Pound stories

Whyalla Council Pound in SA is under fire for using a gas chamber to kill the community’s stray pets;

“A lot of people were upset when they heard that abandoned animals were euthanased via gassing chamber,” Mr Pollock said.
…
Senior legislation compliance officer Ronald Versteegh said three alternatives would be explored, including injection of barbituates, euthanasia via ‘gassing’ chamber and gunshot.

However, Mr Vesteegh saif it was “highly unlikely” that death by gunshot would be considered a better alternative.

Mr Verseegh said although cost would be considered when choosing an alternative, the council would try and keep costs low.

“Cost is very minimal at present,” he said.

So just how many dogs and cats are being killed by the council? From January this year;

The Whyalla City Council dog pound saw a minor decrease in impounded dogs during the festive season, but still needed to see improvement.
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Mr Woolley said 44 dogs were impounded during December 2009, which saw 24 of them claimed and the remaining 20 destroyed.

This was only one down from the 45 impounded in 2008’s festive season, with about the same claim and destroy ratio.

So when it comes to killing, this council is enjoying a near perfect record so you know, job done. And if people would just stop using the local shelter as a place to take lost pets, there wouldn’t be this annoying backlash about the council gassing these pets to death. Stupid people.

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While in Blacktown NSW, a pound advertises – people respond – pets lives saved… who’d have thunk it? From the Blacktown Advocate;

Staff at the holding facility said the Pet of the Week (POW) article in the Blacktown Advocate (newspaper) increases their incoming calls and inquiries.

“More often than not, the POW is sold almost immediately after going to print,” a worker told us.

“And even when the POW has been sold, some people choose another furry friend to add to their family.”

The rehoming rate of cats at the facility has increased since the introduction of the Cat of the Week.

“It is a little more difficult to re-home cats because a lot of people want kittens.

“But we have had Cats of the Week that residents of Blacktown have fallen in love with,” staff said.

All of the Dogs of the Week are usually rehomed.

Rescuers often see the article in the paper and put their name down to take the dog if the facility doesn’t sell it.

Imagine if pound managers allowed their staff to think up new and innovative ways to get the word out about the pets they have in care rather than just thinking up the cheapest way to kill them? Pets might actually leave alive!