RSPCA vigil will mark pet deaths

HERALD readers may be familiar with the story of Max the Pointer, killed at RSPCA Rutherford last year despite his owner being given more time to pay the impound fee, and him wearing a rescue group tag with phone number.

What is less well-known is that the RSPCA killed Max just after their 2012 Million Paws Walk fund-raiser, the start of another yearly cycle in which 50 per cent of RSPCA NSW’s combined intake of cats and dogs do not make it out of their facilities alive. 

According to RSPCA NSW’s  2012 figures, they euthanised over 14,000 cats and dogs out of an intake of 28,000.

For the RSPCA, the Million Paws Walk at Morpeth Common on May 19 is, I believe, a public relations opportunity.

It is also a chance to add to its $10 million annual profits and huge share portfolio.

For others, like myself, it is day of sorrow, a sad reminder that RSPCA’s cycle is about to start again.

That is why I am attending the Justice4Max Vigil to be held outside the Million Paws Walk on May 19.

We will mourn the death of Max and thousands of other innocents, and  encourage the RSPCA to see that it must change its ways.

Geoff Davidson,

Ourimbah

Original here…

 

 

Vicious dog law move

Mercury, Tasmania, MATT SMITH   |   April 22, 2013

DOG owners have been put on notice with the State Government warning tough new laws on dangerous dogs are on the cards.

The call comes as the first new amendment to the Criminal Code, that makes a person who does not take appropriate precautions to control a dog liable for up to 21 years in prison, heads to the Upper House.

The new amendment places a dog in the same category as anything that could put a life in danger including weapons.

Attorney-General Brian Wightman said the amendment contained within the Crimes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill included extending the definition of anything that could endanger human life to animals.

Pups will live to bark another day under new pets policy

Courier Mail ; ROBYN IRONSIDE; April 17, 2013

NO PUPPY put up for sale in pet shops will be put down in Queensland under a new policy announced at State Parliament yesterday.

Agriculture Minister John McVeigh joined eight-week-old pups Bobby and Phil for the announcement of an agreement between the Pet Industry Association of Australia and the RSPCA.

Under the deal, micro-chipped “ethically sourced” puppies sold through Queensland’s 140 or so PIAA member pet stores will be re-homed if abandoned or returned.

It is not known how many pups are destroyed if they are unwanted after being bought from pet shops but RSPCA CEO Mark Townend said the figure could be considerable.

About 40,000 dogs a year are put down in Queensland but that includes those euthanased for medical reasons.

PIAA Chief Executive Roger Perkins said the new policy was about guaranteeing “happy pets for life”.

“What this policy will do will be to substantially reduce the euthanasia rate,” he said.

“Previously that dog may’ve been euthanased for no decent reason because it was unable to be rehomed. Now we’ve struck this deal with the RSPCA, they will take that dog into their care and rehome it.”

Mr Townend said contrary to common belief, the RSPCA did not put down dogs after a certain period unless there was a behavioural or medical reason to do so.

All pups sold in PIAA member stores would also be guaranteed not to come from “puppy farms”, Mr Perkins said.

Original here..

Put an end to greyhound racing

Illawarra Mercury  INEZ HAMILTON-SMITH; April 15, 2013

While you were at home this past Wednesday evening, maybe cooking a nice meal or relaxing watching the TV, greyhounds were racing at various tracks around Australia. These dogs were literally running for their lives. Some didn’t make it.

At the Dapto greyhound track, three greyhounds lost their lives.

The first greyhound that died was Shez’s Way. She was a 19-month-old black greyhound.

This was her very first race. Something happened at the first turn and Shez’s Way stopped running. The track vet inspected her and found she had a serious fractured leg. Serious enough that she wouldn’t race again. When you are a greyhound and you can’t race, you are generally considered worthless. Shez’s Way was put to sleep. 

Temp tested into the kill zone: shaping the future a conversation about canine behaviour evaluations.

Veterinary behaviourist Kirsty Seksel says : “the sad reality is that many of the dogs relinquished to these groups (Rescue Groups) are not suitable for rehoming and should be euthenased in the interest of the long term welfare of the dog. Unfortunately there is little if no expertise in many of these groups to assess the suitability of these dogs for rehoming purposes”

Download  and read this article here , just copy link into your browser

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15878506/NSW%20Taskforce%202012/Temp%20tested%20into%20the%20kill%20zone_Seksel.pdf

Ms Seksel is CEO of ACAC ( Australian Companion Animal Council)

House debate: Independent Office of Animal Welfare

Government House debate, Monday, 11 February 2013

Independent Office of Animal Welfare

Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health, Homelessness and Social Housing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to take this opportunity to speak about the proposed Independent Office of Animal Welfare. Last November, caucus acted on the 2011 National ALP Conference platform commitment to establish this much-needed oversight body and I am pleased to say that work on the model for the office is well advanced. Australians care about animals, farmers care for their livestock, families care for their pets and people feel passionately about Australian wildlife. There is virtual unanimity regarding the importance of the humane treatment of animals, yet public faith in Australia’s animal welfare system has been undermined in recent years by revelation after revelation of cruelty to livestock, both here and in countries to which we export live animals. In almost every case, the systemic mistreatment has been revealed by animal welfare groups, and the public is right to wonder how these incidents can happen when Australia has good animal welfare laws and prides itself as a world leader in animal welfare.

A vision for the future??

Sunday Tasmanian – Pet Column for 31^st March

How about this as a vision for the future? Not only are we caring about the cute animals that share our lives, we’re caring about them all. High standards of care and protection for all animals is accepted by the majority of the population, politicians, legislators and authorities. Strong and practical animal welfare legislation is in place nationally and supported in law.

An official public database provides access to procedures for delivering good animal welfare outcomes. Animal lawyers defend mistreated animals and confirm high standards of animal welfare to the public. This is the vision of Antione Goetschel, the world’s first lawyer for animals who will be speaking in Hobart on April 29^th.