Pet Industry blocks suburban animal rescue centres

For  Immediate Release – Sydney, January 18th 2009      From: CatRescue NSW

Pet Industry blocks suburban animal rescue centres-
“Industry claims community rescue centres will impact pet shop profits”

Sydney NSW. The NSW Pet Industry has knocked back a proposed idea to allow council and community groups to set up small suburban rehoming centres for abandoned animals as they see it would compete with the profits of Pet Industry members, says CatRescue, the group who have pitched the idea.

The program, which is part of a 10 point plan proposed by CatRescue to help address Pet Overpopulation, came about after reviewing similar successful programs in other parts of Australia and around the world.

“The problem is that council pounds are located literally miles away from the general public, in the bush. They are open very odd hours and aren’t exactly good rehoming. Whilst you are interviewing a potential new home, three more people are waiting in a queue behind you to dump their poor sick animals”

“Our proposal is to use some of the Companion Animal Fund, the money that is set aside to reduce the problems of animal overpopulation, and work with council to set up suburban rehousing stations, that way we can have better access to people. Similarly, community groups will get onboard and assist in driving people, information and support to the rehousing station”

“They wouldn’t compete with Pet Shops as all we do is find new homes for animals, in fact, any smart pet shop owner would partner with the program and get the flow on product revenues”

But PIAA’s newsletter, “Pet News” has come out in angry opposition, claiming the idea is part of a socialist policy driven by PETA aimed at “destroying private industry and replacing it with government run stores “. “The Australian puppets of PETA should decide what their ultimate intention is” it said in it’s Jan 14th publication

“I don’t know what they are on about” said CatRescue. “We wouldn’t know a PETA person if they walked up in the street and bit us, all we want to do is find homes for thousands of dumped animals, no conspiracies, just getting the job done”

CatRescue and a number of other members of the Community program are pursuing the program nonetheless, with the first proposed rehousing station likely to open early this year.

More information contact Derek Knox or Kelly Lachman at CatRescue