Bidding Madness Riles Locals At Blacktown Pound

[Steve]

http://blacktown-advocate.whereilive.com.a...lacktown-pound/

MORE animals are killed at Blacktown Animal Holding Facility than anywhere else in the state, yet it continues to use an archaic system where people have to bid to rescue a homeless pet.

The system allows the council to make money but puts some popular animals usually the cute puppies beyond the reach of an average family.

It also raises questions over whether it promotes pet adoption when the RSPCA has successfully opened its first non-profit pet shop at Rouse Hill.

Early this month, a little female terrier at the pound grabbed so much attention she was bid for by a dozen people and eventually sold for $400.

The Castle family, who missed out on the dog despite entering a bid of $150, 2 times the minimum sale price of $60, are outraged, saying 11 other dogs could have been rescued.

Instead, 11 families went home empty-handed.

``Our kids (aged 11, 4 and 22 months) were very disappointed,’’ Glendenning father-of-three Sean Castle said last Friday.

``They had picked out names.

``All we wanted to do was rescue a dog $400 to rescue a dog?

``You can buy a dog for that in a pet shop,’’ Mr Castle said.

A Blacktown Council spokeswoman said the bidding system was introduced to discourage semi-professional and backyard breeders who would go to the pound every morning and buy the desirable animals.

She said animals within the pound’s seven-to-14-day holding period could be bid for.

``When the animal is due out, the highest tender is contacted and offered the animal,’’ she said.

Cr Russ Dickens, a Blacktown vet, said the ``worthless’’ system should be eliminated.

He introduced a no-kill policy late last year and said removing the tender process would help save animals on death row.

In 2008, 1419 dogs and 3146 cats were put down at the council facility.

``We don’t want to make money out of them,’’ Cr Dickens said. ``We want to get them out of there and into a positive environment.’’

Another reader wrote to the Advocate online saying she was shocked when staff told her she had to bid on a staffy-cross puppy.

The Castle family eventually bought a cavalier king charles spaniel privately for $260 much less than they would have paid at the pound.

`It was an awful experience and we won’t go back,’’ Mr Castle said.

``It’s discrimination against people (on a limited income) who can’t afford to buy a dog, but who want to rescue a dog.’’

A council spokeswoman said the tender system was brought in to protect the average person.

``Prior to the introduction of the tender system semi-professional/backyard breeders would attend every morning on opening to see what animals were available to obtain,’’ she said. ``The average person who was unable to attend as regularly as the breeders would not have the same access.’’

At the animal shelters at Hawkesbury and Sutherland, there is no bidding system.

The RSPCA declined to comment on the bidding system.

[raz]

A Blacktown Council spokeswoman said the bidding system was introduced to discourage semi-professional and backyard breeders who would go to the pound every morning and buy the desirable animals.

What a load of dog crap. It's money - pure and simple. Why the hell arent they desexing before offloading dogs anyway?

[BJean]

http://blacktown-advocate.whereilive.com.a...lacktown-pound/

At least they give all types of dog a chance at rehoming.

Yes I suppose some dogs go for $400 and some for $60 - it all works out in the end.

Big deal so the family missed out.

So rescues should only be al cheapo???

I really dont see the 'story' in this article, someone with a gripe or going after BTP.

It also raises questions over whether it promotes pet adoption when the RSPCA has successfully opened its first non-profit pet shop at Rouse Hill.

I really dont see what RSPCA's shop has to do with it???

What is RSPCA putting in a bid for BTP?

[WreckitWhippet]

``It’s discrimination against people (on a limited income) who can’t afford to buy a dog, but who want to rescue a dog.’’

If you can't afford to buy the dog, then you can't afford to own a dog and $400 is a very reasonable price.

Pick another one, there's no shortage of dogs to choose from

ETA: agreed, put in place mandatory desexing before rehoming

Edited January 19, 2010 by SBT123

[Diva]

Big deal so the family missed out.

So rescues should only be al cheapo???

I really dont see the 'story' in this article, someone with a gripe or going after BTP.

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out.

I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'.

[Steve]

Big deal so the family missed out.

So rescues should only be al cheapo???

I really dont see the 'story' in this article, someone with a gripe or going after BTP.

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out.

I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'.

Those animals should be desexed before any one gets to buy them regardless of how they want to sell them.

[Quickasyoucan]

Big deal so the family missed out.

So rescues should only be al cheapo???

I really dont see the 'story' in this article, someone with a gripe or going after BTP.

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out.

I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'.

Those animals should be desexed before any one gets to buy them regardless of how they want to sell them.

Yes and that would solve the alleged problem that bybs are looking for breeding stock there. Anecdotally someone else has told me that that has been a problem but it is easily fixed with mandatory desexing. they could get a cheap desexing contract with a vet and make money by recouping the costs of desexing with a reasonable price. $60 is far too little for any dog. They ought to make it desexed and a few hundred.

[BJean]

Big deal so the family missed out.

So rescues should only be al cheapo???

I really dont see the 'story' in this article, someone with a gripe or going after BTP.

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out.

I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'.

Those animals should be desexed before any one gets to buy them regardless of how they want to sell them.

Yes but the story isn't about their desexing - that's a DPI legislation issue for NSW.

In VIC all dogs from pounds must be desexed before rehoming -

BTP is not the only pound in NSW that does not desex before rehoming.

[Steve]

Big deal so the family missed out.

So rescues should only be al cheapo???

I really dont see the 'story' in this article, someone with a gripe or going after BTP.

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out.

I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'.

Those animals should be desexed before any one gets to buy them regardless of how they want to sell them.

Yes but the story isn't about their desexing - that's a DPI legislation issue for NSW.

In VIC all dogs from pounds must be desexed before rehoming -

BTP is not the only pound in NSW that does not desex before rehoming.

Yes thats right but when they give the reasons they do for using that system as trying to keep down puppy farmers and backyard breeders buying them it makes little sense when they go out entire anyway????????????

[raz]

Yes thats right but when they give the reasons they do for using that system as trying to keep down puppy farmers and backyard breeders buying them it makes little sense when they go out entire anyway????????????

Exactly. I dont care what they charge or what sort of money spinners they have but what complete garbage.

[Steve]

Its is an issue with state laws and its time that one was given some attention.It should have been dealt with way before a push for an attempt at stopping pet shop sales.

[Quickasyoucan]

Its is an issue with state laws and its time that one was given some attention.It should have been dealt with way before a push for an attempt at stopping pet shop sales.

Yeah it's kind of madness when you think about it. These dogs are dumped or strays in the first place and yet they are sent out again potentially to increase the dog population. So many of the bitches you see in pounds particularly the slightly older ones look like they have already been bred to buggery, its rare you don't see one with an undercarriage, they are probably due some relief from breeding its the least we humans can do.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Quickasyoucan

[BJean]

Big deal so the family missed out.

So rescues should only be al cheapo???

I really dont see the 'story' in this article, someone with a gripe or going after BTP.

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out.

I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'.

Those animals should be desexed before any one gets to buy them regardless of how they want to sell them.

Yes but the story isn't about their desexing - that's a DPI legislation issue for NSW.

In VIC all dogs from pounds must be desexed before rehoming -

BTP is not the only pound in NSW that does not desex before rehoming.

Yes thats right but when they give the reasons they do for using that system as trying to keep down puppy farmers and backyard breeders buying them it makes little sense when they go out entire anyway????????????

I suppose if a cute fluffy goes for $400 instead of $60 it does put off some BYB.

but I dont see animals being sold entire as the focus of this article -

the article is against the bartering system that BTP uses -

MORE animals are killed at Blacktown Animal Holding Facility than anywhere else in the state, yet it continues to use an archaic system where people have to bid to rescue a homeless pet.

one reason BTP have offered for their bartering system, is that it reduces BYB purchasors. Perhaps it does.

Edited January 19, 2010 by lilli

[WreckitWhippet]

Perhaps they euth more animals in terms of numbers , but then that's entirely to be expected given the size of the pound and the location. They would not be the highest in terms of % that come through the doors. I believe that Forbes leads the state with that one.

What's a few hundred to a BYBer or farmer, they stand to make many times that amount selling the offspring anyway.

Desex and they are no longer usefull or desirable to the BYBer.

Yes, the kill rates may increase with mandatory desexing but I cannot see how that could be used an an excuse. It's better to rehome 100 dogs a year , desexed , that a few hundred many of which will be entire.

[Eileen]

Agree totally. I had no idea these dogs went out entire. I thought all rescue facilities desexed before rehoming. Weird.

[Diva]

It is just weird.

You'd think that desexing before leaving the pound (or alternatively release to a rescue that desexes) would be bleedingly obvious wouldn't you. Especially if puppy farmers were hunting for stock there.

[reddog21]

Hi Steve, I live in Blacktown LGA.

I am going to write to Cr Dickens and see if we can get Council to institute a compulsory dexing policy.

If you, or any other members here, have any material on the subject I could use I would be most appreciative.

Cheers

[Steve]

Hi Steve, I live in Blacktown LGA.

I am going to write to Cr Dickens and see if we can get Council to institute a compulsory dexing policy.

If you, or any other members here, have any material on the subject I could use I would be most appreciative.

Cheers

That would be great - as long as thats a compulsory desexing policy for the pound only which would bring them into line with other pounds and shelters in the state which also do this but I wont support mandatory desexing policy across the board.

[reddog21]

I meant the pound only

[tarope]

Blacktown pound is a hell hole, and the staff are just as bad. The tender system is a bloody rip off and is just another way to make money for this greedy council.

Blacktown council is paid to take dogs from other councils, yet complain about it. Dogs are killed every day, even young healthy dogs. When a dog is surrendered it goes in a cage and is left there till it's PTS, which isn't very long. They don't even take the check chains or collars off the dogs in the cages. ;)

The dogs are covered in fleas and kennel cough and parvo run wild. Some of the fleas would most likely drowned when staff hose the cages out with the poor dogs in them. Dogs that are sold are not desexed as this is now your problem, if the dog has parvo or kennel cough that's also your problem. ;)

If your a volunteer and have the hide to complain about how staff or the previous owners have treated these poor dogs your told to keep your mouth shut. Blacktown council doesn't like to spend money and it shows at the pound.

Cr Russ Dickens who is also a vet is the only councilor who is trying to change things, but he's up against a brick wall and has even been called crazy by some in council.

Cr Dickens is a very caring person and genuine in his attempts to change things, he's totally opposed to BSL and once owned and loves Rottweilers.