Pet industry association (PIAA) tactics to ‘gain respectability’…

We know that the Pet Industry Association is desperate to increase their membership dollars from pet shops (note: only a relatively small proportion of pet shops across the country are members, and yet the government of NSW still takes “advice” from PIAA).

 We know that they have engaged the services of one of Australia’s top PR agencies to advance their cause and ‘fight” the publicity gained by Clover Moore’s proposed Animal regulation of Sale Bill.

 We know that PIAA have joined in a collaborative program with the well known magazine “Dogs Life” (does anyone know of a similar initiative with cats?).

 Dogs Life Magazine and PIAA have embarked upon an annual publicity competition to recognise and reward winners in a number of categories. There are a number of pet shop specific categories, but it also includes:

 “The Dogs Life Pet People’s Award for Best Local Pet Rescue Service/Animal Shelter” 

 We were staggered to see “animal rescue” as one of the categories of this competition!!! PIAA (who stimulate and support the marketing and push of huge numbers of puppies and kittens into the market via pet shops) recognising animal rescue groups (who have to sweat 24/7 to rescue from deathrows across the country).

 Is this for real?

 Sadly it is. And sadly, many uninformed readers of Dogs Life Magazine will unwittingly associate PIAA with animal rescue efforts.

We expect that all animal rescue groups would  be disgusted.

One well known Victorian Rescue group who were asked if they could be nominated replied publically:

“Rescued With Love nominated for award but says “no thanks”

Rescued With Love has been nominated for an award which is always an honor.  This time it is for The Dogs Life Pet People’s Award for Best Local Pet Rescue Service/Animal Shelter. 

While Rescued With Love is happy with the recognition we are receiving, the Award is with Dogs Life Magazine in conjunction with the Pet Industry Association of Australia (PIAA). 

The PIAA represents Petshops throughout Australia and  they have been extremely vocal in their stance of protecting  the practice of selling puppies in petshops (they were the main opposition to Clover Moore’s Bill to cease the sale of animals in Petshops last year). 

These puppies are of course provided by puppy millers who keeps scores of dogs in cages to breed for their babies.  Rescued With Love is against all forms of puppy milling, backyard or indiscriminate breeding while hundreds of thousands of dogs die every year in our pounds and shelters. 

It would be hypocritical to accept this nomination on ethical grounds from the PIAA, and so we will not be taking up the offer. 

While we are not the biggest nor the most financial animal welfare group we certainly will stand up for what we believe Rescue should be about and that is the plight of companion animals at every level in society.” 

DRP Comment:

 We will take a guess at which Rescue organisation will win this year’s prize – we anticipate the same as last year, (….. the only Rescue group that is actively a PIAA member…….)

Actions you can take:

 Write to the Publishers of Dogs Life Magazine, expressing your dissatisfaction with the arrangement of Dogs Life supporting the puppy and kitten trade in this way.

Janice Williams, Associate Publisher, Universal Magazines

 Janice’s email address is jwilliams@universalmagazines.com.au, or you can post any letters to Locked Bag 154 North Ryde NSW 1670.

Slowing the flow – STOP irresponsible breeding!

From Doggie Rescue APRIL 2009 MONIKA’S DOGGIERESCUE.COM MAGAZINE

 “The NSW Government have not developed any policies that deal directly with the issue of irresponsible animal breeding. Put simply, anyone can breed and sell animals.

 There are no rules and little regulations. You don’t need a licence or a permit to breed animals. You don’t need any training or any certification. Who protects the puppies?

 Scenario: The owner of a Kelpie x dog purposely mates her with his friends crossbreed dog.

 Result—10 puppies. When asked what he is going to do with them he replies: “Oh, I’ll make sure they find good homes– no worries!” When asked why he let his female dog have a litter, he thinks for a moment and then says “Dunno, thought it’d be a good idea.” When asked if he is going to desex her, now she has had a litter, he replies aggressively “Mind your own business, I’m not breaking the law, buzz off! ”

 Six weeks down the track: The pups are little bundles of energy and sweetness. The owner is seen with a few in a bag going down sell them to the local shopping centre pet shop. The pet shop won’t buy them because of the breed. They only want fluffies….So he starts pulling up people on the street “Do you want a FREE puppy?” Most people keep walking but a few, especially those with kids, stop to look. He comes back with an empty bag. A couple of days later he is seen doing the same thing. One person is heard to reply “I live in unit—how big will dog get?” He eventually takes a pup….. There are now 4 puppies left.

 Meanwhile the mother of the pups is out running the streets again. So what happened to the last 4 pups? The day he was leaving ( or doing a flit ) he takes the 4 pups to a neighbours place and in pity, they take them. He has now placed all his pups. What did the neighbour do with the 4 pups? He took them to the RSPCA and left them there. He doesn’t know if they survived.

 The last straw: This breeder intends, in a few months, to mate his dog again with another friends dog…

 Why? “She loves being a mother”, he says and the pups were real cute! Next time he might be able to make a buck. And so the story will be repeated again and again.

 After all it is not illegal to be a backyard breeder. You don’t need any brains and although it is illegal to give away pups without micro chipping he has to be caught first. And the 10 puppies– sadly, most probably eventually ended up in a pound……

 What needs to be done- A Parliamentary inquiry will develop the necessary information that will allow a measured approach. Clearly the industry needs regulation and management. Clearly the current situation can’t continue. Though we cannot pre-empt the outcomes of such an inquiry and review, clearly the best form of legislation would come in the form of complete regulation of the industry.

 How YOU can help! Get active, right now and help this campaign to fix NSW Animal Policy and start to heal the damage caused by years of indiscriminate breeding!

visit www.fixnswanimalpolicy.com

DRP Comment:

Well said Doggie Rescue! We love your work!

New initiative: “Give pets a chance” http://www.givepetsachance.org.au/

Press release by Give Pets a Chance.

“Give Pets A Chance are an incorporated charity whose aim is to educate the general public about their responsibility in regard to the way companion animals are bred, sold and discarded due to the overbreeding of dogs and cats for the pet industry.

There is much information about how companion animals are being bred and supplied, but it is not reaching the people who need to see it – the consumer. As a pet free pet shop owner I can vouch for the fact that the average pet buyer is totally unaware of the hidden cruelty involved in the pet trade. It is our aim to make the public aware of this information and appeal to them to take action, as only they have the power to change market practice. We will be appealing for donations which will be used for the purpose of running this campaign.

We also aim to promote the establishment of in-store adoption sites for the rehoming of orphaned animals. This will not only make adoption of dogs more appealing to the public who shy away from the sadness of the pound set up, and assist in rehoming the many available orphaned pets, but also appease the worries of the shop owner concerned about the loss of add on sales from a new pet purchase.

People have the real power to change the way companion animals are bred and sold. It is time for the consumer to take responsibility and put an end to the cruel cycle of puppy mill, pet shop and pound, by carefully choosing where they purchase their pets and pet products.”

www.givepetsachance.org.au

DRP Comment:

Give pets a Chance is a campaign designed by Lisa Wolfenden (owner of a pet-free pet shop and her brother Will Wolfenden – film-maker who published “The Puppy Mill”).

We suport their proposition that in the main most of us activist groups amd welfare groups “preach to the already converted”. The messages need to get out to a far wider community – the public who today have no idea about the problem and what they can do about it.

We support this initiative whole-heartedly. Please give generously to fund advertising /educational and promotional campaigns that will get information to the public who need to see it so they can make better quality decisions about their pets.

Tell us what you think!

 

No Kill News – can we do this here in Australia? Affordable, low cost desexing program funded by New York City

We received this exciting release of news from Companion Animal Network TV in New York

“Dear Friends of Animals,
This Saturday July 25 at NY City Animal Care and Control (“NYCACC”) in Manhattan,  New York City’s animals and their guardians are finally getting what has long been needed, a super low cost mobile veterinary hospital with full surgical capabilities for limited income pet parents, rescue groups, and rescue adoptions. Whereas the ASPCA has taken the lead in operating five low cost and free Spay Neuter vans for limited income pet parents, the new Vet Mobile will only be providing full veterinary services to those qualified pet parents, not spay neuters. The launch of the Vet Mobile is being celebrated in conjunction with the Mayor’s Alliance for NY City Animals, North Shore Animal League, and NYCACC. North Shore Animal League will be featuring the NYCACC foster animals in their 40 ft. Mobile Adoption Van. The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC Animals will be providing $10 microchips, including registration.

Next Wednesday, July 29th, the Vet Mobile will premiere at the Brooklyn NYCACC. Thereafter the Vet Mobile will be in front of the NYCACC in Manhattan every Saturday 12-6, and Brooklyn every Wednesday 12-6. As soon as the Vet Mobile is financially breaking even, it will expand to being assigned one day per week at the Staten Island and Bronx NYCACC also.

An exam is just $25, and vaccinations only $10. Free ID tags are provided for all patients, both dogs and cats. All services will be at the super low cost prices already established by the Safety Net Program, which has been preventing surrenders to NYCACC for the past four years. The Vet Mobile is an extension of the Safety Net Program, so that qualified pet parents have access to full veterinary  services at extremely low rates. Proof of limited income or rescue adoption or rescue rehoming is necessary for qualification. For more information see News Release below.

“NEW LOW COST VET MOBILE TO HELP STRUGGLING NYC PET OWNERS KEEP THEIR PETS IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES

 NEW YORK, NY (July 20, 2009) – On Saturday, July 25, New Yorkers will get their first glimpse of the “Low Cost Vet Mobile” – a new mobile veterinary clinic created to help cash-strapped New Yorkers at risk of having to give up their companion animals because they can no longer afford their veterinary care. The program, developed by Garo Alexanian of Companion Animal Network and staffed by local veterinarians, will provide pet owners with affordable, preventive veterinary care and also a first step in developing relationships with veterinarians within their community.
 
To celebrate the launch, AC&C will host a special pet adoption promotion from noon until 7:00 pm, where dozens of wonderful dogs and cats will be available for adoption both inside the shelter and on a North Shore Animal League America adoption van parked curbside. Adoption fees for adult cats (over one year old) will be waived. In addition, vaccinations for dogs and cats will be available for $10 on the Vet Mobile, and the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals will offer extra-low-cost ($10 microchipping for cats and dogs between noon and 6:00 pm.
 
Traditionally, many low-income pet owners do not seek preventive veterinary care for their pets, and when their pets become ill, they surrender them to AC&C. In today’s particularly challenging economy, the number of these animals arriving at AC&C shelters has skyrocketed. “The mobile clinic will help so many pet owners that are having trouble making ends meet and caring for a sick pet at the same time,” says Richard Gentles, AC&C’s spokesperson. “We applaud Garo’s initiative, and the timing couldn’t be better.”
 
By providing another means of access to affordable veterinary care to low-income New York City pet owners, the Low Cost Vet Mobile is expected to substantially reduce the number of animals surrendered to city shelters, which already are at full capacity. “I expect the program will prevent approximately 5,000 surrenders over the course of a year,” says Alexanian. “This can translate to a 12-15 percent reduction in shelter intakes.”
 
Stemming the tide of preventable pet surrenders is crucial to the success of current efforts underway in New York City to reduce, and eventually end, the killing of healthy and treatable cats and dogs at city shelters simple because they do not have homes, according to Jane Hoffman, President of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals – the organization that spearheads the city’s efforts to become a no-kill community under a multi-million-dollar grant from Maddie’s Fund®, the Pet Rescue Foundation. “The Low Cost Vet Mobile provides another important alternative for our city’s pet owners who don’t want to part with their companion animals.” Among other programs currently available to these pet owners are the Safety Net/Pets for Life NYC program, low-cost vet care at the Humane Society of New York Veterinary Hospital in Manhattan, and the Bensonhurst Low Cost Animal Clinic in Brooklyn.
 
Dr. Elizabette Cohen, DVM, host of the radio program “Happy and Healthy Pet,” and author of the book Most of My Patients Wear Fur, will be the veterinarian on duty for the Low Cost Vet Mobile’s Manhattan launch on July 25, and also for the van’s premiere at AC&C’s Brooklyn shelter on Wednesday, July 29. At both launch events, Dr. Cohen will consult with patients, provide tours of the van, and also sign copies of her book, for which she will donate 100% of the proceeds from the days’ book sales to AC&C.
 
Going forward, the Low Cost Vet Mobile’s location will alternate between Animal Care & Control’s Manhattan and Brooklyn locations, where it will provide assistance to pet owners at two of the busiest points of entry to the New York City shelter system.”
 
 About Companion Animal Network
Companion Animal Network (C.A.N.) was the force behind the creation of the NYC Animal Care and Control. Four years ago C.A.N founded the nation’s first surrender prevention program, and now it is launching the Low Cost Vet Mobile. C.A.N. has been acknowledged by the New York City Council in Resolution #985 for its efforts to bring improvements to the animal control services of New York City.
 
About Animal Care & Control of NYC
Animal Care & Control of New York City rescues over 43,000 animals each year, making the organization the largest pet rescue and adoption agency in the North East. Since 1995, the not-for-profit organization has been responsible for New York City’s municipal shelter system, caring for rescued animals and finding loving homes for homeless, injured, neglected, abused and abandoned animals in all five of the boroughs in New York City.
 
About the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals
The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, Inc., founded in 2002 and powered by Maddie’s Fund^®, The Pet Rescue Foundation, is a coalition of more than 160 animal rescue groups and shelters that are working with the City of New York to find homes for every cat and dog in the city that needs one. For more information about the Mayor’s Alliance, its participating organizations, and pet adoptions, please visit the Mayor’s Alliance web site at www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org .

DRP Comment:

We badly need to get low-cost desexing programs running in every Council area across the country. Subsidised desexing has been shown to create dramatic results – and in the end saves council and tax payer money. Isn’t this a smarter alternative to collecting, housing and then killing thousands of healthy animals?

Let us know about any such initiatives you are seeing in Australia!

“We’ve proved it can be done!” – ‘No Kill News’: a brilliant web site – www.thenokillnation.com

“Thenokillnation” is a blog site that provides up to date information, articles and success stories. The “Victories” section is just brilliant, go here…..

For example:

Shelby becomes first KY no-kill shelter — by Julie Tam, FOX 41 News, 31 May 2009

 “Shelby County, Kentucky has become the first county in the state to run a no-kill animal shelter for an entire year.

On Saturday they shared their secret to saving animals’ lives. Every one of the faces, every wet nose inside a cage at the Shelby County Animal Shelter is alive not by chance or having the name “Lucky.”

“When you commit to make that happen, you enroll your entire community,” Denise Jones, founder of the Woodstock Animal Foundation, said. The Shelby County Humane Society and Animal Shelter have spent 10 years trying to become a no-kill facility.

“The businesses in this community are enrolled. The people who own farms help take in some of the feral cats,” Jones said. On Saturday, Shelby County celebrated becoming the first Kentucky shelter to go one year without euthanizing any animals that could be rehabilitated and were not a threat to the public.

“We don’t put anything down that’s got a chance to live,” James Collins, the county’s animal

control officer, said. Woodstock Animal Foundation has taken in and treated sick puppies. Local families foster some pets, and other animals go to no-kill shelters as far as Minnesota and Maine. “Ebeneezer up here has been here since before Christmas,” said Kelly Jedlicki, the county’s No Kill Mission coordinator.

Jedlicki says in most other shelters, the cats — some of which have been at the shelter since August — would have already been euthanized.

But Shelby County is following a model that’s worked in other states.

“There are four other counties that take in 17,000-20,000 animals a year that are no-kill as well,”

Jedlicki said. “Nathan Winograd and Richard Avanzino, the two founders of the No Kill Mission, say by the year 2015, that we should become a no-kill nation, if everybody follows the plan.”

Almost 1,600 animals have been taken to the Shelby County shelter over the past year, so it hasnot been easy adopting them out. But no-kill is possible there because of programs like low-cost spay-neuter and Operation Catsnip — catching feral cats, fixing them, and releasing them back into the wild.

“We’ve proven it can be done, and that’s a great feeling,” Jones said.”

DRP Comment:

This is a great example of where No Kill has shown success. Show this to anyone who says “it can’t be done”……

Let us know if you are trying to influence any senior management of shelters and pounds about No Kill, and we’ll see if we can help.

Bookmark the nokillnation.com site for future good news!

University of Queensland/RSPCA $25,000 scholarship to improve marketing of rehomable animals

“UQ Business School honours student Christilene du Plessis has been awarded a $25,000 RSPCA Qld Scholarship to help in the search for an ethical way to find homes for Queensland shelter animals. Read more here

The one-off scholarship, financed by the Petcare Information Advisory Service (PIAS), will fund Ms du Plessis’ market research as part of RSPCA Qld’s one-year trial selling refuge animals through commercial pet shops…”

DRP Comment:

The scholarship money is provided by the Pet Care Advisory Service to the University of Qld…… which is doing the overview of the rehoming of RSPCA pets within pet supply stores.

This Pet Care Advisory Service seems to be funded by Mars.  Interesting they’ve handed over money which will directly benefit shelter dogs.  

http://www.petnet.com.au/about.asp

Yuur thoughts?

An important message for Australia from Nathan Winograd…

The Race is on! Australia, New Zealand and the US vie to see who will become a No Kill nation first!

On September 30th, we participated in a national conference on the Gold Coast of Australia. Bringing together shelter directors, government officials, rescue groups and animal lovers from all over Australia and New Zealand, the No Kill Advocacy Centre presented 4 workshops: Building a No Kill Australia; The No Kill Matrix; What is a saveable animal?; Developing Trap – Neuter -Release in the Australian context and Reforming Animal Control / Management: A discussion for CEOs, Managers and Leaders of Pounds and Shelters.

This was our message to our colleagues in Australia:……….”

To read the rest of this article, please click here.

DRP Comment:

This paper is singularly THE  most important message for Australian pound cats and dogs in recent times. Please read it, aborb it, and copy it far and wide. If you know any Pound or Shelter management or staff, or Councillors in your area, please send them a copy and ask them to digest the content. Then ask them “what actions will you take?” “If not, why not?”

Incidentally and importantly, many of the “objections” presented by Winograd in this paper come DIRECTLY from some of the senior managers of our well known Pound and Charity Shelters. This was not unexpected by Winograd – it mirrors exactly the reaction in the US.

These senior managers need to “get on the train”. We need to demand it of them. If they won’t, then they need to get out of the way and let someone else who WILL do it have a go.

Tell us who you think this message needs to be directed to……

Reporting to you 3 – The 3rd Summit to end pet-overpopulation 2009 – Report number 3

Report by Wayne Eriksen

Speakers represented government, private and not for profit organisations and gave informative talks on the state of play as it is in their area at present and where they are heading.

Some speakers downplayed the need for prompt and decisive change, the size of the issue, referred to departmental policy and the need for legislation (completely disproved in the US).

 Others spoke almost complacently and appeared victimised by a system which is strongly upholding outdated values as they apply to our fury friends and family, while some were more upfront and not quite so “protective”.

 It was clear that the animal welfare industry need to remodel the culture and operational model of the shelter system – tellingly, the success of the RSPCA ACT and SPCA NZ and AWL QLD were achieved by leaders who came into the industry from the outside, took one look at what the industry was doing to those it was supposed to be helping, and said “NO, there has to be a better way”.

In my mind, the highlights were the international speakers.

Nathan Winograd spoke well regarding the American situation with its successes and failings and gave numerous examples of how no kill is achievable in all manner of settings with the right leadership. He was clear in explaining that change will result in many involved in the current situation being “let go” to make way for new thinkers with a “no kill model” as the only way. 

Mike Arms of the Helen Woodward Animal Centre – San Diego USA,  presented details of the successes of the shelter and it would have been clear to all those who are business minded that operating a successful shelter requires a business approach with the welfare of animals as its primary focus in everything it does …….. training workshops are offered over 3 days to detail what it takes to run a successful shelter. 

It was made clear that animal welfare is very different to animal control which has long been the Australian model and unfortunately still is in many local government areas. The presentation from Louise Laurens of Morton Bay Regional Council is clearly moving in the right direction and council and others like it are to be commended. Angela Stockdale was both passionate and skilled in dealing with dog behaviour issues and her presentation at the AWL centre on the 3rd day along with other speakers gave attendees considerable choice to hear more about topics that were of particular interest.

It has been clear to many for some time that there is a world of difference between  the coverall of euthanasia and killing homeless dogs and cats who are otherwise healthy …………… imagine being killed because you don’t have a home as is the case in Australia where > 250,000 healthy yet homeless dogs and cats are killed annually. Surprising when we are told that at any 1 time more than 1,000,000 Australians are looking to include a dog or cat into their family. Thankfully the difference was loud and clear and even had some speakers while referring to slide presentations where euthanasia was written now calling it killing. Unfortunately this was not universal and it will take time for some to action what they now know, but the general feeling, “buzz” in the group was one of heightened awareness and a need to seriously consider /pursue change with “no kill” as the primary objective.

 The solution to Pet Overpopulation is clear, relatively simple and largely confirmed by presenters within the industry. Legislation or more commonly policy/rules will not solve the problem; it’s a culture of animal abandonment and exploitation. Legislation largely provides law to be used against those who are bent on doing the wrong thing and in any event requires substantial resources for it to be implemented properly which are often sadly lacking. US examples show increased legislation had no positive impact on overpopulation and in some cases had proven to be more detrimental with the subsequent killing of homeless dogs and cats increasing. It cannot therefore stop the implementation of the solution ………..

    1         access to heavily subsidised/free spay/neuter by anyone – the cost to local govt  vs supply a “holding facility”, staff, food, vet, kill, transport etc

 2       an early intervention foster program to get dogs and cats out of the “holding facility” quickly

 3       micro chip for easy ID

 4       use of  well presented and technology savvy internet to assist placing animals in a new permanent home eg Pet Rescue and the new audiences, fosterers, adopters, and advocates that can now be reached through social media.

 I look forward to the next Conference which will likely be in 2011. Given more than a 50% increase in attendees from 2007 to this year with 150+, the organisers should expect very good numbers again in the future

  Wayne Ericksen

DRP Comment:

If you want to access information by Nathan Winograd and Mike Arms:

Nathan Winograd’s website address – http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/ ; http://www.nathanwinograd.com/
 
and Mike Arms: http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/weeklyforum/biomarms.cfm ;
http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/financial-performance/10588135-1.html

RSPCA Queensland working on own pet shops to rehome rescue animals

Whilst on a recent trip to Rockhampton, we were on the search for a bag of Hills Science Diet (not for us, for our Boxer Tia), when we came across the RSPCA own pet shop. Really nice retail operation – bright, clean, lots of product, friendly helpful staff, but best of all, well placed open pens near the front for doggies and a great cat enclosure – all designed to help rehome needy shelter animals. We like the concept.

 Says RSPCA Queesnland CEO Mark Townend:

 “The strategy behind the store is that Shelters are the worst places animals could be – they have disease and herd health issues, they are no good for the animal’s behaviour nor for humans. Often a very sad and depressing place to visit. In Queensland I therefore have no intention of building new RSPCA Shelters, (certainly we will replace or renew the ones we have but no additions). There will be some new Pounds maybe built by local Governments for animal control, but I even see these as limited.

With the use of the internet and some smart technology I believe a good well organised foster network to house the animals is ideal. The animals can be marketed for rehoming through the internet with some retail type space, e.g. Rocky Pet shop, where people can meet and greet the animals in a place that’s easy and pleasant for them to get to. Unfortunately the public are essentially “lazy”, and often all that happens if they have to travel too far, otherwise good pet owners will just source an animal from a pet shop or some other convenient source that more than likely isn’t desexed etc. So my aim is to ensure these establishments, whether they are RSPCA Pet shops, private pet shops or vet clinics, rehome RSPCA desexed animals. (Of course we would make sure all the establishments meet certain standards.)

We have our own retail rehoming places at Rockhampton and Springwood now, with a new one opening on the Gold Coast in late October.

We have a new Outreach coordinator starting in a couple of weeks who will be rolling this program out more aggressively now we have tried it in a number of different locations and circumstances to get the processes right.”

DRP comment:

From March 1 to September 14th, this initiative  has given 96 cats and dogs a new home. Thats 96 families who didn’t go to a traditional puppy /kitten selling pet shop.

The move to find homes for homeless pets using retail space in the public areas of towns and cities, additionally including established ethical pet shops, is clearly increasing. In Alice Springs recently we spoke to a pet shop owner who told us that they regularly took on kittens given to them by the public (accidental pregnancies), but they never pay a cent to the provider – they see this as a way of getting homes for the animals. (hey, how about giving the provider a voucher for reduced cost desexing sponsored by a local vet?). This pet shop owner told us they are about to start a trial to rehome homeless pets working with the RSPCA NT. Way to go! We say!

We can’t help but think that its an excellent way to get “orphaned pets” out into retail land where people are happier to shop than traditional pounds or shelters. Tell us what you think of this initiative! Tell us about similar initiatives in your local area!

New initiative – COMPANION ANIMAL NEWS

Have you ever read a media article on this subject, and then failed to find it again later? Maybe you wanted to re-read it, or send it to a colleague?

We have!

So that gave us the idea for COMPANION ANIMAL NEWS

http://companionanimalnews.wordpress.com/

It’s a website dedicated to collecting all the news articles and press releases related to the subject of companion animal pound killing and the efforts to stop this national tragedy. It will cover every State across the nation, so people will be able to search the database by State.

In the one place, the public can access important national newspaper articles, local community newspaper articles, and yes, even significant letters to editor.

BUT….. And its a BIG but. This needs YOUR help. It will not work with out it. The site needs you to submit articles and news pieces as you find them. If you are an organisation and you send out a press release, we want those as well. Lets make this a real community success!

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE:

Review the website and if we have missed a news piece, please send us a legible pdf of the article and the weblink of the article if it belongs to a newspaper group. We need both. Please note that jpg pictures are of no use – it needs to be a pdf, or a link to the article on their website. Only Australian news  please.