However, Council has failed to provide the community any of their own figures, instead saying figures would be released in the Lost Dogs Home Annual Report sometime in November.
Now, the figures we’re all waiting on are the July 2012 – June 2013 year – meaning they’ll be already half a year ‘out of date’. They clearly exist now, otherwise council wouldn’t be able to call the figures I’ve sourced as incorrect. However, this kind of figures lag gives Councils and charity pounds the ability to constantly claim that the current year is looking brighter. Seems the message is we’re not to worry our pretty little heads about such things – the experts have it all in hand.
But while Brisbane Council says the figures they gave me aren’t correct because of some kind of end of year final adjustment that needs to take place – Council was given these stats monthly. And no one within council saw any problem with the (full) reports below.
I’ve included these because these reports are what are going under the noses of Council each month. And yet they see no requirement to either question the performance of the organisation – nor pass these details onto the public themselves. I obtained these reports after several months effort and the best part of $1,000. These factors alone mean the statistics are out of the reach of most members of the public – and Brisbane residents and pet lovers are being kept in the dark as to what is happening at their local pounds.
(See these reports broken down for reference – DOG // CAT)
So what are Brisbane tax payers, paying for this service which they’re not supposed to ask questions about? Well, when promoting their new relationship with the Lost Dogs Home, Council estimated that about 4,200 pets were impounded every year (about half dogs and half cats), with 16% of dogs and 68% of cats being killed.
The tender was for five years and looked like this;
Nearly $4 million dollars over five years.
At 4,200 pets impounded a year, the Lost Dogs Home is making about $200 per pet impounded.
Council have confirmed that in the current financial year, 13% of dogs and 80% of cats have been killed. Meaning The Lost Dogs Home have made in the vicinity of $400,000 on the backs of pets who they later killed. In a single year.
Keep in mind, pets who are adopted are sold with an adoption fee so extra money is made to cover their standard vet work. Also, that currently rescue groups are blocked access to pets that they would happily take for free (and vet work themselves), leaving the $200 in the hands of the Lost Dogs Home – but they choose not to take this option, but to kill instead.
Of course, as the Brisbane City Council pointed out, there will be more concrete figures in November. I’m hoping the community of Brisbane doesn’t forget about its pets in the meantime (as I’m sure BCC and the LDH are kinda hoping they will).
Four million dollars gifted to them by the community, and the Lost Dogs Home still refuse to offer transparency in return.
I will review once the Lost Dogs Home figures become available.
Clearly our Lord Mayor has not given these reports a second glance.
He talks about the risk of adopting out stray cats…yet I look at the 22 animals who were euthanised in July and there is not a cat among them.
Ok, lets give him the benefit of the doubt and check June’s stats…Oh, not a cat amongst them. I don’t think I need to go further.
What a ridiculous response to this, I am disgusted.