Australians for Animals is 100 per cent opposed to the current practice of killing 250,000 unwanted dogs and cats annually. Pounds are bursting at the seams with dogs and cats who, through no fault of their own, have been abandoned or surrendered.
If you haven’t been to a Council Pound, it’s a sad experience. Dogs frantically wagging their tails, desperate to get out of prison, to give their gift of unconditional love to a new human, forgiving everything that has been their past.
Cats are usually traumatised and have great difficulty adjusting to life in shelters and the lack of a human to love.
AFA is a member of the Tweed Council Pound Advisory Committee. The charity became involved as a result of an appalling case of cruelty at the Pound. Since that event, the Council has made progress in seeking to become a leader in the treatment of Pound animals and AFA will help in that process.
The charity supports 100% Animal Welfare League’s Getting to Zero campaign which has seen a massive reduction in animals being killed. At their Gold Coast shelter, the number of stray animals needing to be put down has been reduced down to 9% of dogs and 24% of cats.
This compares with the national RSPCA average kill rate for unwanted dogs of 29% and 59% for cats.
NSW Council Pounds average 39% for dogs and a whopping 68% for cats.
In Britain, with three times the population, the death rate has come down to 25%.
These are OUTRAGEOUS FIGURES.
AFA supports community veterinary hospitals.
AFA asks the public to get their domestic pets from Council pounds instead of paying breeders and pet shops. You can make an abandoned animal a very happy critter.
Rescued dogs and cats never forget their angels. They dedicate their love entirely to the human who saved them from an awful fate.
AFA says if you are going to have a pet, make sure it’s desexed. There’s far too many domestic animals.
Cats can breed at a fierce rate, desexing is essential.
AFA says if you have a dog, MAKE SURE YOU TAKE IT TO OBEDIENCE CLASSES.
SHELTERS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA ARE DESPERATE FOR FOSTER CARERS. IF YOU HAVE A FENCED YARD AND ARE WILLING TO HELP A DOG OR CAT IN NEED OF A TEMPORARY HOME, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR LOCAL SHELTER.
AFA recommends contacting www.deathrowpets.net. This magnificent organization is doing the hard yards with major efforts to raise awareness and bring down the awesome killing rates.
ACTION:
There’s a desperate need in NSW to change the entire management of companion animals in Pounds.
AFA requests that people write to MP Clover Moore, supporting her efforts to bring about an enquiry into the appalling situation which passes for management of companion animals in NSW. Her email is: sydney@parliament.nsw.gov.au
SHE NEEDS TO HAVE THOUSANDS OF EMAILS SUPPORTING HER EFFORTS TO PRESENT TO THE NSW PARLIAMENT.
MS CLOVER MOORE to move—
That this House:
(1) Appoints a select committee to inquire on companion animal welfare with the view to improving their welfare.
(2) That the committee consider the following:
(a) The number and cause of companion animals arriving in NSW shelters and pounds each year and their outcome, such as whether they get re-homed, re-united or euthanized;
(b) Breeding of companion animals;
(c) The practices associated with the sale of companion animals including from pet shops, markets, pounds, shelters, on-line, classifieds, or to the overseas market;
(d) Mandatory desexing including prior to sale;
(e) The effectiveness and enforcement of Department of Primary Industries’ companion animal policies, standards and guidelines;
(f) The effectiveness of the Companion Animals Act and its application by local government;
(g) The effectiveness of micro-chipping;
(h) Treatment of companion animals travelling by airplane;
(i) The impact of pet bans in accommodation including apartments, strata, retirement villages, and rental properties;
(j) The impact of pet bans on public transport;
(k) The existence and effectiveness of education programs on responsible pet ownership, including the importance of desexing;
(l) Data collection by government and non-government agencies to inform and monitor companion animal welfare; and,
(m) Any other matter relevant to improving companion animal welfare.
OTHER LINKS
http://companionanimalnews.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/pet-de-sexing-project-set-to-go-national/>
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