4 comments to “Should you blow the whistle?”

  1. Susan Irwin | May 19, 2014 | Permalink

    A much needed resource for anyone wanting to speak up but having no idea where to start or who to turn to. I hope it reaches the people needing it, Great blog!

  2. Pound Reform Alliance Australia | May 19, 2014 | Permalink

    Read the below inspiring account of Susan Irwin, the ex-staff member and whistleblower whose courage to speak out led to life-saving changes at the Geelong Animal Welfare Society two years ago. Susan was elected as a board member at the GAWS Annual General meeting held last week: https://www.facebook.com/Pound.Reform.Alliance.Australia/photos/pb.439776302757122.-2207520000.1400481398./536803836387701/?type=3&theater

  3. Joy Herring | May 19, 2014 | Permalink

    I can fully endorse the advice above as it happened to me. Thankfully I had help from Pet Rescue, Pound Reform Alliance, The Animal Justice Party and The Rate Payer’s Association.
    It meant that the Pound where I was a volunteer for 6 years was able to be reformed and changed. It was hard work, very stressful but very, very worth it.

  4. Trisha Taylor | May 19, 2014 | Permalink

    yes a great article. It doesn’t mention however the problem that community foster care networks and other rescue groups deal with in Victoria. You are on the outside and under the Victorian system given dogs or cats on a grace and favour deal. When is what you know too much? For us it was the kitten shootings in Mildura Pound, a cover up, that the Council got away with, but then were more careful after that about what animals they shot. But the staff involved in that ‘training exercise’ are still there. Mostly we deal with it and hope for improvements but we have walked away from more than one pound where we were not prepare to deal with them, knowing the circumstances, but left the door open for other groups to step in which they have. Our recourse is to work at changing the regulations and the Code because until then it is an unequal playing field, with the threat that we cannot take animals if we don’t compy being the threat. Well, our group is past that now. After 8 years we work with pounds that genuinely want to change. If they consistently don’t do the right thing we will walk away and say why we are, and yes animals will die because of it. But we have to look beyond the current dogs and cats to real change. Of course things happen we don’t like but we will bear it as long as we see a forward path. But for the reactionary pounds, no we are no longer prepared to just cop what you give us. Take that as a warning.