Australian rescue news

 

WA’s cat laws passed on 1st November last year, or just a little over 6 months ago. Despite tens of millions of dollars being spent on their implementation, new reports show “out of three of Perth’s larger councils, only one had issued fines since the laws came into place.”

These laws were suppose to ‘get’ the bad owners. That was the design. If we ‘got’ the bad owners, in theory, our cat problems would be solved. Unfortunately, cat laws don’t work that way. Pounds get bigger, more cats are impounded, but laws do little to address the community’s cat issues.

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The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) has called on the RSPCA Tasmania to stop shooting animals without medical advice. The TFGA claims it receives regular complaints from farmers who say RSPCA inspectors are heavy-handed in their approach and destroy animals without consulting the owner.

“Quite clearly if someone comes on to your property, they shoot your pet dog because its 15 years old, or the family cow that’s been the pet forever, because somebody who isn’t a vet thinks that it’s in a state of ill-health that is unmanageable, without making an attempt to find out whether its in a medical treatment program, somebody is going to be upset.” ~ TFGA CEO – Jan Davis

 

The RSPCA has one vet in Hobart who works two days a week, and although inspectors are not qualified as vets, the RSPCA says it is not required under legislation to inform owners or seek veterinary advice before it takes action.

“We’re certainly not obliged to run around and seek external assistance.” ~ Chief inspector Paul McGinty

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A former executive manager at the RSPCA ACT who provided confidential information to the media and his union about plans to pump concrete into rabbit warrens has failed in his application for unfair dismissal.

The Fair Work Commission instead found that the RSPCA was justified in dismissing the man and Commissioner Deegan said the applicant’s motive for providing confidential documents to the union and a journalist were “part of a deliberate attempt by him to undermine the position of the CEO”.

 

The man gave details of plans to pump concrete slurry into rabbit warrens to an industrial officer, claiming the way in which the rabbits would be killed might be a breach of the Animal Welfare Act. The leak became the basis of an article in the Canberra Times.

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After taking an absolute flogging for its poor performance and the shooting of people’s pets, the now infamous Leeton Shire Council (NSW) is working with the community to try and solve some of its issues;

… changes will include the employment of a third ranger next month, a re-homing program at the Leeton pound, better education surrounding pet ownership and the restricted use of firearms.

 

Council claims that in future ‘rigorous checks’ will be completed before an animal is put down, euthanasia will only be used as a ‘last resort’ and the Council pound’s focus will be on shift from killing to ‘rehoming and animal welfare’.

Congratulations to all the community members involved in bringing these issues to light, and for continuing to work to bring about positive change for the pets of Leeton.

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Sunshine Coast Council (QLD) plans to amend local laws to continue with compulsory cat registration, with a $124 fee for owners of cats not desexed.

Back in July 2009, the Queensland state government mandated Compulsory Cat registration. In September 2013 – after a blow out of expense in the law’s implementation, a failure of the laws to achieve the stated goals, and the rejection of the laws by local councils – Queensland repealed state-wide mandatory cat registration, handing responsibility back to individual councils.

For the past twelve months, councils have been left to review whether to continue with the policy, or to let it lapse.

Following an extensive review of a number of key factors including current cat registrations, impound statistics, impacts of cats – areas of concerns, benefits of registration and risks of discontinuing registration, council today supported the proposal to amend Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011 to include a requirement for owners to register cats.

 

When previously implemented, Sunshine Coast’s financial projections looked like this;

Nearly $200,000 of the community’s funds used primarily for staffing to impound cats, and vets to kill them.

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One of the (now four) dogs stolen from Cranbourne Lost Dogs Home, has been found. ‘Karma’ was returned to her family, after being found on the street by a dogwalker.

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Australia’s first pop-up cat cafe has place more than 200 homeless cats and is in need of help. The Magill Rd cafe, situated in a former warehouse, is now looking for sponsors to come forward so it can stay open permanently.

Volunteer Kelly Haniford said the not-for-profit cafe run by Paws and Claws Adoptions allowed cats to roam around as prospective foster parents had a coffee and bonded with the felines.

RSPCA SA chief executive Tim Vasudeva has thrown his support behind keeping the cafe open, saying it made cats more accessible to potential owners.

“Any proactive adoption program which helps to responsibly and lovingly rehome cats and kittens, particularly during kitten season, should be encouraged,” Mr Vasudeva said.

 

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Victorian ‘Breed Specific Laws’ now being used by researchers internationally as a case study of FAILS.

This is your legacy Dr Smith.

The National Canine Research Council’s paper, ‘Breed-specific legislation in Australia: a cruel mandate imposes big costs’ says the Victorian breed-specific legislation is a waste of tax payer dollars and it has not succeeded in reducing dog bite-related injuries.

 

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Is Wodonga Council (VIC) looking to privatise their City pound? A volunteer to the facility claims that Council intended to call tenders for the Kane Road site from either the Lost Dogs’ Home or RSPCA.

Wodonga Mayor Rodney Wangman says his council has no plans to privatise the city’s pound but a note in the draft budget outlines an intention to review and-or outsource its services.

 

Currently Wodonga Dog Rescue take animals from the pound.

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Compassion comes in many forms. Basil the fox has become the Medway Golf Club’s unofficial mascot and he can be found wandering the course regularly on game days. Golfers feed him sausages, and chicken necks, while others simple want to capture a photograph of him.

Club golf professional John Dixon said the fox first appeared about three years ago as a young pup.

Mr Dixon said he was sick but they helped nurse him back to health. Since then, he has lived behind the 14th hole.

Mr Dixon said he thought he had seen it all on the golf course until Basil came along.

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Making these twitter posts seem even more relevant than ever;

 

 

Have you caught PetRescue’s Tash on MasterChef?