A pet rescue group in Northam is aiming to improve the lives of local students, disabled workers and recovering drug addicts all while improving the lives of abandoned canines at the same time.

Founder of A1 Wheatbelt Dog Rescue, Matt Sharpe, reached out to Northam community groups to involve them in the welfare of the dogs in his care.

Veterinary Nurse students studying at the nearby Muresk Institute have completed the first course run by Central Regional TAFE which involved treating puppies and emaciated animals — bringing them back to health before they are re-homed.

Puppies from the rescue group are being treated by vet nurse students. ( Supplied: A1 Wheatbelt Dog Rescue )

"It's a two-way street. For us we get the vet work done by the students here, the vaccinations the microchipping and the health check," Mr Sharpe said.

"The girls and the guys get hands on experience with dogs and pups right through to helping heal really emaciated welfare cases.

"They get to see aggressive dogs and it's preparing them for the future when they are actually at a veterinary practice because they would have seen lots of different things before they start work."

Dr Suellen Kelly runs the 12-month Vet Nursing qualification course and said the experience was invaluable for the students.

Veterinarian Dr Suellen Kelly said her students at Muresk Institute got valuable experience treating the homeless dogs. ( ABC News: Mark Bennett )

"We are doing full health checks, so the students are carrying out those examinations. We are then giving them their first vaccine, worming them, flea treatment. We've also done skin scrapings and doing other minor works for dogs that have had an issue.

"It's vital to give the vet nurse students the hands on experiences in a controlled environment before they go out into clinic and finish off their course."

Help from all sides

Mr Sharpe has also involved disabled people at the rescue shelter as well as drug addicts from a residential rehabilitation centre near Northam who can build their work skills.

"We have two groups that help us and that helps them as well," he said.

"We have a not-for-profit organisation called Fresh Start and they have men's rehabilitation programs, for drug and alcohol issues.

Matt Sharpe is bringing the Northam community together by involving various groups in his A1 Wheatbelt Dog Rescue organisation. ( ABC News: Mark Bennett )

"The blokes come out to the pound once a week. They take the dogs for a walk, they help clean, they do some gardening, we have anywhere up to 10 at a time."

Christian and his carer, Jake Clark from Essential Personnel Lifestyles based in Northam, have been coming to the pound every week to help teach Christian how to care for the dogs.

Mr Clark works with people with disabilities, bringing them to the dog yard to get them involved in the community, as a way of getting work placements for them.

"Christian comes down every Tuesday for about an hour, " Mr Clark said.

"He will work with the dogs, wash, groom the dogs, help clean out the pens, he seems to enjoy that.

"Christian has been wanting to do this for a long time because when he started up his own dog washing business he just wanted to learn new skills how to wash dogs properly and how to groom them."

Therapy works both ways

Justin McGlinn is a recovering ice addict staying at The Hill and said the rescue centre was helping animals as well as people.

"I walk the dogs about once a week. We spend maybe 15, 20 minutes each, take them for a walk, get a bit of exercise and get them out of the pound," he said.

"It's very therapeutic because they really appreciate getting a walk, it's their only chance to get out and it's probably the same for me as well."

Abandoned dogs are brought back to health by the group before being re-homed. ( Supplied: A1 Wheatbelt Dog Rescue )

Dr Kelly said Northam was lucky to have Mr Sharpe who she said was helping the local community as a way of saying thank you for the Northam Shire allowing him to use the old Northam pound as a pet rescue centre.

"More WA communities that have dog pounds in their town or suburb could help themselves from working in a voluntary capacity with the animal shelters," Dr Kelly said.

"Matt understands the connection between animals and people and how that can bring a community together, and there are a lot of communities across WA where a program like this would benefit a lot of people and a lot of agencies in the community."