True love couple need new home

  Gold coast News; Milena Stojceska   |  February 5th, 2010

 Popeye and Olive are looking for homes this Valentine’s Day

 PAIRS like Popeye and Olive will be banking on loving new owners looking for canine couples at Coombabah’s Animal Welfare League on Valentine’s Day.

 It took a year-long appeal to find the chihuahua couple a home last year, but they are back at the AWL and looking for another loving home after their owner had to surrender them last month.

 The pooch pair, who spent 11 years as strays looking out for one another, are among dozens of old-timers seeking adoption.

 AWL business development manager Sue Gilbert said the league expected desperate singles and elderly sweethearts to find a home as locals flocked to the inaugural Valentine’s event on Sunday, February 14.

 ”We’re looking for loving couples to take in these sweetheart couples,” she said.

 Ms Gilbert said most people hesitated to take in sweetheart couples because they thought too much responsibility was involved.

 However, she said most pet pairs were elderly couples and were less maintenance than younger pups.

 ”It can be really stressful when one parts from the other because they have been sweethearts for years,” said Ms Gilbert.

 The program offers a sausage sizzle, cupcake stall, face painting and a professional photographer will be on site for all animal owners and their beloved pets to pose in a heart-shaped backdrop.

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Pet owners will need licence to breed

  Gold Coast News; Melinda Marshall   |  February 5th, 2010

 GOLD Coast pet owners will need a licence if they want their dog or cat to have a litter, under proposed new regulations slammed by pet shop owners as ‘mandatory desexing by stealth’.

 The City Council intends to introduce permits to target backyard breeders and cut the number of unwanted kittens and puppies.

 The State Government-backed pilot program could be adopted statewide.

 Pet Industry Association state co-ordinator Paul Westaway slammed the scheme which requires permit holders to desex kittens when they sell them or give them away. Puppies will escape the snip.

 ”It’s mandatory desexing by stealth,” said Mr Westaway, a member of the stakeholder group that developed the plan.

 ”It is impinging on people’s rights.”

 Animal Welfare League strategic development officer Joy Verrinder, who led the stakeholder group, said cats intended for breeding would be exempt from desexing.

 The scheme would reduce the euthanasia of 4000 cats and dogs on the Gold Coast each year, she said.

 Breeders and pet owners alike would have to apply for a permit if they wanted their animals to breed, and comply with an animal welfare code of practice.

 If the permit plan is approved at the council’s Monday meeting, it will go out for public comment and is expected to come into force mid-year.

 For original article, click here

Animal dumping distress

Albert And Logan News, 03 Feb 10  by Koren Helbig

 TANYA Watkins’ heart sank when she opened a small box, punctured with just five tiny holes for ventilation, and found three half-grown kittens huddled inside.

The Southside Pet Barn owner said the young cats—the latest in a string of animals to be dumped outside her Rochedale South store—were riddled with fleas and left without water.
“We’ve got security footage and you can see a big van pull up, the person walk in and just leave this small box out the front,’’ she said.
Over the past four years, Mrs Watkins has found kittens, doves, guinea pigs, chickens and even a 6ft coastal carpet python dumped outside her Underwood Rd pet store.
The fed-up mum-of-two has pleaded with pet owners to be more responsible after two dumpings in as many weeks.
She said more than 30 rats—many of them babies—were abandoned in a “filthy’’ cage early in January.
Mrs Watkins said dumped animals often sweltered in the sun for hours before staffers arrived to open the shop at 8.30am.
“For some people pets are a low priority, especially with the recession,’’ she said.
“But it’s against the law to dump animals and we do give any details we get to the RSPCA who can follow through and fine offenders.’’
Animal Welfare League spokeswoman Gabrielle Wheaton said the tough economic climate had affected dumping levels.
She said the league had been inundated by dogs and cats in the last three months and was refusing all but emergency cases as its Coombabah and Stapylton centres reached capacity.
“We collate data on why animals are surrendered and we’ve actually had to create a new category for people who give up their pets because they’ve become homeless,’’ she said.
Ms Wheaton said the league took in more than 400 cats and dogs from the Logan area last year and nearly 8000 from across south-east Queensland.
She said 90 of those were surrendered because the owner could no longer afford to care for their pet, while another 20 were handed over because their owners became homeless.

Agencies that can help:
- The RSPCA takes unwanted animals, but owners must pay a fee to help cover the cost of their care. See http://www.rspcaqld.org.au or phone the Fairfield shelter on 3426 9911.
- Pet Rescue offers tips to help solve common pet problems and ways to safely rehome your animal. Visit http://www.petrescue.com.au.
- The Animal Welfare League can place animals needing a new home on its shelter waiting list. See http://www.awlqld.com.au.

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Bidding madness riles locals at Blacktown Pound

Blactown Advocate;  19 Jan 10; CHRISTINE O’MALEY

 MORE animals are killed at Blacktown Animal Holding Facility than anywhere else in the state, yet it continues to use an archaic system where people have to bid to rescue a homeless pet.

The system allows the council to make money but puts some popular animals usually the cute puppies beyond the reach of an average family.

It also raises questions over whether it promotes pet adoption when the RSPCA has successfully opened its first non-profit pet shop at Rouse Hill.

Early this month, a little female terrier at the pound grabbed so much attention she was bid for by a dozen people and eventually sold for $400.

The Castle family, who missed out on the dog despite entering a bid of $150, 2 times the minimum sale price of $60, are outraged, saying 11 other dogs could have been rescued.

Instead, 11 families went home empty-handed.

“Our kids (aged 11, 4 and 22 months) were very disappointed,’’ Glendenning father-of-three Sean Castle said last Friday.

“They had picked out names.

“All we wanted to do was rescue a dog $400 to rescue a dog?

“You can buy a dog for that in a pet shop,’’ Mr Castle said.

A Blacktown Council spokeswoman said the bidding system was introduced to discourage semi-professional and backyard breeders who would go to the pound every morning and buy the desirable animals.

She said animals within the pound’s seven-to-14-day holding period could be bid for.

“When the animal is due out, the highest tender is contacted and offered the animal,’’ she said.

Cr Russ Dickens, a Blacktown vet, said the “worthless’’ system should be eliminated.

He introduced a no-kill policy late last year and said removing the tender process would help save animals on death row.

In 2008, 1419 dogs and 3146 cats were put down at the council facility.

“We don’t want to make money out of them,’’ Cr Dickens said. “We want to get them out of there and into a positive environment.’’

Another reader wrote to the Advocate online saying she was shocked when staff told her she had to bid on a staffy-cross puppy.

The Castle family eventually bought a cavalier king charles spaniel privately for $260 much less than they would have paid at the pound.

`It was an awful experience and we won’t go back,’’ Mr Castle said.

“It’s discrimination against people (on a limited income) who can’t afford to buy a dog, but who want to rescue a dog.’’

A council spokeswoman said the tender system was brought in to protect the average person.

“Prior to the introduction of the tender system semi-professional/backyard breeders would attend every morning on opening to see what animals were available to obtain,’’ she said.

“The average person who was unable to attend as regularly as the breeders would not have the same access.’’

At the animal shelters at Hawkesbury and Sutherland, there is no bidding system.

The RSPCA declined to comment on the bidding system.

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Stark reality of Greensborough cat cull

Diamond Valley leader; 12 Jan 10 by Saeed Saeed

 

Kittens wait for a new home at the Greensborough shelter. STEVEN CRABTREE N29DV802

 IT is a small and sparse room, no bigger than 3m by 4m with a small bed in the centre.

 It is here where up to 11,000 cats are destroyed each year.

 Dr Carol Webb, executive director of the Cat Protection Society of Victoria, is quiet when she takes the DV Leader to the room as part of a tour of the organisation.

 “Cats who are deemed as wild, suffering of serious injuries and ill are taken here and we put them to sleep,” Dr Webb said.

 She said this in a matter of fact way and indeed, the way cats are euthanased in the centre is similar to falling asleep.

 One cat at a time is placed on the bench.

 The veterinary assistant would raise the cat’s leg, exposing the necessary vein where Dr Webb would inject an overdose of barbiturates.

 It only takes a moment and the cat is dead.

 No anguished moan or pleading purrs.

 The cat’s eyes close and silence returns to the room.

 Dr Webb is no stranger to this room.

 Sometimes she or a fellow veterinarian can euthanase up to 90 cats a day.

 Earlier this morning she administered a final dose to a cat that was found by a council officer.

 The cat was in agony after suffering severe injuries when it was run over by a car.

 “It is really the saddest and most heartbreaking thing you have to do,” she said.

 “Many people who have to do this go through long-term grief because of this.”

 This could also explain the high turnover of staff in such organisations.

 The Cat Protection Society of Victoria is not only a place where you can purchase a cute and fluffy kitten.

 It is here where you see the daily tragedies of an out-of-control cat population, careless owners and the cruel treatment of cats masquerading as pranks.

 “Cats don’t have the high profiles that dogs have,” said Dr Webb, who herself owns eight cats and today wears gold cat shaped earrings.

 “But they can be more emotionally giving than dogs. It’s just that sometimes you have to take the first step.”

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Foster a dog; save a life

Wollongong and Northern Leader

January 12, 2010

DOGS on death row can be saved through an innovative fostering program.

Corrimal resident Roz Elliott, whose two dogs were saved from pounds, is fostering eight-month-old mixed breed Kayla until she is permanently adopted.

“I can’t achieve world peace and I haven’t got a cure for cancer but I can save a life,” Ms Elliott said.

She came across the website rockysk9rescue.com, run by Blacktown dog lover Merna Karam.

Ms Karam and her team of volunteers save dogs from the pound, have them desexed, wormed and registered before leaving them with foster families while looking for permanent homes.

“It costs nothing,” Ms Elliott said. “All you have to do is love and feed them.”

She said the rescued dogs were temperament tested to ensure they weren’t aggressive and were safe to be around children and other dogs.

“It’s a great way to get to know different breeds and you have a pet with no long-term commitments.”

Anyone able to foster or donate toys, blankets or food should visit rockysk9rescue.com or contact 0405 320 601.

To access original article, click here

Pets dumped for the holidays

ABC News, Mon 4th Jan 2010

Canberra’s RSPCA received a record number of domestic animals in December.

 More than 600 pets were surrendered to the animal shelter by their owners last month.

 Young rabbits, mice, rats and kittens were the most common animals given up.

 RSPCA spokesman Michael Linke says it is frustrating when owners dump their pets simply because they have not organised anyone to care for them while they go on holidays.

 ”It seems odd to us but it does happen,” he said.

 ”People don’t make arrangements, people forget to book in a house-sitter or forget to book into a local cattery or kennelling facility.

 ”Then all of a sudden it gets to a couple of days before their holidays, they have no idea what to do with their animal so they take the easy option and leave it at RSPCA.”

 Mr Linke says many of those owners will purchase new animals.

 ”Invariably those people will then go to a pet shop or go to a classified advert in the new year and acquire a new pet,” he said.

 ”Nine times out of 10 that pet won’t be de-sexed and the breeding cycle will continue and next December again RSPCA will see large volumes of animals.

 ”We’re hoping to try and solicit some change of this attitude over time.”

 Feline boom

 Mr Linke says there is also a feline population explosion in Canberra at the moment.

 The animal shelter is overrun by 250 abandoned cats and kittens with another 150 cats in foster homes.

 It is a problem every summer breeding season but this year numbers are up 20 per cent.

 Mr Linke says the mild winter played a part in the population boom but lax enforcement of desexing laws is also to blame.

 ”Cats need to be desexed by the time they’re three months old,” he said.

 ”Our concern is a lot of cats sold through the newspaper, a lot of cats being sold in pet shops, are being sold un-desexed.”

 Mr Linke says more enclosures are being built to deal with the influx and all of the animals will be looked after for as long as it takes to find them new homes.

 To access original story, click here..

Cats ‘weren’t feral’

Sunraysia Daily, Liz O’brien, 19 Dec 2009

A MILDURA Animal Shelter worker, who last month blew the whistle on cat shootings at the pound, yesterday claimed more than six animals had been shot.

The man, who was working at the shelter under Centrelink’s Work for the Dole scheme and witnessed the shootings, contacted Sunraysia Daily yesterday after council refused to respond to his allegations.

Animal lovers across the nation and abroad were appalled to hear accounts of cats being shot last month.

It prompted calls for Mayor Glenn Milne to step down and for the council worker who shot the animals to be fired.

Council later admitted to shooting six “feral” cats, despite having a contract with a Mildura veterinarian to euthanise animals.

At that time, the shooting was dubbed cruel and unnecessary by RSPCA president Dr Hugh Wirth who said a formal investigation would be launched.

The witness said he was keen to set the record straight on the shootings, including “false” claims that the impounded cats were unmanagaeable and wild.

“I just really wanted people to know they weren’t feral and that there wasn’t only six of them,” he said.

“I am the one who put them in the cages.”

 For more of this story, purchase your copy of Saturday’s Sunraysia Daily 19/12/2009.

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Explosion in number of kittens abandoned

Sunraysia Daily; Jono Pech; 19 December 2009

DOZENS of kittens saved from Mildura animal shelter are in need of foster homes.

The number of cats delivered to the animal shelter in November this year was 91, which is 49 more than for November last year.

Elizabeth Linklater from Gol Gol is working with Sunraysia Animal Rehousing Group (SARG) to find foster homes for dozens of kittens saved from the pound.

She said Mildura pound was becoming overrun with kittens and she was looking to house them after having their vet work done through the Victorian Dog Rescue organisation.

“Some people have sponsored them so they can be re-homed with a pensioner who can’t afford the vet fee,” she said.

“Two litters went on Saturday to Melbourne to Victorian Dog Rescue, but I’m trying to start off re-homing them locally in Mildura.

“I’ve got two litters of kittens now that are absolutely adorable, and a few adult cats too.

“They’re the sort of ones we’re looking at re-homing with all their vet work up to date.

“For a male kitten it’s about $150 and female about $180, which is just covering the vet fees.

 For more of this story, purchase your copy of Saturday’s Sunraysia Daily 19/12/2009.

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$76,000 funding for AMRRIC to print ‘Dog Health Programs in Indigenous Communities- an Environmental Health Practitioners Guide’

AMRRIC PRESS RELEASE- 16 Dec 2009

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Minister Hon Jenny Macklin announces $76,000 funding for AMRRIC to print ‘Dog Health Programs in Indigenous Communities- an Environmental Health Practitioners Guide’ and to roll out regional Training ProgramMinister Macklin has approved funding for AMRRIC (Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities) from the Aboriginal Benefits Fund to print ‘ The Guide and workshops will give all people engaged in animal management and welfare – and particularly those based in remote communities – greater practical knowledge, improve their skills and equip them better for the complex task of managing companion animals in remote communities. It will broaden the skill base of Aboriginal Environmental Health Workers and other Aboriginal people already employed by Shire Councils in their own communities.

Ms Hardaker stated ‘ At a time when dangerous dogs, attacks and a sad death are making prominent headlines, this is a sign that help is on its way to improve these unacceptable standards for safety in communities. ‘

Dog Health programs in Indigenous Communities- An Environmental Health Practitioner Guide’- written by Dr Samantha Phelan. The planned workshops will equip remote Shire/local councils to respond to increasing pressure to take up responsibility for developing and implementing effective and sustainable animal management strategies, in line with urban local government. The ‘Guide’ fills a large gap in the resource base available to environmental health and animal management staff on the ground. The writing of the Guide was funded by Environmental Health WGATSIEH. ‘we believe that animal health is an indicator of human health and wellbeing. It is also a critical and often overlooked element in the ‘Closing the Gap’ strategies’. The project as a whole presents an opportunity to lay the foundations for improving overall community health and contribute to the success of ‘Closing the Gap’. ‘the guide and the workshops will give remote communities the capacity to take control of and manage sustainable and effective animal health strategies’. The Guide responds to Aboriginal cultural needs and helps to develop the skill base in remote communities and will create openings for jobs. ‘Some people in my community have dogs that have been given to them by a special ceremony. There are ceremony ways of keeping dogs. I sing about dogs. I dance dogs. I hear dogs getting killed. Dogs are related to us. Dogs are family, but people in my community don’t know they carry disease.’ AMRRIC believes this project will go a long way in helping communities to deal with these issues in an appropriate way. We trust that this funding and project will promote collaborative development of animal management plans and complement and extend existing and successful networks developed by AMRRIC to build sustainable animal management plans’. Everyone likes to have healthy and safe communities to live in’ Ms Hardaker ‘and this funding will help contribute to that goal’ she said in Darwin today.

AMRRIC EO, Julia Hardaker, can be contacted on 08 89418813

juliah@amrric.org www.amrric.org P.O.Box 1296, DARWIN, NT, 0801