We are committed to promoting responsible purchasing and ownership of these beautiful, unique dogs, while serving as a trusted resource for the public on breed traits, care needs, behaviour, training, and bonding with livestock or poultry.
Founded in 2016, WCMR is guided by compassion, experience, and the belief that these specialist dogs deserve homes where their instincts and needs are truly understood and supported.
Rescue & Sanctuary: We provide a safe haven for dogs at risk of euthanasia or surrendered due to behavioural challenges or unsuitable environments, giving them the stability, care, and individual support they need to recover.
Rehabilitation: Our specialised rehabilitation programme carefully introduces dogs to livestock and chickens. Suitable young dogs are then guided through the bonding process with chickens, goats, and sheep. Each dog receives essential veterinary care, including sterilisation, vaccinations, and diagnostics where needed, along with tailored behavioural support to help them build a healthier, more secure future.
Responsible Rehoming: We carefully match each dog with a permanent home that understands the needs of livestock guardian breeds, assessing suitability, fencing, and compatibility.
Education & Advocacy: We educate owners about the responsible care of livestock guardian dogs, promote informed placements, and speak out against unethical breeding and unsuitable homes.
Maremma Sheepdogs are not typical companion dogs. Like all livestock guardian breeds, they are independent, protective, and driven by strong instincts that can make life in suburban or urban homes difficult.
When these traits are misunderstood, dogs are often surrendered for behaviours such as barking, roaming, or protectiveness. Combined with overbreeding and unsuitable placements, this has led to high surrender rates.
Through rescue, rehabilitation, and carefully considered rehoming, WCMR helps these dogs find the safety, understanding, and future they deserve.
Dogs that have received thorough veterinary care and a careful behavioural assessment
Clear information about each dog’s background, temperament, and suitability, including experience with livestock, other animals, fencing, and supervision needs
An adoption process that includes an application, property check, trial period, and lifetime support, with a return-to-rescue guarantee if circumstances change
Ongoing advice and support to help you manage and care for a livestock guardian dog in its new home
If you have acreage or livestock and are looking for a loyal, purpose-driven guardian dog, we’d love to hear from you.
We also welcome enquiries from those interested in volunteering, fostering, or donating to support our work.
Your support helps us continue the vital work of rescue, rehabilitation, and education for this special breed.
The Pastore Maremmano Abruzzese Sheepdog (PMA), known in Australia and other English speaking countries as the Maremma Sheepdog, is an ancient Italian livestock guardian breed with roots stretching back more than 2,000 years to Roman times.
Originating in central Italy, the breed developed across two regions: the Maremma plains of Tuscany and Lazio, and the mountainous Abruzzo region.
Bred to protect flocks from wolves, these dogs were once recognised as two separate types the Sheepdog of Maremma and the Sheepdog of Abruzzi.
In 1958, the Italian National Dog Association formally unified them under one name: Cane da Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, meaning “dog of the shepherds of the Maremma and Abruzzoregions.”
This unification reflected the long-standing tradition of seasonal sheep migration, or transhumance, between the two areas.
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