Stonnington City Council has for nearly three decades, been working with The Save-A-Dog Scheme.
Save-A-Dog Scheme has a no kill philosophy and seeks to re-home every animal that comes into its care. Save-A-Dog Scheme believes that the dichotomy of a dog being “Man’s Best Friend” on the one hand and an unwanted article for destruction on the other is totally unacceptable.
“The Save-A-Dog Scheme was the first organisation to instil a no-kill policy, where animals are seen as valued and not regarded as items for destruction. This was 28 years ago, and it still has Council’s full support today,” said Save-A-Dog Scheme founder and President, Pam Weaver
And it works. Pets entering the facilities are kept healthy, are reunited with their owners, are treated and rehabilitated, and are given a chance with a new family. A winning partnership.
By contrast, Maribyrnong City Council impounds with the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne. Less than half of all dogs and just 4% of cats are returned home. Rescue groups are blocked from accessing death row pets. Killing is the primary tool used to managed their shelter population, and as a result, the figures are barely comparable…
| Stonnington | Maribyrnong* | |||||||
| DOGS | 2007/08 | % | 2010/11 | % | 2011/12 | % | 2007/08 | % |
| Intakes | 272 | 255 | 255 | 515 | ||||
| RTO | 237 | 87% | 216 | 85% | 208 | 82% | 253 | 49% |
| Killed | 2 | <1% | 2 | <1% | 2 | <1% | 178 | 35% |
| CATS | 2007/08 | % | 2010/11 | % | 2011/12 | % | 2007/08 | % |
| Intakes | 127 | 135 | 130 | 866 | ||||
| RTO | 28 | 22% | 8 | 6% | 18 | 14% | 33 | 4% |
| Killed | 7 | 6% | 3 | 2% | 4 | 3% | 816 | 94% |
*The newest figures available for the Maribyrnong Council, in their Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP), are deliberately vague at best, with ‘average per year’ figures and ‘projections’ given, rather than full and actual stats.
Maribyrnong’s draft (DAMP) is currently up for review. Council do not acknowledge that their kill rates are too high nor do they include any strategies which will substantially reduce these figures. In fact they continue to promote policies which directly result in higher impound and killing rates – cat trapping programs and the enforcement of cat curfews.
Rejecting the high kill model in Maribyrnong is vital to bringing about positive change for all pets in the state.
The Lost Dogs Home are 30 years behind the Save-A-Dog Scheme for one reason, and one reason only, because they choose to kill, rather than implement the programs and services that would stop the killing. And we have been compliant to date, allowing them to renew council pound contracts without resistance. Today is the day for you to lend your voice for genuine change.
All Victorian pet lovers should visit the Pound Reform Alliance Facebook page for suggested wording for feedback to Council. Even if you are not a resident of Maribyrnong, please take the time to share your thoughts.
This makes me sad to live in an area that this many dogs and cats are killed for space.
I hope Maribyrnong Council has a good hard think about their attitude towards these poor souls and changes their laws. I cannot begin to express my sadness at this situation.
Maribyrnong Council should be ashamed working with that disgusting organisation Lost Dogs Home
This explains why no-one wants to take dogs/cats to the lost dogs home ! I’m ashamed of the maribyrnong council ! I’ll be voicing my disgust. Why is there no opportunity for rescue groups to save ! The save a dog scheme is doing great work .
I used to live in the Maribyrnong area and I am shocked to read the above statistics…. Everything else about the area is appealing but that information just erases all the good. Based on that I would not consider moving back into the area, I could never support such a high kill rate and poor view of animals. Maribyrnong council need to have a hard look at the issue and rectify it, there are many dog lovers in the area that I know of who would also be appalled by those stats…. ????