The SPCA National Animal Rescue Unit provides a technical rescue service for trapped animals throughout NZ. It is a volunteer section of Wellington SPCA.

Innovators and Leaders in Technical Animal Rescue

To provide our community with a professional and credible team to humanely rescue animals. We achieve this by the progressive development of our people and technology.



As the first technical animal rescue unit in the southern hemisphere, the SPCA National Animal Rescue Unit was founded by Wellington SPCA in 1996. Since then it has become a national resource for the SPCA across the country, able to be deployed to specialist incidents involving animals including swiftwater, rope rescue, confined space, disaster rescue (USAR) and large animal rescue operations. This volunteer team relies on donations to continue its work and ethos that every animal life is precious and worth saving.