Will cat decline threaten vet jobs?

“A sharp decline in the Australian domestic cat population may lead to the loss of up to 300 positions for veterinarians, according to experts.”

We came across this veterinary Magazine article that you might be interested to read.

Companion Animals – a cherished part of Australian life

Animals Australia website says:

“Dogs and cats are recognised and cherished by many Australians, both young and old, for their unique ability to provide companionship, comfort and unconditional love.   Their status in the Australian community is confirmed by figures which suggest that

RSPCA Close Puppy Farms Campaign – update

Stop Puppy Farms banner Monash Freeway Melbourne

On August 17th, we attended the RSPCA Close Puppy Farms round table meeting in Canberra, along with representatives from AVA, PIAA, ANKC, AWL Queensland, MBDTA , NSW Young Lawyers Animal Law Commitee and various RSPCA representatives. It certainly was “interesting” being in the same discussion as some of the “enemy”!

News from Vic: StopTheClock: Abolish Victoria’s 28 Day Deadline for Shelters

StopTheClock.com.au is a campaign to abolish the ’28 Day Rule’ imposed on Victorian shelters. 

Victoria is the only state in Australia that enforces a time limit on pounds and shelters looking to find new homes for dogs and cats.

News from Queensland: Ban the Provision of Homeless Pets for Teaching and Research Purposes

ATTEND RALLY: Did you know that Logan Council in Queensland regularly sends it’s healthy pound animals to the University of Queensland for use in terminal surgery labs?  It’s been going on a long time. And it’s time to stop.

There is growing opposition to the practice

Not every dog has his day

It’s not our practice to advertise products on this blog, but this book is very relevant to the subject of the treatment of dogs in Australia today.

Author Jane Duckworth has undertaken a massive amount of research to cover the doggy- subjects in the book. The range is huge.

This sentence in the intro chapter caught my attention:

” Entering into dog ownership is a considerable decision to make. When buying a dog people often think more about their own enjoyment than considering aspects of the animal’s welfare. When the relationship between dog and owner then proves unsatisfactory many of the dogs will be discarded in one way or another” …….and

Here’s something you can do to help Oscar’s Law !

The call for Oscar’s law is spreading – please spread the news and support the cause. This is important!

• Abolish the factory farming of
  dogs.
• Ban the sale of animals from
  pet shops/online.
• Insist the Government run a
  proper campaign on responsible
  animal care.

The PAW Project public event

From the PAWProject:

“To fellow animal lovers,

The current situation for Australian animals in Pounds is a mess. The predictable future for these pets is extremely poor. The PAW Project was created to abolish cruel practices and killing via awareness. People power has a great impact on industries and governments.

 The PAW Project will be holding a public event in Melbourne at 2pm on November 14^th. The site is donated by the City Of Melbourne council.

The companion animal situation is a national issue and all Australians need to be aware of what is really happening. (Note: simultaneous rallies are taking place in Perth and Adelaide – see website)

Some small steps and BIG wins…

We often get little notes from people who let us know what they are doing. Here are a couple that made us smile, and happy:

“I am getting magnetic labels made up for my car, which has your web address and also says “How We Can Help” :)

I thought my vehicle would grab more attention than a few flyers that end up in the bin.

 Also while heading towards a pet shop in Sydney, I spotted a lady continuously looking around the glass cages and overheard her say “They’re all the same”.

As she left, I walked towards her, and said “Excuse me, would you like one of these” (the flyer). She replied “Yes please” (in a soft voice).

It gave me such a great feeling as I walked on; hopefully she will spread the word.”

Thank you K!

And……

“Those video’s horrified me to the core that this happens in Australia so l apologize that l had an emotional breakdown and vented to you. l would like to thank you.  l have sent all my family and friends information and your website and the Oscar’s law website to speak up and stop this happening, as well as adding information to my facebook page .

You have also inspired me to adopt a dog from our local animal shelter this weekend rather than looking to purchase one through the newspaper or from a pet store and l will educate others to not buy animals from pet stores anymore.”

Good on you  J!

AWL (Queensland) breaks zero euthanasia record

ABC Gold Coast; Candice Marshall 4 October 2010

The Animal Welfare League of Queensland has achieved an Australian first – avoiding having to euthanise a single healthy dog or cat on the Gold Coast for more than 12 months.

So how did they do it?

AWL Strategic Development Officer Joy Verrinder says the achievement is a result of the AWL’s ‘Getting to Zero’ program which combines many different projects, all playing their part.