Institutionalised cruelty can only be remedied by a massive shift in expectations, asserted by explicitly specifying new requirements, coupled with legislation to force those maintaining the status quo to change.

NSW pounds are some of the most craptastic in the country. Which is completely out of line with the expectations of pet lovers of the state, whom are some of the most sophisticated in the world. Whether its a dog family enjoying a camping holiday, a city-living cat owning family, or pet-lovers bonding with a beer at a pet-friendly cafe – pets are a valued part of life in NSW. So why doesn’t their pound system reflect their progressive views? Why doesn’t the NSW pound system value pets as individuals and family members?

A new piece of legislation is looking to begin to remedy the situation. Currently under consultation, is the ‘Dogs and Cats in Council Pounds and Animal Shelters Guidelines 2014’.

The Standards look to “prescribe legally enforceable requirements which apply to any… facility operated by or for a local council, other organisation… which is used for the accommodation or shelter of dogs or cats for the purpose of housing or finding new homes for stray, seized, abandoned or unwanted dogs or cats.”

Potentially a very good thing, no? To enshrine a set of standards as to how a pound or shelter should treat the animals they’re responsible for?

It’s not a particularly long document – and I’ve read plenty of legislation which mandated all kinds of stupefyingly complex or onerous requirements – but this seems pretty dare I say it … sensible? And I would say, most things people think pounds are already responsible/required to do.

Check out a quick and dirty Saving Pets condensed version of the guidelines…

Seems pretty reasonable to me. So, anyhoo – this Standard has gone to local councils for their feedback. The result could have been an amazing moment for animal welfare in the state. Sure, it might cost a bit more to offer this level of ‘improved’ service (gack) to their community – which would have made it an excellent opportunity for some of the more disadvantaged pounds to lobby their councils for the funding, they say they’ve always needed, to provide something more than a third-world experience for pet owners.

But my dearest regular-reader-of-this-blog, it will not surprise you to hear what the reaction from pound management has been to these proposed improvements; they’re threatening to kill more pets.

I know! it almost never happens whenever pound management get a whiff of an excuse (GST, rental crisis, global warming, financial downturn, christmas, easter, summertime, a windy day), that their go-to emotion is killing… but in this instance, the pounds have taken a stand!

They can’t possibly meet these unreasonable expectations. And to expect them to do so will lead directly to an outbreak of barbituate poisonings.

16 local councils are now writing NSW councils appealing to the Minister – Department Primary Industry, to complain that if they need to abide by everything in the standard it will cost ‘so much’ that they will have ‘no choice’ but to increase killing. They also have hurt feels that they had no input to the design of the legislation. If only they were allowed to have had input then – rather than now – they could have derailed any improvements into welfare much earlier.

The next strategy will be to take these wah-wahs to the public. YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO KILL DO YOU PUBLIC? And simply, if they are forced into a corner of having to improve operations – to stop abusing and neglecting our pets – they’ll have to absolutely start killing pets in retaliation.

Abuse or death – it’s your choice. You will therefore need to support them in their plans to keep everything exactly the same as it is now…. or the pets get it.

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If you think the legislation to protect pound pets is long overdue (the full legislation can be read here) – please take the time to write to your local council and let them know you support improvements in their operations, and that you want the money you spend on pet registrations put towards improvements in care. You can also contact your local paper’s ‘letters to the editor’ to ask pet lovers to read the legislation and offer their support.

This is a massive opportunity to improve the situation for pound pets in NSW. Do not lose it.