Firstly, when it was found they killed practically everything that walked in their front door.
Again, when the Mayor of the City came out and said that was ok because ‘irresponsible people’.
There was the story of how they ‘lost’ someone’s microchipped and very loved purebred cat.
When they killed a labrador who had a rescue hold for ‘kennel cough’ he contracted while in their care.
And there was the story of the three little fluffy seal-point kittens brought to the facility by a concerned member of the public, only to be marched straight into the kill rooms.
But although these cases seem utterly unforgivable, don’t worry! Campbelltown isn’t done abusing pets just yet…
Parts of Campbelltown’s Animal Care Facility are ‘‘unsuitable and should be demolished’’ according to an independent audit.
The council commissioned two reports to help decide the Rose Street facility’s future, after councillors rejected outright a recommendation to outsource the pound to Taren Point in August.
Animal welfare facility consultants Therian Animal Care Solutions and Animal Shelter Planning Australia (ASPA) both concluded that the current pound does not meet industry standards.
“There is currently a strong need to upgrade the shelter in order to comply with current Animal Housing Standards, to control disease and increase shelter capacity to reduce the number of animals being euthanized each year,” the ASPA report states.
The shelter is made up of a three-year-old administration building, and five rows of 60 dog kennels — all of which are more than 30-years-old.
Both reports found the floor, walls and partition surfaces of the kennels do not comply with animal housing standards.
Current guidelines state the kennels should be kept between 15 and 30 degrees celsius but the Campbelltown facility does not have air conditioning, which ASPA recommends to reduce the spread of infection and disease.
Some of the kennels get little sunlight or ventilation, and their configuration means dogs face each other, which can increase the animals’ stress levels.
The small cattery currently has space for 14 mobile cages, but their failure to meet size and capacity requirements render them inadequate.
The pound is a falling-to-pieces shithole which is actively harming pets. Council should probably do something about that, yes?
A council report, tabled at Tuesday night’s Planning and Environment Committee meeting, listed three options for the facility:
– Refurbish the existing facility at an estimated cost of $3.5 million;
– Construct a new facility on the premises, keeping the administration building, costing around $5 million;
– Relocate to a purpose-built facility, at a cost of about $5.5 million.
Which did the City choose to do at the council meeting last night? They chose to their hands and continue to let the City’s pets suffer.
From Poundcc Group (the reform group working in the City);
Last night was Campbelltown City Council’s meeting. A report was presented from last weeks committee meeting with an amendment that was sound and well received by this and other groups in Campbelltown that want change at the facility, it was defeated.
Instead more reports will be generated, more money will be used on consultants and nothing will happen in the near future for the wellbeing of dogs, cats and other animals of Campbelltown.
We would like to thank Councillors Rowell, Matheson ,Greiss & Hawker for attempting to bring the facility up to standard and improve it to a ‘Number 1’ facility.
We attempt to keep this profile as positive as able but we are deeply sadden that without improvements and lack of space at the facility there will be an increase in euthanasia.
The rescues do a wonderful job and last quarter (July to September) were able to take 60 dogs and 19 cats. The tragedy was that 19 dogs and 59 cats were killed to make room for incoming dogs & cats. These dogs & cats were not sick or unfriendly animals these were someone’s pet.
The staff do a great job trying to find adoptions and rescue. They are not to be blamed for the state of the facility.
If you are angered by this please feel free to contact Campbelltown Councillors. Email addresses are on the councils website.
Campelltown animal lovers – Council still hasn’t gotten the message that you care about what happens to the pets of your city. None of your pets are safe all the while this facility is allowed to continue to maintain its title of the worst council pound in Australia.
Don’t assume someone else is going to rally for positive change – join the Poundcc Group and ask how YOU can help fix this. The pets – your pets – need you to take action today.
References:
Campbelltown Animal Shelter Audit Report 4th November 2014
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This pound shouldn’t take in animals if they can’t make an effort to return them to their owners, or rehome them, or give them to another rescue shelter.