Janet and Jack Arrive Home... but Their Mission is Not Over Yet!

Not many people in the world can claim to have walked across Australia but, then again, Animal Aid Abroad’s (AAA’s) founder, Janet Thomas, is no ordinary woman! Accompanied by her trusty rescue dog, Jack, she has achieved something quite extraordinary by WALKING ACROSS AUSTRALIA FOR WORKING ANIMALS. On the 4th of October - World Animal Day – Janet and Jack finally crossed the finish line of their immense trek, to be greeted by supporters, loved ones and much fanfare, at City Beach Foreshore in Perth.

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To recap their incredible journey…

  • Janet and Jack set out from Melbourne’s Federation Square on Sunday, 29th March, 2020

  • Their mission was to highlight the heartbreaking plight of millions of working animals and raise $250,000 to fund AAA’s eighteen partner projects

  • The gargantuan 4142.23-kilometre journey was undertaken entirely on foot and paw, in just over 6 months

  • The resilient duo faced all manner of challenges, including six weeks in isolation due to COVID-19, road trains, blisters, exhaustion, weather extremes and an unfortunate accident with a ute

  • The serenity of the outback, breathtaking natural landscapes and encountering other travellers were high points along the way

  • Janet’s amazing partner, Martin, acted as a one-man support crew for the entire trip

  • The inspiring pair featured in various magazines, newspapers, radio stations and television channels, including Woman's Day, The Standard, The Post, Curtin FM, ABC, GWN7 and Nine News, amongst others

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Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who has donated to the Walk Across Australia, a wonderful $160,245.60 has already been raised. Although the Walk Campaign is coming to an end, there is still time to donate if you haven’t already! The campaign will remain open until Monday, 2nd November up to midnight, so if you would like to make a difference for some of the world’s most abused and overworked animals, please visit: www.gofundme.com/f/walking-for-working-animals or make a direct deposit into the AAA account: BSB: 066103; Account No. 1023 2438.

Every dollar will be directed towards AAA’s critical projects on the ground, assisting sick, injured, abused or neglected working animals in desperate need. All donations, both small and large, will be gratefully received and are tax-deductible in Australia.

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If you decide to become a monthly AAA donor, you will also go in the draw to WIN a one-on-one lunch with the fabulous Janet and Jack, where you will learn everything about their Walk Across Australia! See the news article about our competition for further details.

There will also be a special event during March 2021 in Perth, Western Australia, to commemorate Janet and Jack’s trip-of-a-lifetime. Please stay tuned to learn more… the date and venue will be revealed soon!

Click to see Janet and Jack’s walk photo album: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPj5zBaEUYnOM9dr15uJeK53fVJFrhzLY7xwjeP40Pn-4MAmHME0Lzz4lsAJgwlBQ?key=UmtUcnljQlh4amQtTEFoRFhzUmRXUHI3aGdCMFV3

See the routes and distances they covered here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1M--YjVm1W4jdIE_3JF4XOtEBFjKIQAqD

Janet Thomas