Task Force To Investigate Pet Euthanasia

[Jigsaw]

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/taskforce-to-investigate-pet-euthanasia-20110815-1iuhz.html

Taskforce to investigate pet euthanasia

August 15, 2011 - 5:06PM

Cats and dogs in NSW are facing "high rates" of euthanasia, with more than 150,000 put down in state pounds over the past five years, the government says.

In an attempt to combat the number of killings, the NSW government announced the state's first Companion Animals Taskforce today.

The taskforce will promote responsible pet ownership and will also investigate animal breeding practices and puppy farms, as well as desexing and micro-chipping.

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The announcement comes after NSW council pounds revealed that a total of 32,000 dogs and cats were euthanased in the past year, a spokesman from the Department of Premier and Cabinet told AAP.

"Recent statistics show that, of the animals arriving at NSW pounds each year, about one-third of dogs and nearly 70 per cent of cats are euthanased," Don Page, Minister for Local Government, said in a statement.

"These are shocking statistics and the establishment of the taskforce recognises the rights of the tens of thousands of companion animals, and will ensure that their voice is heard in Parliament."

The taskforce will include members of the Animal Welfare League NSW, the Australian Veterinary Association, the Cat Protection Society, the RSPCA and the Pet Industry Association, as well as the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Division of Local Government.

Edited August 15, 2011 by Jigsaw

[Steve]

http://www.smh.com.a...0815-1iuhz.html

Taskforce to investigate pet euthanasia

August 15, 2011 - 5:06PM

Cats and dogs in NSW are facing "high rates" of euthanasia, with more than 150,000 put down in state pounds over the past five years, the government says.

In an attempt to combat the number of killings, the NSW government announced the state's first Companion Animals Taskforce today.

The taskforce will promote responsible pet ownership and will also investigate animal breeding practices and puppy farms, as well as desexing and micro-chipping.

Advertisement: Story continues below

The announcement comes after NSW council pounds revealed that a total of 32,000 dogs and cats were euthanased in the past year, a spokesman from the Department of Premier and Cabinet told AAP.

"Recent statistics show that, of the animals arriving at NSW pounds each year, about one-third of dogs and nearly 70 per cent of cats are euthanased," Don Page, Minister for Local Government, said in a statement.

"These are shocking statistics and the establishment of the taskforce recognises the rights of the tens of thousands of companion animals, and will ensure that their voice is heard in Parliament."

The taskforce will include members of the Animal Welfare League NSW, the Australian Veterinary Association, the Cat Protection Society, the RSPCA and the Pet Industry Association, as well as the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Division of Local Government.

Any one want to take bets on the solutions they come up with ? - no breeders on the "task force " and they recognise the rights of companion animals. Good luck with that.

[Christina]

Well something needs to be done. The dog figures are dismal but the amount of cats killed is enough to give me nightmares. Even allowing for a percentage of too sick, too feral or too old that is still disgusting.

As some of the taskforce members are the ones doing the euthanising & not coming up with a workable solution to reduce these figures in the many years they have been operating what is the point of having them doing this ?

The companion animals lose all their rights the moment they go through the doors.

The cats aren't coming from puppy farms & not many are pedigree. They are coming from pet owners who don't desex their cats & feral colonies.

I don't know what the answer is but the registered breeders will cop it somehow.

[WreckitWhippet]

http://www.smh.com.a...0815-1iuhz.html

Taskforce to investigate pet euthanasia

August 15, 2011 - 5:06PM

Cats and dogs in NSW are facing "high rates" of euthanasia, with more than 150,000 put down in state pounds over the past five years, the government says.

In an attempt to combat the number of killings, the NSW government announced the state's first Companion Animals Taskforce today.

The taskforce will promote responsible pet ownership and will also investigate animal breeding practices and puppy farms, as well as desexing and micro-chipping.

Advertisement: Story continues below

The announcement comes after NSW council pounds revealed that a total of 32,000 dogs and cats were euthanased in the past year, a spokesman from the Department of Premier and Cabinet told AAP.

"Recent statistics show that, of the animals arriving at NSW pounds each year, about one-third of dogs and nearly 70 per cent of cats are euthanased," Don Page, Minister for Local Government, said in a statement.

"These are shocking statistics and the establishment of the taskforce recognises the rights of the tens of thousands of companion animals, and will ensure that their voice is heard in Parliament."

The taskforce will include members of the Animal Welfare League NSW, the Australian Veterinary Association, the Cat Protection Society, the RSPCA and the Pet Industry Association, as well as the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Division of Local Government.

Any one want to take bets on the solutions they come up with ? - no breeders on the "task force " and they recognise the rights of companion animals. Good luck with that.

That task force was the reult of the Clover Moore propose legislation not getting through, was it not ?

My crystal ball can predict the outcomes of this one and it's not looking pretty for the registered breeders.

I have an idea for the taskforce to implement and then investigate. Let's find out just where these animals are coming from and then finally, we might be able to do something that targets the right area....

[Aphra]

The members of the taskforce are the same ones who haven't managed to make a dent in the figures after umpreen years and a lot if public money, why would they be likely to come up with anything useful now? Why not ask AWL to be part of it, or Michael Linke from the R SPCA ACT? Why are no rescue groups represented? Get some new perspectives.

Their recommendations will be mandatory desexing and education of the "irresponsible" public I'll bet.

[sandgrubber]

Setting up a task force is a recommendation for business as usual, while tossing a worthless reward to some constituency. No teeth, and often bite inhibited to boot.

[Steve]

Well something needs to be done. The dog figures are dismal but the amount of cats killed is enough to give me nightmares. Even allowing for a percentage of too sick, too feral or too old that is still disgusting.

As some of the taskforce members are the ones doing the euthanising & not coming up with a workable solution to reduce these figures in the many years they have been operating what is the point of having them doing this ?

The companion animals lose all their rights the moment they go through the doors.

The cats aren't coming from puppy farms & not many are pedigree. They are coming from pet owners who don't desex their cats & feral colonies.

I don't know what the answer is but the registered breeders will cop it somehow.

How many are coming from owners who dont desex their pets versus how many come from feral colonies. I saw some figures some time back that the feral colonies account for 90 % of them. They need to know the figures and real stats before any one can do anything with any task force.

By the way - animals do not have rights.

[Steve]

The members of the taskforce are the same ones who haven't managed to make a dent in the figures after umpreen years and a lot if public money, why would they be likely to come up with anything useful now? Why not ask AWL to be part of it, or Michael Linke from the R SPCA ACT? Why are no rescue groups represented? Get some new perspectives.

Their recommendations will be mandatory desexing and education of the "irresponsible" public I'll bet.

Agreed but before we start we need to know where they are coming from .

[mita]

Dogs NSW should be a member of the taskforce. If the Pet Industry Associaton is on it....& Dogs NSW is not....then they've introduced a bias, from the start.

If Qld research results can be generalised to NSW, a study showed that registered breeders raised puppies who were less likely to go on to present with one of the major problems underlying why dogs are dumped. It indicates that something positive is being done by a statistically significant proportion of registered breeders. That information would be very useful in looking at how & why a puppy's start in life is so critical. It was also revealed that the registered breeders produced far less numbers of accidental litters. The registered breeders are the one group who have documentation on their individual dogs (via the registration process) and who have some solid & rigorous research in their favour.

So Dogs NSW should be on that task force.

I'm with Aphra that 'evidence' and submissions should be sought from a wider group...& that would include gathering experiences from interstate (eg the ACT RSPCA, Rescue groups, GAP, Centre for Companion Animal Health U of Q etc).

Edited August 17, 2011 by mita

[Christina]

Why not ask AWL to be part of it

In Adelaide their euthanasia rates for cats & kittens were very high some years ago.

There are not cages & runs overflowing with cats & kittens for adoption. I used to wonder where they all were. Not been in there for years. Too depressing.