Approval is sought for the use of the property for the keeping of thirty (30) dogs (Animal Keeping) in a Farming Zone. This application is retrospective and the use of the site for animal keeping has been established for several years without approval.
In excess of 30 dogs (59 confirmed by a site visit undertaken by Council Compliance Officers) are currently being kept on the property.
………From photographic evidence provided by the Compliance Officer it is apparent that the applicant fails to comply with the Code of Practice for the Operation of Breeding and Rearing Establishments.
– Photos show raw meat on the ground for animals to eat, and water containers tipped over.
– Pens do not appear to be cleaned regularly, faecal matter and significant amounts of mud present in pens, around property and on dogs.
– Current method of faeces disposal (Waste bin provided by SITA environmental solutions) not satisfactory. A waste removal method must be implemented which complies with the EPA code of practice.
– All areas appeared to be wet and unclean in photos, there had recently been rain however the dog pens should be designed to provide shelter from this.
– Photos show standard wire farm fencing approximately 1-1.4 metres high, with a family of pigs grazing on the opposite side, next to the road. Neighbours have reported dogs and livestock escaping on a number of occasions.
– All kennels appear to have concrete bottoms, do not appear to provide protection from rain and five kennels are not sufficient to provide for 30 dogs.
– Photos show between 2 and 5 adult sized, large dog species (eg. Alaskan Malamutes) being kept in one pen.
– Applicant has previous history of unregistered dogs.
Objects to the planning application based on the following:
Investigations on the property show that the applicant is running a puppy farm and often advertises through the Melbourne Trading Post. Compliance Officers attended at the property on the 07/09/2009 and 08/09/09 and obtained photographs of the living conditions that these animals are currently enduring. A copy of these photos has been given to planning. Other issues that arose from the visit were;
• The inappropriate and unhygienic manner of animal carcasses left to rot on the ground
• Uncontained livestock on the road
• The number of dogs on the property- 59
• The manner in which the dogs are housed. The house does not provide adequate shelter or space per animal and as shown on the photographs obtained by compliance officers, many of the animals were living and covered in their own faeces.
The pleas of a Beremboke couple to keep 30 dogs on their property fell on deaf ears last night, as Moorabool Shire councillors unanimously voted to deny them a permit.
Melinda and Les Paxton addressed councillors at a meeting at Bacchus Marsh last night to defend themselves against claims in a council report that they had as many as 59 dogs on their property at one time.
The couple made a retrospective claim to house the 30 animals on their Marshalls Lane property.
“The whole thing has got out of hand a little bit,” Mr Paxton said.
“There have never been 59 dogs on the property,” Mr Paxton said.”There were 46 and when (the council worker) told us we could only have 30, we put the rest up for sale on the internet and got rid of them.”
Neighbouring property owners complained about dogs escaping, excessive noise and people shooting kangaroos to feed the dogs.
Council compliance officers also reported that dogs were chained to trees and cars, kept in cages with concrete floors without sufficient water, and that raw meat was thrown on the ground for the dogs to eat.
Still think you should buy that internet pup?
