Great Steps In Addressing Dog Health

[persephone]

LINK page 38 is where it starts.

excerpt:

it was realised that the health of our community dogs was

quickly becoming a major health problem. The number of

dogs was constantly growing leaving many dogs uncared

for, unfed and carrying diseases that were being passed onto

humans. To address these issues we needed to take the dog

health program to another level. Zoonotic diseases such as

worms and parasites were affecting our people causing a

number of illness such as skin infections, vomiting, diarrhoea

and even more serious conditions such as kidney problems.

The overpopulation of dogs was becoming a noticeable issue.

Not only were dogs and the people they came in contact with

getting sick, but their behaviour and safety was becoming a

problem. Dogs were fighting each other causing permanent

injury and even death. There were even horrible cases of

attacks on community members. We love our dogs. They are

like family. They bring so much joy to our community. But

something needed to be done.

in 2004, Nirrumbuk Aboriginal Corporation developed a basic

dog health program for Kullari’s Aboriginal communities.

The program operated under the Dog Health Protocol, a

Memorandum of Understanding between the Veterinary

Board of Western Australia and the Department of Health.

The program began with community education, a one

on one service between community members and

trained Environmental Health Workers. Interest in the

program and learning how to care for dogs grew quickly.

[Little Gifts]

This is a problem in numerous Indigenous communities around Australia. I know here in QLD we've been using local council to remove dangerous and excess dogs and run vaccination and desexing program. The cross over health issues have been known for some time and the reality is councils weren't bothering to address canine control issues as they would in other suburban communities. It seems like such a small thing but in contained communities it is really important, not only for the people but for the dogs too.