~Anne~

If the behaviour is outright aggression, and that’s a big IF as none of us are qualified to judge nor can we see the behaviour ourselves, and we’re purely taking your words and perceptions at face value, I would do the following: - seperate the dog from the child - investigate a potential cause with a vet Depending on the vet outcome, I’d possibly euthanise the dog. A dog exhibiting aggression, as you’ve perceived and described here, at such a young age should not be in society. Euthanasia is painless and quick. I know people hate the thought of killing dogs, but support it or not, it’s an option to end suffering, and to safeguard humans and other animals.

What a horrible thing to happen. That poor cat and the traumatising outcomes for anyone involved. Nature is a beast and animals, including dogs, obey the laws of nature more strongly than they do the laws of our society. The quotes from the owner lead me to believe the cat owner doesn't seem to recognise that you can allow your cat to have fresh air and they don't have to be inside your home 24/7 - just like owning a dog it takes a commitment but it is achievable. Dogs owners build fences to keep their dogs contained. Cat owners need to build cat runs or install cat appropriate fencing so their cats can move freely outside. As for the night time idea - cats kills wildlife day and night. Locking them up at night may help some, but only some...

Interesting choice of sources to rely on in the draft report. For example, this national survey of 1,038 people. Who are Animal Medicines Australia? https://animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AMAU005-PATP-Report21_v1.4_WEB.pdf

Thanks for the link, T! I've been out of the loop for a while so didn't realise the OLG had commissioned a report. Interesting read... Its good in that it provides a snapshot of the situation for NSW, and what people think and or assume with some statistical data to back it up. I've only read 1/4 through so far, but it appears to include reasoning based on assumptions as well. I say this as it doesn't appropriately cite evidence for some statements. That's not to say they don't have backup stats, but its not cited yet that I can see. Again it calls for desexing too and does not provide a valid reason why. From my perspective, it seems to follow many of the same assumptions about companion animal welfare that have been made for decades. Who are CIE, the drafters of the report? The Centre for International Economics is a research agency obviously. I'm curious to know if any of the analysts for this research have expertise in Companion Animal policy, research or issues? Where do they stand personally on Companion animal issues? Family pets are in every corner of our society and we all hold pre-conceived views and ideas, with some more strongly held and voiced than others. This quote from the report stood out for me as a concern: Behaviour assessment arrangements be revised so that: a) councils are able to undertake assessments of whether an animal is suitable for rehoming before advertising to rehoming organisations b) councils are able to euthanise animals where there are work health and safety concerns for keeping the animal c) training programs for behaviour assessment for council staff are supported by NSW OLG, which could include financial support and coordination. Many placid, loving, affable dogs and cats will react negatively in the pound environment due to stress brought on by fear, noise and chaos. We have some wonderfully caring and knowledgeable pound staff across NSW, but we also have a lot who do not understand reactive behaviour frequently seen in animals in this situation. When you take into account that the role is not really remunerated well and is generally taken up by people without specialised learning or qualifications, its understandable I guess - maybe they need to be qualified and remunerated better? I understand that from a workplace safety standpoint this is an issue but I can't see money being poured into professional development of pound staff to get them to the level needed to reduce this risk adequately in order to prevent unnecessary euthanasia. Anyway, this is one where we need to sit over a cup of coffee and dissect it. There's too much to read, absorb and consider to chat about here! I could be typing for hours. Thank again for sharing the link, I really appreciate it.

Ultimately, it still all comes down to human attitude and culture, not the number of dogs being bred. We need to focus on fact finding and researching the real reasons for the number of dogs in shelters and rescues. The ‘desex and don’t breed’ mantras have given everyone the wrong impression and not solved any of the problems we’ve all been seeing for years.

You could literally stay in any suburb in Sydney. It really depends on how much traffic you want to sit in during the way there and back. There is always traffic in Sydney but it is at its heaviest during the times that people are going to and from work and school. For example, Parramatta is a stones throw from Homebush, and I would expect a 20-40 minute trip to Homebush depending on traffic. You could even stay out as far away as Penrith and it would take you anywhere from 50 minutes - 1.5 hours to get to Homebush, traffic dependant. The M4 motorway, which is 80-100km speed limited all the way goes from Penrith to beyond Homebush. It can move very slow during peak times though and you will pay tolls. In Sydney, those driving times are normal and expected. It’s really what you will accept as a reasonable travel time. Commuters do it daily for work. You’re only going to do it for a week or so. My advice is to consider properties further afield and prepare for the travel times. Take a look at Google maps and you’ll see the surrounding burbs and those which connect via major roads.

Sending loads of good health vibes your way. I’m so glad you got her back to the vet. Hoping for a more positive update for the next one.

Definitely do not cease it suddenly. Her body may already be reacting to the reduction (ie. withdrawal symptoms) or it may be a completely separate issue she now has. At 12, shes well and truly a senior so I'd be inclined to take her to the vet for another check-up and some follow-up advice on the macrolone withdrawal.

And yet they allow chooks, and other animals, to be farmed in cruel conditions and actually put their ‘stamp’ of approval against some. Go figure. How do you measure cruelty? Is it length of time of suffering, manner of death? Im not saying that smashing the skull of Joey is not cruel, I just wonder why they support some cruelty but not this example.

if it only happens when it’s raining then it’s linked to the wet weather. He has to squat to go so maybe he doesn’t like the wet grass tickling his bum. Is there a specific time he usually needs to defecate? If there is, encourage him outside at this time - take him for a walk around the backyard or feed him something outside and leave him out for 30 minutes. I’d be considering crate training as well, if he isn’t already. Keep him in the crate when you can’t supervise him or restrict the area of the house he can access. Just remember - showing any anger at him about it will only make it worse. He’ll simply become frightened to toilet in front of you anywhere. I personally think you need to learn some resilience. I get it’s frustrating for you but geebus - your dog is only 6 months old and you’re threatening to rehome it over it crapping in your house when it rains! Although we’ve had a lot of rain, it doesn’t rain everyday nor will it ever in the future. At 6 months it is still a baby. It has many things to learn and as a human you should be able help it to learn and resolve the issue. Get to Bunnings and buy a bag of cement and harden up!

Cite me a case.

It doesn't matter if they've wasted their time with a solicitor to draw up a contract for desexing. Buying a dog is a commercial purchase, like a lounge, car or anything else. Dogs are chattel. You cannot enforce anything on the purchaser once its paid for. They can sue you - no doubts about that - especially if you've entered into a contract (written by a legal practitioner or not) that you were fully cognizant of. But how much time and effort that would take would not be viable for them and they could only sue you for breach of contract. But you cant be forced to desex the animal anymore than Harvey Norman can tell me what I can or cant do with my lounge!

If they sold the pups as registered pedigree with papers, then the buyer has to get what they purchased. Its a commercial transaction. It would go to small claims I think. They could potentially claim a part refund as well.

Tear the 'contract' up and ignore it. It isn't legally enforceable. NO-ONE but those who have power of authority, can enter your home or enforce such a request. Explain to her that you do not want her to contact you. Do not respond to her calls or emails except to clearly state you do not want contact. Then block her number and email. If she persists, seek a restraining order through the local courts.

It doesn’t matter if you do sign it. You can’t be forced to desex a dog you’ve purchased, after you’ve purchased. They have no legal grounds - just like that car seller who can’t make you put in a child seat. Most people try to encourage desexing for good reasons though - so be gentle. The are under the mistaken belief that everyone who wants to breed a dog has only $ signs in their eyes. They think desexing stops them ending up in rescues. They believe it stops puppy farmers getting hold of them. They think all ‘non-registered, pedigree breeders’ are animal abusers and or stupid. They think it protects the breed. There’s a million reasons more and only this breeder will know what motivates them to seek such an agreement. You obviously seem to know all of this so your post serves perhaps only as a vent. You’ve probably picked the wrong audience though….

I’m sure you’d be able to arrange repeat site with the same sitters. We choose different people all the time but we’ve had many comment that they’d love to return.

There’s other sites too but I’ve only ever used the one. Never had an issue with a house sitter yet. We don’t have any dogs anymore, only two indoor cats.

Edit: Sorry - just noticed you said you don’t want a housesitter. If you’re concerned about having someone in your home, I can reassure you that we’ve had lots of house sitters and never had a problem with theft, breakages or damage. We’ve always come home to a clean house and well cared for cats. One even baked us a cake to welcome us home. Another person bought fresh bread and milk for us to make sure we had the basics when we flew back home! We have travelled very regularly and have always used aussiehousesitters.com.au We’ve used different sitters each time. The house sitters pay an annual subscription to be a member of the site. They have references and a bio with pics. As the home owner, you advertise your sit and they message you to apply, usually giving more info about themselves. They all have to offer their services free of charge and you can’t charge them to stay at your property either. It’s a two way street - a free stay at your home in return for caring for your animals, plants and home. You check their bio and references and decide who you want to housesit.

So, so many assumptions are made about why dogs are in pounds and why the numbers go up (or down). The exponential increase in population is a key indicator of the increase in numbers. Hold on rescues - because our population is growing rapidly so the need for your services will not stop growing. Does that mean all increases are due to the increase in population? No, but it would go towards it as a major factor, and probably the largest key factor, predicting the numbers of dogs in pounds. There are two key areas to look at (and we CAN'T look at them because we don't have them) and these are: 1. Why they end up in a shelter/pound/rescue 2. How many there are in shelters/pounds/rescues We simply do not know the answers to the above. Its astonishing that we keep allowing assumptions to rule the management of the issue of 'unwanted' companion animals. I do not know of ONE. SINGLE. ANIMAL. WELFARE. GROUP who has the nous to throw away all of their assumptions and perceptions, and search for the facts - unbiased facts. Purely objective research. Not research with an agenda. Lets answer the questions above using our heads, not our hearts. We need research and facts if we are ever to provide a resolution to the problem.

Yep!

Sorry Anna, I don’t mean to diminish the work of those trying to help dogs in need. I just think it’s better to try and resolve the problem in a significant way, not pick-up the pieces. At the moment, rescues are left with the burden while governments and policy makers play politics. What advocates should be pushing for is valid and detailed research and data so that effective solutions can be developed. Instead we have welfare lobbyists, all in good faith, thinking that we need more restrictions on breeding and the introduction of desexing laws because of what could be a false premise. I’ve been around a long time as you know, I’ve been a vet nurse and worked for the then President of the RSPCA, I’ve ran a rescue, worked in the NSW government department that manages our companion animal laws and take na specific interest in animal welfare all my life. To me it’s pretty obvious that we’re grasping at straws and the dogs in need are not decreasing.

On a last note - I’ve argued for years that we cannot really debate the reasons why we have dogs in impound facilities. Until an in-depth study is done, we can only guess. I firmly believe the current premise we hold about why dogs are in pounds and or rescues is wrong. It’s based on assumption. It’s not based on research. A study conducted by UOQ years ago indicated different causes and outcomes to the thinking of the day and that thinking continues to this day. It’s almost a mantra: desex - rescue - regulate breeding… and yet what do we have now? The SAME issues as always.

I hate the byb vs pedigree debate. There shouldn’t be a debate because it’s horses for courses. I liken it to the debate which rages about public schools and private schools. It’s a choice and each to their own. The teachers and curriculum are all the same in both systems. The differences are cultural. Same with breeding dogs. It’s a cultural difference. The genetics are the same. ALL dogs, byb or pedigree, have genetic issues just like we humans do. There is no such thing as a perfect canine specimen - it’s a feckin’ myth! The cultural difference means one lot is bred to a set of desirable traits - that doesn’t mean the dog is any better than the dog which is not bred for specific traits. I CHOOSE to buy purebred because I want certain traits in my animals. That’s my choice but my choice is not any better or worse than someone who buys a dog from a non pedigree breeder. If I wanted another dog now, I would likely buy from a pedigree breeder. I hate the stupidity of the statement ‘rescue, don’t buy’. Feck off and don’t tell me what I do and please don’t dare lay a guilt trip on me because I choose to do what is best for me. The cruelty and abuse debate is a seperate issue and comes with a whole new set of points. As for rescues - I get where you’re coming from (I can’t see what Powerlegs said as the posts are now gone). My eyes never roll so hard as they do when I see some of the rubbish on social media. It’s an unregulated industry which means it’s a mess. There’s so many people with their hearts in the right places but their heads are another matter, and running any business purely on emotion isn’t a good idea.

Thanks for posting the follow-up story.

Gorgeous!