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ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

Old Jan 1st 2008, 12:41 am
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Unhappy ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

Hello,

I am a member of the ******** forum, and my hubbie is a member of this forum. We live in Townsville. I have started a campaign to raise awareness of animal welfare isues in Queensland, and would like to share with you this letter that I have written to just about every politician (inc Kevin Rudd as a Brissie man), councillor and animal welfare organisation I can, and am getting some positive responses so far. I hope you find it of interest, and can help to raise the profile of animal welfare. And please support your local animal shelter - they are fighting a losing, very sad battle.


Subject: Domestic Animal Welfare in Queensland

Hello,

I have recently moved to Townsville from the UK, having spent many years as an RSPCA Inspector/ Chief Inspector there near London. I had to retire due to a back injury, which has fortunately now nearly resolved. My husband (a former Police Officer) and I decided to move here for a new life.

The first thing we did on arrival was to volunteer at the Townsville shelter - as you will understand, the RSPCA is always in your blood and I want to do whatever I can to help out here.

However, the animal welfare situation in North Queensland has left me stunned. Truly stunned. What the staff at the Townsville shelter are trying to deal with is totally inhumane for them - over 100 dogs and 100 cats a week are arriving, and the vast majority of these are being euthanased. Yes, of course euthanasia is better than being left as a stray, but the impact on the human beings who has to carry out this deed - approx 30 animals every single day - should not be underestimated. They are animal lovers after all. Why on earth can a rota of vets not be brought in - each vet doing one session a week. RSPCA staff should not be killing machines.

Are you aware that vets in the locality are taking animals they have been charged with euthansing into the shelter ? Is that to rehome them or because they don't want to euthanase themselves ? That elderly animals (15 years plus) are handed over for the 30 dollar fee to be euthanased, to save the owners the cost of boarding fees whilst they go on holidays ? That SIXTY dogs arrived in one day - yesterday - after severe storms, and a conservative estimate is that only five or so will be reclaimed (it costs money to get your dog out of the pound and there are hundreds of free giveaway dogs every day in the local paper). The only way that North Queenslanders will get the message about animal welfare is through education and tougher penalties, and possibly a free neutering scheme.

Are you aware that the Council wants the stray pens outside the shelter re-instated ? When the council last put these in place, RSPCA staff would turn up to find locals had dropped off pig dogs in the same cage as a box of kittens who had subsequently ripped them apart whilst still alive. Are these the actions of a civilised people or ones which the council would wish to repeat? In adddition, the clear up of the resulting bloodbath which the staff regularly had to deal with was horrific and the physchological impact to their welfare is inhumane and can only be guessed at.

I would like to give my sincere praise to our local RSPCA Inspector Cliff Singer. Having done the job for ten years myself, I know how tough it can be, but to be on your own with a patch of thousands of miles to try (how on earth can it be done ????) and cover is truly beyond me. I have offered him whatever support and help I can give him, but I know he has an uphill, lonely and very sad struggle. I always used to say, you can only save the animals in your patch, but with a patch that big, what hope is there ?

I have written to the local paper ( they are supporting the shelter fantastically), and my letter has been published. This has given me encouragement to continue doing what I can and writing letters . I will also send this email to RSPCA UK. I know there are a lot of British in Australia who have no idea of the true animal welfare situation here, and I have a posted the link on the "******** - Queensland" forum to try and drum up support for you from us poms in Oz, and am just about to do so on the BritishExpats forum.

If there is anything more I can do, please please let me know. But more than anything, please provide support for the staff at Townsville - they need a new cattery, more kennels, more staff, more publicity, a second Inspector, a full time education officer. Maybe a free neutering programme for a month ??? The shelter ( and the animal welfare) is only as good as the staff that work there, and they are under more pressure than I have ever seen.

I applaud and support your stance regarding the Japanese Whaling issue. As someone who is obviously concerned with the welfare of animals, I hope that this concern will extend to the plight of domestic animals in Australia, and particularly Northern Queensland. Perhaps education regarding animal welfare could be included in school curriculums alongside the teaching of environmental and conservation matters?

I look forward to your comments, and remain a devoted supporter of the RSPCA.

Yours truly Allie Hanson.



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Old Jan 1st 2008, 6:21 am
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

bumping up - please read....
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 8:15 am
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

[QUOTE=alliekate;5724625] The only way that North Queenslanders will get the message about animal welfare is through education and tougher penalties, and possibly a free neutering scheme.[QUOTE]


I think the free neutering service is an excellent idea, will it apply to all Queenslanders or just the irresponsible pet owning ones?

Last edited by cresta57; Jan 1st 2008 at 8:21 am. Reason: sort quote
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 8:54 am
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

Originally Posted by cresta57
Originally Posted by alliekate
The only way that North Queenslanders will get the message about animal welfare is through education and tougher penalties, and possibly a free neutering scheme.

I think the free neutering service is an excellent idea, will it apply to all Queenslanders or just the irresponsible pet owning ones?
Edit: Quote /Quote sorted
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 9:26 am
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

Originally Posted by Timber Floor Au
Edit: Quote /Quote sorted
Way to much gin
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 9:57 am
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

I have no idea where to start, but the VB is going down very well at the moment.

I just really hope that if us POMS stick together and try, try, try to educate, we might make a difference.

This is a throwaway society - sixty pre-loved dogs in one day at Townsville shelter, and hardly any of those will be reclaimed. We cannot turn our backs on what is going on - well I will not, so I think they will get a bit sick of me. Do I care ? Only for the animals that end up at the shelter with no future, no hope.

I want to send my love and support to the staff at Townsville, especially Inspector Ciliff Singer, who has a patch of thousands of miles. In the UK there were six of us just in Surrey.

Sorry to rant, but this needs to be said.

Alliekate xxx
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 11:53 am
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

When you look at what so called civilized humans do to others it`s no suprise that they can mistreat animals. (look at that poor wee 10 yr old who was raped & murdered in Queensland today)The world really sucks at times.
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 12:23 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

Yes and what about the ten year old girl who "consented" to be gang raped, and two weeks ago the ten offenders got off "cos she asked for it".

God what is going on in North Queensland ? She was not even of legal age, let alone agreeable to be gang raped. And it had happened to her at least twice before.

This place has a long way to go to becoming civilised, black, white or bloody green with yellow spots. And the judge was white.

So what hope have the animals? That is my point.
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 12:31 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

It really breaks my heart, we had a 'pre-loved' dog when I was a kid in the UK, and I've got alot of scars to show for it.
Now we've got a dog from the AWL near habour town about 3 years ago. He is a nutter too, but he is a springer spaniel, and my brother had a springer in the UK, so I know they are as smart as a plank. But they are incredibly friendly, and I can't believe our Jock got abandoned 3 times before we took him.

Can't believe the *insert you own word here* who desert dogs.

That was my and Mrs JTLs xmas present to each other, we gave money to the AWL.

The awl website is

www.awlqld.com.au

Though it seems to be down at the moment.

JTL

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Old Jan 1st 2008, 12:34 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

We got our neutered dog from RSPCA in Oldham.
It is well known locally that cats and dogs can be neutered for a reasonable fee and that families with low incomes can have their pets neutered free or for a minimum fee. I totally agree there is a really good system here.
J x
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 2:12 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

Well done Alliekate i applaude your efforts
All the the best to you & yours in your crusade against animal crueltywell done
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 2:54 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

I'd just like to throw in my support too. I've recently written to both my local MP and to Anna Bligh to try and get things changed in QLD, but no reply from either of them so far. I asked why people are allowed to keep un-neuterd animals. Does anyone, other than a registered breeder need a "complete" animal? I can't think of any reason.
I also really, really want selling dogs and cats in pet shops stopped. It makes it far too easy to impulse buy animals, which are then thrown out when the owner realises it maybe wasn't such a good idea. If the choice for getting an animal was a proper breeder, or the local animal shelter, I firmly believe that more animals would find new homes, and maybe by reducing the number of impulse buys by unsuitable people, the number being surrendered to shelters would drop too.
Maybe I'm being naieve, but the state of animal welfare here is a real concern for me and hopefully one day someone in a position to do something will listen. Copy of my letter to Anna Bligh below.......

Good morning.

I am writing to enquire as to the Premier's view on animal welfare, and more specifically the subject of pet shops and the high numbers of unwanted pets euthanized each year in Queensland. I firmly believe that selling animals from shop windows is an outdated, and somewhat cruel (having them live for weeks in a small glass case, having minimal exercise) method, unnecessary in today's society. Making puppies and kittens, in the most part, available so easily leads to people being taken in by their "cuteness" and impulse buying, even though in the long term the suitability of the animal, or family may be in question. An animal should be bought because there is a genuine desire to give a home to an animal in the long term, not because someone thinks it would make a cute present at Christmas. If the sale of puppies and kittens was to be restricted to registered breeders, there could be no complaint of an unlevel field from the pet shops, as they would all be subject to the same restrictions. They would still perform a vital role in supplying pet food, toys, certain medicines etc, as well as fish and possibly birds. Faced with the choice of finding an animal through a breeder, more people may be inclined to take the "easy" option (as is human nature) and visit an animal shelter before buying a far more expensive animal from said breeder. Thus, we would be reducing the number of impulse bought animals and thereby reducing the number of unwanted animals being surrendered to shelters, and also perhaps finding more homes for the ones that have been surrendered.

Consideration should also be given to the possibility of making it illegal to keep a "complete" animal unless you are a registered breeder. Numerous studies have shown there to be no truth to the persistent myths that desexing a dog will make it "less of an animal", more aggressive, or gain massive amounts of weight. Advice I have received from several Vets is that desexing may actually prevent some medical problems in animals. There is no need for the average man in the street to have a "complete" animal, which may be allowed to breed uncontrolled due to sheer laziness or unconcern from it's owner. This may also have an effect on the cruel practice of "Puppy Farming", where a considerable number of pet shop animals come from.

I moved to Australia from the U.K over 2 years ago, and have recently become an Australian Citizen. I am proud to be an Australian now, but I have to admit that I have heard of more stories of animal cruelty, both from the media and people I know who have been witness to it, since my arrival here than I ever did in the U.K, a country with a population 3 times that of Australia. I sincerely believe that the heart of the problem is the easy availability of animals and the allowance of unchecked and unwanted breeding. From the not inconsiderable amount of dogs that seem to be allowed to roam the suburban streets, to unwanted kittens being thrown from the window of a moving car on the highway, these incidents highlight that some people are unsuitable to own animals. We would never allow people to adopt a child without strict suitability testing, so why should we not apply a small measure of such to animals.

I am faced with a headline on the news this morning that just one Brisbane animal shelter has had to put down over 1,000 animals last month alone! Nobody with any compassion can think that it is an acceptable thing for a so called civilised society to treat animals as such. Mahatma Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." We have a duty to protect them as best we can.

I understand that the world's focus is on climate change at the moment, as it is a very important issue. Maybe we should think about why people are so obsessed by it though? Is it because they believe that the world and all things living on it is a wonderful place that we as humans should do all we can to protect, or is it because people are more worried about themselves, the price of their water and food and the predictability of the weather when they take their summer holidays? I'm sure there are people in both camps, however, in my eyes we have to look after what we have. It is our moral obligation, whether that is a forest or a cat.

I thank you for your time, and look forward to receiving your views on this subject.

Kind regards,
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Old Jan 1st 2008, 5:37 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

I applaud you for taking this action and raising awareness. Its amazing that we see Steve Irwin doing his bit for conservation and awareness of certain animals yet the humble cat and dog are treated this way.!!

I remember when we came back to the UK many aussies said it would be cheaper for me to get my dog put down than pay the $3000 air fare back to the UK, they just made me so angry as many of these people had "pets" but many of them had dogs that lived only in the yard.....never walked, put on a leash or let into the house so they can be "part of the family ".

I know that this does not apply to every aussie. Anyway I am digressing from what you are trying to do.

I wish you lots of luck with this, well done.!!I hope something good comes from your heart and head felt efforts.

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Old Jan 1st 2008, 7:17 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

Wow that letter is awesome!!!!

If you want the list of email addressess mine has gone to, let me know - including Kevin Rudd and every MP and councillor in Queensland. And the main papers - The Australian, Canberra Times and stuff.

The more of us that shout, the louder they will hear.

Thanks so much for your support !

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Old Jan 1st 2008, 11:27 pm
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Default Re: ANIMAL WELFARE QUEENSLAND !!!

There are two sides to every story, here's another view:
On the Friday before Christmas we had Jehovah's Witness people in our area canvassing for support for their particular religious club. They visited the houses in groups of 2-3 as per the norm.When they got to my mates house they left the gate open while they wandered down the 500m driveway. Both his dogs were having a run in the yard, it's fully fenced with a large sign on the gate asking to keep it closed.
As a result of their unwanted visit both dogs escaped to explore the neighborhood. Both were spotted within mins by a bloke who works for the local council. The upshot was they were loaded into an estate car, collars removed, deliberately kept until the pound was closed then tied up outside of it until next morning. [We know this because it's happened to several other dog owners in the area & the same distinctive rope is used to tether them "out of hours" to the pound gates]
My mate rang the two local council pounds within an hour of the dogs disappearing & continued to ring hourly until close of business. Next morning he rang again to be told they were found tied up outside of the pound at 5am that morning. He went down to collect them and was informed that he'd have to pay $150 to reclaim the dog, when he said he'd come for the two that were found tied up that morning the figure became $300.
The sad thing is that with only a couple of days before Christmas & with my mate being a low income earner he simply didn't have $300 laying around. He pleaded but they wouldn't budge so he had to make a choice which dog would he pay for and which one would be destroyed. He then had to explain to his kids why they could only have the one dog back.
That may explain why so many dogs are kept tethered in yards. It may also explain why the pounds are so full. It goes a long way to explaining why so many end up in the pound after storms bring fences down.
I realise that the animals need to be fed & staff need to be paid. What I don't understand is the attitude that if you can't pay your pet is destroyed weather it's your fault the animal escaped or a tree falls in a storm or a malicious neighbour takes your dog to the pound. Yet again the work shy drop out's are exempt from these fees with anyone working footing a bigger bill:curse:
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