Our story
Founded in 2006 by Dr Jeannet Kessels and her daughter, Joss
How it all started
In 2006, Dr Jeannet Kessels ran a vet clinic out of a converted spare room in her family home in Camira, Queensland.
Her father, Arie van Klinken, had founded the East Timor Children’s Foundation to support education in a country rebuilding after decades of trauma. He believed education was the best path forward — and his daughter, and granddaughter Joss, wanted to help.
They had a crazy idea: to breed beautiful Groodle puppies that local families would love, to raise funds for a program 3,500 kilometres away.
What started as a small fundraiser quickly grew into something much larger than they had imagined. Local families offered to welcome breeding dogs into their homes as pets — and raise litters alongside their own families. Friends and clients of Jeannet’s expanding veterinary practice got involved too.
A community came together to help others — and have fun raising cute puppies, too!
Who we are today
Two decades later, Groodles Australia has donated over $750,000 to charities including the Timor Children’s Foundation, Beyond Blue, Vets for Climate Action, and Assistance Dogs Australia.
We’re still powered by the same spirit that started it all: a small team of vets, vet nurses, and volunteers who care deeply about enriching lives by raising healthy, happy puppies — and supporting causes that change the world for the better, too.
Our breeding dogs still live as beloved pets with local ‘Champion Families’ around Springfield and Brisbane. Our puppies are still born and raised in family homes — not kennels — so they grow up socialised and ready for life with their new families.
We’re still a health-first breeding program. The whole program is guided by experienced veterinary professionals. Every breeding dog is monitored for temperament, DNA-tested, and hip/elbow scored. Every puppy is vaccinated and health-checked by qualified vets and vet nurses.
And we still get a kick out of seeing gorgeous puppies going to new and loving homes!
