BarbedWire

Who are the "people like that"? Possibly a pretty low paid council worker driven to distraction by volunteers who think they have all the answers and who rush to FB and the press when their words of wisdom aren't acted upon or policies they disagree with are practiced. Pound workers also get to deal with really difficult pet owners and they never have enough resources to do everything that should and could be done for the animals. Even if they are low paid it doesn't give them permission to chuck a kitten around. If they can't deal with people perhaps they should try a different line of employment. It happens. Sometimes those volunteers who are supposedly all for the animals are in reality all for attention seeking, self aggrandising behaviour. And when their trouble making and failure to be able deal with the practical aspects of too many animals to save and to work with the pound staff sees them booted, they seek martyrdom. And its the animals who pay. Maybe sometimes, but why this time? What are your reasons for saying this? It pays to remember that there are ALWAYS two sides of a story and that those supposedly championing animals often have their own agendas. Of course government workers are gagged and they cannot speak to the press. Of course there are always two sides, but as far as I am concerned there is not just the one incident here but several over many weeks and for me the icing on the cake was the post of the disabled dog. Not just an impulse post. It must have taken some time to write it. Whoever said the road to hell was paved with good intentions must have had experience with animal welfare. Sorry I don't believe in hell so that statement is meaningless. I came to this thread knowing nothing and my first post was suggesting that a mistake had been made and the pound staff should not be condemned, but as I have found out more I have decided that the volunteers are people of integrity and I am coming down on their side. True I have not heard the other side other than the post about the disabled dog but for me that post speaks volumes about the poster/posters. ETA the volunteers used to post here on DOL in the urgent rescue forum and I used to read their posts and they were always about concern for the animals especially for the cats which they tried to help week after week. I think from memory that Pound Rounds was also associated with this pound but I am not sure. That might explain some of the friction. ETA again. I have just found this post from Just Andrea on a Past Rescues thread http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/262675-glenfield-rd-animal-shelter-wagga-wagga/page__st__30 #39 and I think it explains some of the conflict between this pound and volunteers.

Another article today. http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/3833959/help-shelter-by-saving-a-pet-kendall/?cs=152

There is a petition about this pound on change.org. Here is the link https://www.change.org/p/wagga-wagga-city-council-saviour-s-petition-improve-animal-welfare-at-wagga-wagga-pound-g-r-a-s I have just signed. Those volunteers are amazing women.

positive punishment is a technical dog term that means "actively" punishing the dog - eg giving a physical correction. Negative punishment is passive punishment eg not giving a treat. Thanks.I always get confused about this.

I am not comfortable with the word 'punishment'. I direct my dog's learning in a controlled environment and I reinforce the behaviours I want. I do not punish but I will change the environment if I think it is stopping the dog from learning. I am not sure if this could be described as positive punishment. It probably is but 'punishment' is the wrong word for it.

What sort of person makes a comment like that about a disabled dog? Do posts to their website have to be approved or can individual staff members just post as they see fit? I just feel ill and so sad that poor defenceless dogs and cats can find themselves at the mercy of people like that. Is this okay with the people of Wagga? Is it still happening? Are rescuers allowed on the premises? I feel helpless because I want to help but I don't know what to do.

Bumping this up because I want to boast. :) Goal achieved. My girl (registered name Beatrix Mary) has made it to the trialling class at the training club I attend with a few months to spare. Her first trial will be in a week and a half. I am very proud of her. How has everyone else gone?

Yes SG it is disturbing and to add to the quote you have supplied this was also in the SMH article. Why did the rangers think its back was broken? This is the kitten today that was believed to be dead and with a broken back in the arms of Belinda Oakman, a volunteer worker at the Wagga Wagga animal shelter, who spends endless hours cleaning cat litter trays, washing bedding, filling food bowls and topping up water dishes. There is something about all of this that is very disturbing even if it's only the attitude of the RSPCA.

Some interesting background reading on this pound and some of what is being posted here. http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/263144-glenfield-rd-animal-shelter-wagga-wagga/

I don't know, we always sealed deceased animals in a bag before placing in the freezer, which I would think would be standard practice/requirement. The pictured cat was not in a bag and there was no indication it had been when it was placed in the freezer Thanks SG, I did not look at the pictures. That is so awful then that I think this thread should be moved. Horrible horrible horrible! The thread title says that the RSPCA are not taking action. They should be.

Thanks for the warning. I am not looking at any photos. I am just wondering if after animals are euthanised their bodies are usually put in the freezer until they can be collected and that this is how those cats ended up being in there: ie the staff assumed they were dead but they weren't.

Bringing this thread up again. We have a club competition this Sunday and I have a few questions. How do judges score heeling patterns? Is it so many points for each turn, stand, change of pace etc or is it more general? With small dogs (mine is 6 kgs and tiny) is the handler allowed to come down to the dog's level at all (ie bending over or bending the knees) when giving hand signals? Someone once told me it was okay but I can't find it written down anywhere. Thanks for the helpful suggestions so far. TSD - I am reminding myself that I am doing it for me and my dog. Nothing else matters and I hope to enjoy it. And if we don't pass it is not the end of the world. It is just an opportunity to learn.

A new development in this - petsharing. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-23/dogsharing-is-it-better-to-borrow-a-dog-than-own-one/7265962

Great question sars :)... I was going to call my previous puppy Seven or Fame. We ended up calling her Fame, even though the name Seven came from her being the seventh dog my husband and I owned together as a fairly newish couple (only being together for 8 years at the time. So, when I didn't use the name Seven for Fame, I still loved the name so much that I kept in my name kitty for the next puppy. When I told Seven's breeder I was going to call her Seven, she told me she loved the name and asked me if I minded her using "Seven" as the theme name for the litter. I said she was absolutely welcome to do that, provided I could have the registered name "Seven Deadly Sins" The breeder and I were besties and we laughed about it and said it worked well for both of us. So Seven is our eighth dog together, but that is fine :) What a wonderful story! Thank you. What are you going to call the pups in this litter? :) Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Laziness, Wrath, Envy, Pride plus two more. :)

Do you plan to breed?

Why do you need guards?

Totally off topic but I am wondering why your dog is called Seven. I am interested because my next door neighbour's dog is called Two. Is there something here that I don't know about? :) Gorgeous pups!!! :)

That's great. Do you think it helped that you posted on here.

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/265251-advice-opinions-please/ http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/263139-kids-sharing-bedrooms/page__p__6701363__fromsearch__1#entry6701363

While that can be the case I don't think its unreasonable to expect a degree of quiet in your own home. We have a little, high pitched barker over the back fence and it drives me insane, I don't think this is my issue, I think the neighbours need to get off their bums and walk him more or let him in more. Dogs who bark at every little thing near me drive me mad! Rosie barks at next doors mower and I hate it so I don't leave her out when they mow. I'd feel like an ass if I didn't. Sorry OP but I am going Off Topic. I also bring my dogs in if they are outside barking. The dog behind me that used to bark for hours and annoyed me enormously has passed on. He was elderly. I now wonder if he had dementia. I also used to find small children screaming in shopping centres so annoying that I had to run away from them, even once leaving a half drunk cup of coffee behind me. I did some research (Dr Google) and came up with hyperacusis, especially as I have had surgery for an acoustic neuroma. After my course of antidepressants I am still sensitive to screaming children but I don't have to run away any more. I just take a deep breath and tell myself that I am okay and it is not really hurting me.

OMG do you know how loud a little dog can bark?? I mind having a little dog living next to me barking it's fool head off. I have one now. There's barking and there's barking. All dogs bark sometimes and the OP's dog only barks for a reason and it is inside. I have little dogs here now and they do bark at everyone who walks down the street and it doesn't bother me or my neighbours because I have asked them. I don't mind them barking because I have a hearing loss and I know they will let me know if someone comes on to my property. A few years back a couple of rotti crosses lived next door and they were left outside and when they barked in the middle of the night it would wake me up feeling alarmed and frightened and that upset me. I also had a small dog living behind me who barked non-stop hour after hour because it wanted to be let in and that also annoyed me, especially if I was outside. If your neighbour's small dog's barking is irritating you, perhaps the problem is yours. I don't mean this negatively because I have found neighbour noises (drills, saws, planes) upsetting in the past and I have complained to the council about them. After a course of antidepressants I have realised how the problem was largely mine and how difficult and unreasonable I was.

Gorgeous Rascal. They are all small and I don't think council or neighbours would mind. It would be different if they were St Bernards. Council by-laws are there to stop dogs being a nuisance and I don't think yours would be a nuisance, even your barker, You say she doesn't bark all the time and it would be a little bark and inside your house. Don't worry just yet. Look after yourself and do what is best for your children.

Risky tactic - Aside from breaking the council by laws :D You risk peeving new neighbours and making an enemy of the rangers... I mean worst case scenario you have to re-home down to the allowable number - which is what we're discussing here - but it's still risky ...Plus - wouldn't you have to register them - which basically means you've either got to not register them / or some of them or dob yourself in upfront. I assume they are all registered already and the OP is not planning to move far so presumably the same council. My post is what I would do. Maybe not for everyone but I could not rehome any of my dogs and I don't mind living dangerously. :) The OP is assuming the worst case scenario. The new neighbours may not care less about the dogs or even notice how many there are so why worry until it happens. Anyway I will bow out now.

My understanding is that they are 5 small dogs. I would be moving and saying nothing to anyone. Then if there were complaints you could explain the situation to council and neighbours (especially the impact the loss of the dogs would have on your kids) as you have here - perhaps find a sympathetic ear on the council - and do a deal not to replace any dogs that you lose until you are down to the permissible number. A similar situation happens when people move into nursing homes. They are sometimes allowed to take pets with them but on the understanding that once those pets have passed they won't be replaced. ETA I realise that I am not really responding to the OP but the thread seems to have moved on and basically what I am saying is that I would not be re-homing any at this stage.

I am currently the novel "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova which was made into a film. It is about early onset Alzheimer's (She was 50 when diagnosed), and this week Lisa Genova has been interviewed by Jane Hutcheon on One Plus One on the ABC. I also saw a program (Catalyst?) this week about how hearing favourite songs from their past can help dementia and Parkinson's sufferers talk and dance again. These dogs would bring wonderful comfort to sufferers and their families.