A shelter from the pain JULIE’S ANIMAL RESCUE

Victims of domestic violence can rest easy knowing their fur babies are in safe hands

While pouring the foundations for the purpose-built Pet Refuge animal shelter, charity queen Julie Chapman took a moment to place some special items in the concrete – silver spoons from her mum’s collection, a treasured photo of her late parents and an etching of their names, Alice and Kenneth Helson.

It was a quiet homage to her mum and dad, whose generous inheritance from the sale of their home allowed Julie to realise her dream of helping animals in Aotearoa through her new charity Pet Refuge.

“I would love for Mum and Dad to see the shelter, but it wouldn’t exist if they hadn’t passed away. Unless I won Lotto, I wouldn’t have been able to do this, so absolutely, this is their legacy,” shares Julie, 49, who is best known for her work as the founder and CEO of Kids Can, the country’s leading charity dedicated to providing the essentials to Kiwi kids affected by poverty.

Her latest brainchild, Pet Refuge, is a unique animal shelter which provides loving and free housing and care for pets affected by domestic violence while their owners and families escape abusive relationships and set up their lives again.