In the late 1990s two wonderful women, well known in the community for their tireless efforts with homeless and neglected animals, saw an opportunity to establish an animal refuge for the Port Douglas/Mossman region. Jenn Cooper, founder of Animal Welfare Port Douglas and Fiona Buchanan founder of Friends of the Animals approached the International Fund for Animal Welfare for assistance in the purchase of a private boarding kennel business operating in Craiglie just outside Port Douglas. They were successful in their request for funds and in February 1999 purchased what is now known as the Homeless Animal Society and Boarding Kennels. Although they had purchased the business neither Jenn or Fiona were actually able to work at the proposed refuge. It was agreed and Jenn approach Bianca Maguire, an employee at the Young Animal Protection Society (YAPS) and a Cairns resident to see whether she would be willing to move to Craiglie to live at the refuge as a live-in manager/caretaker. After much deliberation Bianca agreed and in March 1999 moved to the region to take up residency at the refuge. The charter of the Homeless Animal Society & Boarding Kennels Inc. was, and still is, to care for mistreated, neglected and Homeless animals and then to rehouse them back into the community. The previous business had operated as a private boarding kennel but the facilities were rundown and much work was needed to bring the kennels up to scratch for its new residents. Bianca and Jenn sought assistance from the local community and were able to get some materials and labour to build additional kennels, fence off yards, and buy supplies such as bedding, food, first aid kits, food, toys and other essentials required to look after dogs. A committee was formed to run the organization and the name Paws and Claws Kennels Port Douglas was registered as a trading name. The refuge has always been a not for profit organization and does not receive any regular government funding, as such it was, and still is, required to generate its own funds to keep the door open. The committee agreed to offer the services as a boarding kennel to local residents to bring in some operational funds. Other services were also offered such as hydrobaths for dogs.