We Need Some More Help Inthe King Lake Area

[Steve]

Is it possible to get a request for urgent help broadcast over a radio station that serves the area...or a Melbourne radio station, too. Other owners of horses, ponies, donkeys & chooks might be happy to donate. Or just general members of the public.

Good idea Ill chase them up.

Julie

[mita]

New Kinglake Ranges community radiostation -

97.1FM ABC Radio launched the new community radio station 97.1FM ABC KinglakeRanges for our local communities on Friday 13 March, with a special live broadcastby John Faine. ABC Kinglake Ranges will form part of the community's rebuildingand recovery process, broadcasting news and information to an area includingKinglake, Kinglake West and the surrounding towns of Toolangi, Dixon's Creek,Flowerdale and Strathewen.

The ABC has supported a great existing local initiative which has seen theinstallation of a local broadcast studio at the Kinglake Ranges NeighbourhoodHouse. The plan is for the ABC to provide training and resources to set up apermanent local community radio station, and after three to six months step backand hand the running of the station over to the community

.The station will offer a daily Breakfast Program, presented by Simon Rogers,and 97.1 Kinglake Ranges FM will operate Monday to Friday from 6am - 11pm,and then stream the regular ABC 774 broadcast at other times, interspaced withrepeats of local news and interviews (including the 0745 State news and AM at0800). Simon presents Saturday Breakfast from Bendigo and played a vital rolebringing listeners fire threat updates across the evening and overnight during thebushfire crisis. Listeners are invited to call in, and to also utilise the new station's greatwebsite www.abc.net.au/victoria/kinglake-3763

[Linda K]

perhaps look into whether you can get some of the large rolls of hay, which can just be put into the paddocks and the horses / ponies / donkeys can munch on as they like. individual hay bales of lucerne run about the $10 - 20 mark, depending on the quality, and buying feed by the bag for that many horses (if they were being hard fed once a day), you would need a bag of oaten chaff and 1 of lucerne chaff per day, and the copra maybe 1 per 2 days. That would be quite costly, but with any luck, maybe the feed place might offer a discount. Absolutely no idea on chook food

[Bilbo Baggins]

Steve does the VCA have any money left????

[Steve]

Steve does the VCA have any money left????

The counselor is telling us that everyone has moved on and there is very little help left for her clients. Ive no idea how the VCA are placed but I also don't know whether they will help horses etc either.

[~Shepherd~]

Steve does the VCA have any money left????

The counselor is telling us that everyone has moved on and there is very little help left for her clients. Ive no idea how the VCA are placed but I also don't know whether they will help horses etc either.

There is HEAPS of feed around Kinglake and surrounds at the moment. Perhaps the horses could be agisted on good pasture locally and agistment costs covered.

Most would only charge around $10-$15 per week. THis way it will give a chance for her pasture to have a break before Spring and produce plenty of good feed for the Season. It may cost around $300 per week to hard feed all the animals if they want grain, delivery and specialised foods. They will survive and remain healthy if they have an ongoing hay supply, it may not be up to the standards that enthusiasts may want, but it will maintain the weight and get them through. If the horses are not in work then they will be fine if they are rugged and fed good quality Lucerne and Grass Hay.

Unfortunately a lot of people in these areas are in the same boat during Winter and there a still people living in below 0 conditions in caravans up in the hills.

Sorry I cant be of any help atm with transport. I hope their situation starts to improve.

This site will give you an indication of prices etc. Its the only online store I could find within 45 minutes of Kinglake.

http://valleyproduce.com.au/store/index.ph...ex&cPath=37

Edited August 20, 2010 by Chewbacca

[toofarnorth]

If this post is inappropriate, I am happy for it to be deleted.

I am concerned about the welfare of all these animals, if the owners cant afford to buy food, how are they able to provide the necessary care to worm, trim hooves,immunise, provide emergency vet care for all these animals?

Its great that people are helping but I hope the long term welfare of these animals is also being looked at.

[Steve]

If this post is inappropriate, I am happy for it to be deleted.

I am concerned about the welfare of all these animals, if the owners cant afford to buy food, how are they able to provide the necessary care to worm, trim hooves,immunise, provide emergency vet care for all these animals?

Its great that people are helping but I hope the long term welfare of these animals is also being looked at.

Not in appropriate at all - it was exactly this that we checked before we said we would help.

Before Pacers ever gets involved we have to have a clear view that its not just a band- aid and that the situation has a reasonable chance of being able to get out of the spot they are in and ensure the welfare of the animals way into the future. While we are helping we also work with the counselling team that's already in place toward various goals or we provide a counselor ourselves.

These people have been able to look after their animals very well up to now so worming and husbandry are up to date - being strapped for cash for feed is a new development and temporary.

Everything we do is reassessed weekly and we only ever give help for short periods of time unless there are truly exceptional circumstances.

[~Shepherd~]

If this post is inappropriate, I am happy for it to be deleted.

I am concerned about the welfare of all these animals, if the owners cant afford to buy food, how are they able to provide the necessary care to worm, trim hooves,immunise, provide emergency vet care for all these animals?

Its great that people are helping but I hope the long term welfare of these animals is also being looked at.

This is a short term helping hand to get back on top of things. Perhaps they have over commited to a degree, but these are their pets and if people can help the owners keep them whilst they get back on their feet than that is the best option.

If it is going to be a long term problem, then the owners may need help to sell or rehome some of their animals to make it more managable. Not fair to splash all the details on a public forum. Who knows, you may find yourself in a similar situation one day and just need a helping hand for the short term to keep your dogs?

[Steve]

If this post is inappropriate, I am happy for it to be deleted.

I am concerned about the welfare of all these animals, if the owners cant afford to buy food, how are they able to provide the necessary care to worm, trim hooves,immunise, provide emergency vet care for all these animals?

Its great that people are helping but I hope the long term welfare of these animals is also being looked at.

This is a short term helping hand to get back on top of things. Perhaps they have over commited to a degree, but these are their pets and if people can help the owners keep them whilst they get back on their feet than that is the best option.

If it is going to be a long term problem, then the owners may need help to sell or rehome some of their animals to make it more managable. Not fair to splash all the details on a public forum. Who knows, you may find yourself in a similar situation one day and just need a helping hand for the short term to keep your dogs?

Just like to add sometimes we help look after animals while we are helping the owners to find new homes for them and in at least one of these current situations thats exactly what will be done.

The owners are prepared to accept our help and have agreed to a time line to get it done.

Its a pretty delicate matter when you first broach the idea of them giving up their fight to keep them as usually they have given up everything they had to hang onto them.Its even more so after the community has had to face the issues this one has. So far though we haven't done too bad and often we have helped them find new ways to make money and support themselves better to be able to be more secure.

[toofarnorth]

ty Steve. The amount of animals was of a concern and I feel incredibly for those that went through that horrendous day and are dealing with the aftermath. Its good to know that there are other aspects of the animals and the familys situation that are being looked after.

[Animal House]

I can't help with transport or feed, but can offer a small donation if it helps?

I can only imagine how the people (who went through the bushfires) are feeling when they are having trouble feeding/keeping their animals, it must be heartbreaking for them.