRRIC in protecting Australia’s rural companion animals, lead to a broader understanding of the life-changingwork done by the organisation.

Our relationship and support of AMRRIC has extended to matching funding for their donation program – helping AMRRIC step closer towards their vision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that are healthy and safe for people and their companion animals.

We’re passionate about local communities and choose to support one of our local animal welfare charities, CKs Paws, who save animals from death row and take in surrenders of cats and dogs.

To view their list of adorable fosters that are currently looking for forever homes in South East Queensland, head to the Pet Rescue - Paws worth saving website.

We believe in a healthy, active lifestyle for pets and people, which is why we choose to sponsor a local agility dog sports club, Pine Agility Dog Sports Club (PADS).

PADS is 100% volunteer run, not for profit club, offering a broad range of high quality, low cost dog training classes for the local community. This includes multiple levels of agility, instruction, obedience, training skills and fun for dogs. North Brisbane locals should check out PADS for some energetic bonding with your dog.

We love supporting charities that rescue and help animals across Australia. Border Small Animal Rescue is a small multi-species, no kill, no time limit, volunteer run rescue based in Albury/Wodonga.

BSAR animals are in fostered private homes by loving foster families. They pride themselves on ensuring every animal is matched to a suitable forever home. If you want to help or have a look at their cuties that are up for adoption visit their Facebook Page.

PTSD Dogs Australia is a Not For Profit Charity solely dedicated to the rescuing, re-homing and training of suitable displaced and unwanted dogs to support and assist Australia’s First Responders (Fire, Police Ambulance) and the Australian Defence Force (A.D.F) Air Force, Army and Navy suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) both current and retired.

PTSD Dogs Australia also provides personalised / group training and Assistance Dog Certification for people who already own a dog considered appropriate as a PTSD Certified Assistance Dog. As a national organisation PTSD Dogs Australia also provides an education program to inform and promote greater awareness around PTSD certified Assistance Dogs to the greater community in both relevant private and public organisations.