Rescue groups denied access to Young pound

The volunteer, Harden local Lisa Ryan, says she wants to work with council to re-home impounded animals but council says legal and budget constraints complicate the issue. 

According to council’s 2011/2012 companion animal report – the latest available – Young pound euthanised 169 dogs and cats, 78 per cent of those left unclaimed. 

In early March, Ms Ryan re-homed 12 dogs and nine cats from the pound in her capacity as a transporter for animal rescue groups. 

She arranged a vet to come to the pound to vaccinate the animals and provided them with fresh meat and worming tablets.

But since a May meeting between herself, general manager Peter Vlatko and planning, environment and strategic services director Craig Filmer to discuss continuing the practice, she hasn’t been granted access to the pound. 

Ms Ryan sent an email to Mr Filmer in June informing him a shipment of donated bedding, dog coats and worming tablets was on its way for the impounded animals. 

Mr Filmer responded advising her that it was not her place to organise any operational functions of the pound.

“They’re not open to proven workable solutions that are working in Cootamundra Council down the road,” Ms Ryan said. 

Ms Ryan said she received no thank you for her efforts and was disappointed by what she called their “entrenched” attitude on the issue.

She said as weeks went by animals were potentially being euthanised.

Mr Vlatko told The Witness the issue was on hold until a re-homing report was presented to council.

 “What we said to her was she doesn’t have any rights until council works out its policy,” he said. 

Mr Vlatko said the onus for the care of the animals should be on the owners in the first place and questioned why council should pick up the costs for their irresponsibility. 

Ms Ryan said this was an outdated argument and council was responsible for the animals in their care.

“Revenue received by council for the care and management of impounded animals must be used as intended, including education, not blaming their community,” she said.

Ms Ryan claimed the conditions at the pound weren’t up to standard and that a canine parvovirus – commonly known as parvo – outbreak was present during the times she visited. 

“It broke my heart seeing four beautiful dogs die,” she said.

Mr Filmer said parvovirus was common in pounds and that council had a thorough sanitation process to deal with it.

He said spending $100 to $200 on vaccinations to prevent parvovirus was pointless when most of the animals would be destroyed within seven days of arrival. 

Mr Filmer told The Witness council complied with state government guidelines in its provisions for the animals.

And he said he was “deeply disturbed” at animal blogs labeling the council as “pet killers” when they were meeting their legal requirements.

However, Ms Ryan insisted council was not meeting a requirement of the NSW Companion Animals Act which stated pounds should seek alternative placement for companion animals before they were killed.

Mr Filmer quoted a sub clause to the act which stated councils should only do so if “practical”.  

“I’m happy to look at re-homing for the small percentage that may fit re-homing ability subject to time, budget and the work constraints of my ranger,” he said. 

Mr Filmer said while he was open to placing a list of the available animals on the council website, they were not keen to use social media or conduct a marketing campaign, as suggested by Ms Ryan. 

At Cootamundra Council, compliance officer Glen McAtear said an animal rescue volunteer implemented program – including a Facebook page and website - had led to them only euthanising dangerous dogs.

“If we get a dog that is suitable for re-homing, it will be re-homed,” he said.

Mr McAtear said he had just nominated the volunteer for an award in light of her efforts.

Lisa Wright of Maggie’s Rescue - which received all the cats and eight of the dogs Ms Ryan transported from Young – said they’d all been re-homed apart from one pregnant dog living with her. 

The dogs included a Chihuahua she said went ‘viral’ on social media and a Pomeranian X Factor host Luke Jacobs’ sister adopted. 

“People are beating past our door to adopt them, so why put these dogs down?” Ms Wright said. 

* The Young Witness has  also offered to run  a Pet of the Week section in the paper free of charge in an effort to re-home the impounded dogs.