New Puppy Mill Proposal

[Nekhbet]

Your help is urgently required to prevent another puppy farm from being built.

For further information please read these links

http://www.govegan.com.au/puppies/?p=278

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/articl...58911_news.html

Please lodge an objection with Moorabool Council before next Monday 5th April.

All you need to do is copy and paste the letter below, insert your details at the end of the letter, make any changes you wish and email to

[email protected]

We can stop this puppy farm from being built!!

Thanks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natalie Robertson

Town Planner

Moorabool Shire Council

PO Box 18

Ballan Victoria 3342

[email protected]

Re: OBJECTION to Planning Permit Application 12553OPLA/2009/266

“Dog Breeding and Dog Rearing Establishment and the Erection of a Dwelling”

I would like to strongly object to the above planning application. I object to this proposal on several grounds.

1) Negative environmental disruption and waste pollution associated with the large scale intensive farming of companion animals.

2) Noise

3) Animal Cruelty

This proposal negatively impacts upon me as we are currently killing over 350 healthy, but homeless dogs in Council run pounds. My tax dollars and those of all hard working Australians are currently footing the bill for Local Government to operate these pounds that slaughter thousands of homeless dogs every year. It is wrong to grant permits to breed more dogs, this is unacceptable and irresponsible. I do not want my tax dollars used to prop up a system where I know thousands of healthy companion animals will be killed while Councils continue to issue permits for breeders to pump out more puppies.

The parent dogs suffer horribly. Puppy farming is an intensive factory farming industry with dogs continually confined either pregnant, feeding puppies or 'servicing' the females. The puppies supply the pet industry with their “stock” to sell to an unsuspecting public.

Abuse of scant water supplies and soil erosion

The Water Catchment Protection Policy for Moorabool Planning Scheme (The Policy) states:

300,000 people rely on drinking water supplies that are harvested from catchments in the Moorabool Shire. Every local resident and business in the Moorabool Shire relies on water that is harvested from catchments in the municipality. Inappropriate land use and development will undermine the safety and reliability of water supplies in the Shire. It is vital that water authorities, Council and the local community act to preserve water quality throughout the municipality in order to safeguard public health, protect water supply assets, reduce water tariffs, and ensure a secure and reliable long-term supply of drinking water.

The current application for a puppy farm is situated on land that is only 20 hectares and therefore a dwelling cannot be erected. The Policy states:

Dwelling density generally should not exceed 1:40 hectares.

The Policy states:

Land Use

Outside of township areas, the following land use activities are discouraged in water supply catchments:

• Industry

• Piggeries, cattle feedlots and other intensive animal industries [my bolding]

Soil erosion is one of the biggest problems on large dog factory farms. When dogs are continually confined into small runs, soil erosion and resulting dust and debris are of real concern and cause major problems in regard to animal welfare such as eye infections. Close confinement of dogs in large sheds and small runs also increases the burden of parasites and assists the transmission of contagious disease such as parvovirus which studies have shown remains in the soil for many years.

The Environmental Protection Agencies Noise Control Guidelines Section 4 state;

The problems caused by the perpetual barking of dogs has been known to exist at distances as far as 500 metres from the actual source.

The residents in the surrounding areas of this proposed puppy farm will be tormented by the continual barking of dogs day and night and I do not believe the design of the kennels will limit the physical stimuli of the dogs or the outbreak of noise from the kennels. Puppy farms by their very nature do not meet the needs of dogs who are a companion animal and require room to play and explore. Continual confinement and pregnancy cause severe psychological damage to these companion animals who often display repetitive behaviours and constant barking and howling through loneliness, boredom and lack of environmental stimulation.

Finally, it's also important to point out that Beremboke Shire’s registered pet owners pay animal registration fees annually. This money is there to provide ratepayers with information and education on responsible pet ownership. There is nothing responsible about the factory farming of dogs. It would be hypocritical of Council to accept these registration fees while also granting a permit for another intensive cruel puppy farm industry to set up in Beremboke. This would send the wrong message to residents of Beremboke and the wider community.

This planning application presents Beremboke Council with a unique opportunity to show leadership by declaring Beremboke to be a puppy farm free zone. A strong message could be sent to Councils all over Australia that factory farming of dogs will not be tolerated any longer. The resulting media and outpouring of public support will assure that this Council leads the way in regards to animal welfare.

I earnestly appeal to you not to grant this permit application. Thank you very much for any consideration to this objection on behalf of these innocent animals and due to my very real concerns.

Sincerely Yours,

INSERT YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER HERE HERE

FYI this is the same mob who already have ACA breeders kennels.

[SchnauzerBoy]

Oh no not another one.

Can I send a letter of disgust even though I am based in SA?

[Nekhbet]

you can and I encourage everyone to. The irony is this proposal is being considered by the same council that just tried to shut down Les and Melinda Paxton who made news recently, and said they are against animal cruelty. Well WHY CONSIDER ANOTHER PUPPY FARM

[Russkie30]

I have sent a letter of disapproval, although I do not live in that State. I have also sent your letter to friends in Victoria urging them to sign it and pass it on.

Edited March 30, 2010 by Russkie30

[spottychick]

THe link to the Geelong Advertiser article doesn't seem to work.

God this is disgusting!!

[darlingdog]

you can and I encourage everyone to. The irony is this proposal is being considered by the same council that just tried to shut down Les and Melinda Paxton who made news recently, and said they are against animal cruelty. Well WHY CONSIDER ANOTHER PUPPY FARM

[/quote

Have sent the letter. I'm based in Qld, hope you can get thousands of people objecting to this. Good luck with it.

[darlingdog]

you can and I encourage everyone to. The irony is this proposal is being considered by the same council that just tried to shut down Les and Melinda Paxton who made news recently, and said they are against animal cruelty. Well WHY CONSIDER ANOTHER PUPPY FARM

Just had a thought, I see that the 7.30 report is doing a story on puppy farms this week, wonder if they know of this new proposal ??? May I suggest that you contact them and see if they will put the spotlight on it ?? Nothing like a bit of publicity to get a council motivated !

[darlingdog]

you can and I encourage everyone to. The irony is this proposal is being considered by the same council that just tried to shut down Les and Melinda Paxton who made news recently, and said they are against animal cruelty. Well WHY CONSIDER ANOTHER PUPPY FARM

Just had a thought, I see that the 7.30 report is doing a story on puppy farms this week, wonder if they know of this new proposal ??? May I suggest that you contact them and see if they will put the spotlight on it ?? Nothing like a bit of publicity to get a council motivated !

[darlingdog]

you can and I encourage everyone to. The irony is this proposal is being considered by the same council that just tried to shut down Les and Melinda Paxton who made news recently, and said they are against animal cruelty. Well WHY CONSIDER ANOTHER PUPPY FARM

Just had a thought, I see that the 7.30 report is doing a story on puppy farms this week, wonder if they know of this new proposal ??? May I suggest that you contact them and see if they will put the spotlight on it ?? Nothing like a bit of publicity to get a council motivated !

and another thought, there is a Facebook page against puppy farms I believe ??? Post your letter on there and try to get all the members the world over to send the letter. Strength in numbers and all that.

[ellies mum]

you can and I encourage everyone to. The irony is this proposal is being considered by the same council that just tried to shut down Les and Melinda Paxton who made news recently, and said they are against animal cruelty. Well WHY CONSIDER ANOTHER PUPPY FARM

Just had a thought, I see that the 7.30 report is doing a story on puppy farms this week, wonder if they know of this new proposal ??? May I suggest that you contact them and see if they will put the spotlight on it ?? Nothing like a bit of publicity to get a council motivated !

and another thought, there is a Facebook page against puppy farms I believe ??? Post your letter on there and try to get all the members the world over to send the letter. Strength in numbers and all that.

thats great

Edited March 30, 2010 by ellies mum

[ellies mum]

you can and I encourage everyone to. The irony is this proposal is being considered by the same council that just tried to shut down Les and Melinda Paxton who made news recently, and said they are against animal cruelty. Well WHY CONSIDER ANOTHER PUPPY FARM

Just had a thought, I see that the 7.30 report is doing a story on puppy farms this week, wonder if they know of this new proposal ??? May I suggest that you contact them and see if they will put the spotlight on it ?? Nothing like a bit of publicity to get a council motivated !

and another thought, there is a Facebook page against puppy farms I believe ??? Post your letter on there and try to get all the members the world over to send the letter. Strength in numbers and all that.

thats great

sent to many ppl on my email......strength in numbers...

[Shmurps]

done, and passed it on.

[Souff]

"ADOPT ME" has become part of the vernacular of unscrupulous puppy sellers.

"SAVE ME" would be a better term.

[IngeK]

Letter sent. I was actually going to post this while I just read it in the local paper and then I saw this post. Thanks Nekhbet for putting it up.

This is absolutely rediculous! How can they even think about approving such a thing while left, right and center dogs get PTS here in dog pounds. They even call it puppyfarm in the paper. Pfff makes me soooo mad. And then they even mention "designer dogs" as well. Poor poor dogs

[bertie]

Well written, thanks. (Sent).

[Christina]

The whole bloody council need a brain transplant. This is unbelievable.

[HugUrPup]

*vomits* at prospect of Puppy mill.

:

[nicrowkz]

Email sent and also passed it on to some friends, and hopefully they pass it on to some friends etc

[JRzipper]

:D The whole bloody council need a brain transplant. This is unbelievable.

I don't think is quite fair. I am totally opposed to the application personally but there is no point getting stuck into Council before they have even had the chance to make a decision on the application. Local Governments are bound by planning laws that dictate how planning permit applications are handled. If the intended use is not specifically identified as a prohibited use in that particular zone, the applicant has the right to submit an application and have it considered under a strictly managed process that enables any residents who support or object to the application to have their say.

The process also provides an avenue for appeal for the applicant, so if Council makes a decision without following this process carefully, or without having very good reasons (under the planning scheme) to support their decision, it can be overturned at VCAT. Actually it can be overturned even if Council has done everything right, but the better their process, evidence and arguments, the better chance they have of having their decision upheld by VCAT.

For your information, the general planning permit process

(1) Apply for planning permit.

(2) The local council may refer the application to other authorities (eg the Environment Protection Authority, VicRoads, the local water authority).

(3) The local council will direct the applicant to give notice of the application.

(4) The local council may ask for more information (within 28 days of the application being made).

(5) Opponents may object to the application (generally within 14 days of receiving notice).

(6) The local council (or in some circumstances another decision maker – the Minister for Planning perhaps) must consider all objections, any comments of the authorities it has referred the application to, and the application, before making a decision.

(7) The local council must make a decision within 60 days of the application being lodged (but this maybe longer if the local council asks for more information).

(8) An objector may apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for review of a decision to grant a permit (within 21 days of the notice being given to the objector of the decision to grant the planning permit).

(9) The applicant may apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for review of a decision to refuse a permit or of a condition of the permit (within 60 days of the notice of the decision or the grant of the permit). The applicant may also apply for a review where the local council has failed to grant the permit within the required time.

JR

[mr.mister]

done and done!

thankyou very kindly for the person who took the time to write the letter. :D