Track champion Caitlin Ward making ‘paw-sitive’ impact on animals lives

When Caitlin Ward isn’t at the velodrome winning Commonwealth gold medals, or standing on the podium at world championships, she is busy giving homeless pets a second chance.

Among the 29-year-olds achievements on the track is winning five Oceania titles, 10 national titles, and multiple world championship and world cup medals.

In 2022, she won gold at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games as a pilot with Jess Gallagher in the 1000m Time Trial B Tandem and the Sprint B Tandem.

And most recently, she returned home from the Glasgow 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships with two silver medals she won with Gallagher in both the Tandem B sprint and Tandem B Time Trial.

But what many may not know is that away from the track, as well as studying a Masters of Physiotherapy at Flinders University, running track sessions for AusCycling in South Australia and co-owning JKT Coaching with Josh Harrison, Ward is an animal foster carer.

“I have always been a huge animal lover and grew up with lots of animals. It is something I have always been so passionate about. I think as an athlete I am so privileged and giving back to the community is so important,” Ward said.

She first started fostering after seeing an ad on Facebook for a cat that needed an urgent foster carer.

“I had just moved into my own unit and felt like I needed to help. It was all a whirlwind and at the time nerve-racking because I really didn't know what I was getting myself into, but it has been so rewarding and I am so proud of the small difference our ‘halfway house’ has been able to make in the lives of homeless animals in South Australia,” Ward said.

That cat was Logan, who she ended up adopting herself.

“We actually foster failed’ him,” Ward said.

It’s one of the risks of the job – falling in love and wanting to adopt all the pets.

“Obviously I get very attached and sometimes it can be really hard to let them go, especially if we have had them for a long time and have a strong bond. But generally I have always gotten to meet the new paw-rents and get to watch them form a bond together, it is really wholesome watching the 'love at first sight' moments unfold.”

Since becoming a foster carer, she estimates to have helped almost 90 cats, dogs and even rabbits, find new homes.

“Sometimes it can be challenging to juggle everything at once but it is always worth it when they find forever homes,” Ward said.

“Watching them settle in is so satisfying. You can see them decompress and realise they are finally safe.”