Sorry guys, I’ve run late to this event (baby wrangling), so I’ve missed a couple of the presenters. Hopefully we’ll have some interesting presenters coming up and I’ll blog them as best I can – I’ve noticed there’s a camera here again this year, so yay!
Mark Lawrie – Australian Veterinary Association WA
– Target desexing saves money. Around 75% of desexing program costs are wasted on pets who would have been desexed anyway.
– Pet shops are often overcritisied – removing them can create a ‘black market’
– CAWS Program – 126 desexing in one day
– in the six months prior they were getting 124 impounds pa
– after the amounts were 18, 15 and 20 pa
– Put in $10,000 in proactive programs – save $20,000 in animal control costs
– Consider an annual, independent audit to see where your organisation can improve.
– Support and encourage research.
Q&A
– Why can’t WA have a desexing van/outreach like AMIRIC in the NT? Simply because the vet surgeons board won’t allow it.
– Can we get mining companies to support programs?
– You have to get vets to do a ‘loss leader’ to encourage them to do surgeries.
– Cat breeder; we want to microchip and sterilised, but vets won’t do the surgeries – what can we do? AVA supports early age desexing, but we need more research. There are some risks, and if you can do them earlier that is better. There are problems.
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Rick Walduck – Microchips Australia
– Follow on from Mark’s preso – You’re more likely to get a good result if you stop saying ‘vets should charge less’ and instead start saying ‘how can we get funding to pay for the surgeries we need?’
– Microchipping – initially the RSPCA was unsupportive (you mean we’ll have to scan every pet?) as were council who didn’t want extra work.
– There are five microchip registries in Australia.
– Portal – PetAddress database. Anyone at any time can punch in the chip number and it will point to which registry has the chip info.
– NSW were chip focused, so their attention was to remove council databases and centralise into one entity – and introduce lifetime registration. Animal control needs funds, so he doesn’t encourage this ‘one fee for life’ strategy.
– Define operational procedures for implantation and scanning.
I’ve just noticed that the cameraman is the same guy who has filmed for the last three years. He probably knows more about cat welfare now that he ever thought possible :D
Ensure there is adequate funding for state legislation.
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Tim Mayne – RSPCA WA
– The RSPCA in it’s submission to government, submitted a request for confinement. They are very happy about the new cat laws.
– They are pleased that WA has the second lowest rate of killing in Australia. They are looking forward to seeing how these new cat laws will bring that kill rate down further.
– Grim story about a sick dog.
– Another grim story about a dog.
– It costs $6m per year to run the RSPCA.
– The RSPCA doesn’t run a public vet clinic because of the vet surgeons act. Limited resources; work with Cat Haven. In previous forums, it’s not the 93% of responsible people we need to worry about, but the 7% of community cat feeders who think they’re doing the right thing.
– This law is going to be a test case.
– There are things we can collaborate on. Working with the Department of Agriculture
– There have been criticisms of the cat laws, but we all must agree that we have a cat issue that need addressing.
Q&A
Old people who board cats should have access to cheap desexing, outside of the vet system – yes, but people who get pets, should realise it is a financial responsibility. It is important we keep the messages about people wanting pets (poor people? sic) knowing they have to pay for pet care.
Question from a ranger about the need for new cat impoundment facilities to enforce the new laws – The RSPCA have had councils out looking at their facilities, recommend using Cat Haven or RSPCA as a model for how to set up a cat facility.
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Michelle Aslander – REIWA
– Great quick preso which I totally missed (sorry!)
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Roz Robinson
– Some of the initiatives the Cat Haven have implemented under the G2Z program;
– Desexing program – ‘snip and chip’ – not means tested.
– Early age desexing
– Adoption centres (pet shops) – only Cat Haven kittens.
– Taking kittens from stores in Canning, giving them desexed kittens in return
– WA has a cat problem; anyone who doesn’t think so need to visit the Cat Haven
– People find visiting shelters traumatic – pet stores are a good solution
– Ranger service, foster care, Snip & Chip – need funding
– Are talking to local councils about taking on pound contracts under the new laws
– The cat bill is not the solution to the cat problem
– need to regulate pet stores
– need to regulate breeders
– affordable accomodation – renters & old age facilities
– no free kittens in newspapers
– councils need to offer subsidised desexing
Animal welfare is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. We need to collaborate and find out common ground. The G2Z movement is the answer.
Q&A
How many pedigree cats do you get? Lots. We had four last week. How many over a year, pedigree cats do you get. About 20.
Breeders have trouble accessing early age desexing, would the Cat Haven be open to doing the early age desexing for breeders? If we have capacity, yes.
(I’ve just had a coffee from the Zoo cafe. It was awesome. As a breastfeeding mum who hasn’t drunk coffee for like two years, IT WAS AWESOME!!!!)
(Mark Lawrie just commented that we need to change people’s perception of cats in Australia. Lucky my presentation is all about why cats are awesome – in fact it is entitled ‘The awesomeness of cats’ . Everything is coffee… I mean awesome)
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Lyndell Byrne – Codirector of ‘Perth Pets in Need’ Facebook group.
– Using social media to save lives
– Growing at the rate of four a day (3,000 members)
– Rescues and the community coming together to bring about change for pets.
– Member engagement – getting people with an interest in pets together and empowering them to help.
Q&A
– Head ranger from the City of Stirling chimed in
– 50 – 60 dogs a week – down to 2.
– A dramatic drop – less in one year than they used to do in one week.
– Education officer
– Volunteer involvement makes for happy pets – people have commented on how happy the dogs are.
– Managing volunteers has been a big part of their new programs.
Natalie Mason Jones
– No Kill animal rescue
– Value equal opportunity for all cats. Treat and rehome cats with medical issues.
(Gotta run – ma bebe needs me!)
