Mila's Mum Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/news/local/news/general/pound-desexing-under-review/2523087.aspx Pound desexing under review BY CALLAN LAWRENCE 16 Apr, 2012 12:00 AM ANIMAL-WELFARE advocates will wait anxiously for the next Blacktown Council meeting after the long-awaited pound desexing policy split the council last week. Most councillors voted to adopt a policy that would see all animals sold from Blacktown Animal Holding Facility desexed mandatorily, which has been the option pushed by welfare advocates. But the policy is far from secured. The three Labor councillors who voted for mandatory desexing expect their caucus will compel them to vote for the voluntary desexing policy favoured by the party. Labor councillor Leo Kelly, who supports mandatory desexing, did not understand why some colleagues thought people had a right to breed animals from the pound. "Some of my colleagues think if you want to breed animals then you've got a right to do it but if you want to breed you should have a licence," he said. Cr Kelly said the backyard breeding of animals was a virtual black-market operation that was tax-free. He said mandatory desexing at the pound would stop those animals breeding if they escaped or were abandoned by their owners. If the Labor caucus held him to support the alternative policy, Cr Kelly said he would ask for an amendment that required potential owners of "intact" animals be "screened" before purchase. Mayor Alan Pendleton has long-supported voluntary desexing at the pound. He said people should have the right to buy an intact, or undesexed, animal from the pound if they wanted. He said sterilising animals at the pound was to say "none of our residents are responsible enough to own an entire animal". "Breeding a pet, having the family watch and learn about it, is an experience that's a part of life," he said. This shows just how much we need to support Option 2, compulsory desexing, at the May 2nd Council meeting (6.30pm for a 7 pm start). Although the Policy Committee's vote to adopt a compulsory desexing policy at the April 11th meeting was important, it can still be reversed and/or amended at the May 2nd Council meeting. Please attend this meeting if you can. Four Blacktown Councillors opposed Option 2 - they were: Mayor Cr Alan Pendleton, Deputy Mayor Cr Tony Bleasdale, Cr Edmond Atalla, Cr Stephen Bali - they favoured giving people a choice to breed more animals, and using the pound as a source of breeding stock. Mayor Pendleton, who is Chairman of the Animals Committee, has always opposed compulsory desexing. Edited April 19, 2012 by Mila's Mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katdogs Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 So do the Lib councillors support desexing and the Labor party doesn't? Strange, I thought it would be the other way around. Good luck with this. They'll have to move into the 20th century one day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Perhaps holding a dog at the pound while it is given its green dream is a life experience a family should experience too Pendleton! What a load of crap, as usual, Blacktown council really get my goat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shmoo Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Perhaps holding a dog at the pound while it is given its green dream is a life experience a family should experience too Pendleton! I agree! What an outdated way of thinking. I remember hearing that when I was very young and thinking it was outdated.. and I turned 30 this yr! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Maybe Cr Pendleton could visit the various pound(s) in Sydney a few times and see the numbers of pregnant bitches and discarded litters of pups that come through the doors? Obviously he's not thought his argument through to the end... simply watching a bitch whelp isn't the end of the process - the pups need to be reared and then homes found for them... and that part seems to be the hardest bit for many people. Another thing to note, has anyone else noticed that no-one is ever offering up pups as free to good home any more - it all seems to be about "making money" off the litters nowadays... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katdogs Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) Can't get the link to work on my phone but a councillor has told me we should contribute to the local newspaper's discussion on this, it's being looked at closely. Blacktown Sun (per OP) but I can't find a comments link. Edited April 20, 2012 by Katdogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mila's Mum Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Can't get the link to work on my phone but a councillor has told me we should contribute to the local newspaper's discussion on this, it's being looked at closely. Blacktown Sun (per OP) but I can't find a comments link. To comment on the article, just scroll to the very bottom of the article, and there are various boxes to fill out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 What a moron. In his position he should be providing an example to the great unwashed. That he thinks every household should be raising puppies or kittens for the joy of seeing new life is VERY disturbing. Very few households would be capable of providing the environment, nutrition, vet care or training that this would require. And where would they live? Thankfully not everyone thinks that way - only people who live in the dark ages or are so thick they can't think outside of their 4 walls or more than 5 minutes into the future ... I agree with Juice, I'd like to see all those who bring lives into the world deal with the aftermath of that and spend a week in the RSPCA euthanasia room. I'll never forget a documentary by the RSPCA showing them killing basketfuls of kittens for days on end. Horrific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecutter Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 If anyone is going to the meeting and would like to speak - you need to be at the Council chambers at least 30 min prior to register. If you just want to attend, you don't have to be there that early. I'll be lobbying my local councillor - I strongly encourage others to do the same :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mila's Mum Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 If anyone is going to the meeting and would like to speak - you need to be at the Council chambers at least 30 min prior to register. If you just want to attend, you don't have to be there that early. I'll be lobbying my local councillor - I strongly encourage others to do the same :) Hi - I've been asked to post this - Could you post a note asking people to please not speak. Only 2 people can speak for a motion to be accepted (ie. compulsory desexing), and we have two well-rehearsed dedicated keynote speakers lined up to do this. Lobby councillors for sure - go for it, but please do not speak at the meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecutter Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Thanks Mila's mum :) Speaking at council can be full of perils as you get a time limit then they cut you off - I've seen an important issue impacted by poor speakers I'm sure the speakers will do an excellent job - hopefully the councillors will listen (I've seen nose picking, talking to other councillors, talking with other council staff and playing on phones while people have been speaking about a motion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I have spoken there before, and it is nerve racking, and councillours were busy talking, reading the paper and eating. My counsillour never attended, even though it was a planning proposal in her jurasdiction, she never helped us at all. I have little faith in this council to do anything that doesn't serve them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erinonthefarm Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 And to have this way of thinking in metro sydney is just mind boggling! To actually be encouraging people to breed their pets- well they must have a lot of room in their pounds, the pound staff must be happy to pts sleep hundreds of cats and dogs and the council must have plenty of money I really feel sorry for anyone who has to work in that pound or rescues that deal with blacktown, must be like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erinonthefarm Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 And they need to scrap their silent auction crap for animals- they aren't commodities Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 And they need to scrap their silent auction crap for animals- they aren't commodities They did last year. But I'm still loathe to deal with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I can't believe a councillor would say that, especially publicly!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 What concerns me is that (as I understand) this reflects the Mayor's 'personal opinion' on entire animals. Obviously he is not looking at this objectively and it is part of the position he holds as Mayor to do so. Happy to be corrected if I am wrong, though I believe 75% of animals impounded at Blacktown Pound come from the Blacktown Shire. Clearly there is a major issue in this area and they need to implement serious change. The argument used by councillors, that desexing from a pound or shelter does not reduce the number of animals coming into a shelter is flawed. If you take Vic, who desex all animals leaving shelters you will see there is not a reduction in numbers of animals entering pounds and shelters for obvious reason. Not one other avenue of breeding at point of sale are required to desex in Vic. Byb's, puppy farmers, pet shops, internet sales, unwanted/unplanned litters etc, etc the list goes on. Of course you will not see a reduction in numbers entering shelters when only one avenue is desexing. Pounds and shelters can however, be part of the solution, and not part of the problem. Pounds and shelters must be part of the solution, most councils promote responsible dog ownership which includes micro chipping, registering and desexing companion animals, yet some continue to send out entire dogs and cats into the community! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverena Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 (edited) A P.I female, beautiful dog, great condition, came into an animal facility Friday afternoon, not desexed. On Saturday first thing in the morning she was bought. This person clearly did not spend time to get to know her. He even complained about the cost of buying her, to staff. He Walked straight passed this dog, when he went looking at other dogs, he did not say a word to this girl even though he was buying her. He told staff that his male dog (same breed) was desexed, Hmm... Not once did he show affection when picking her up, she gets into the car with her tail between her legs. I asked if he had tested his dog with this dog, he told me his dog gets along with every dog. I wonder, if Alan Pendleton had already brought in compulsory desexing, would this person have bought this dog, or walked straight passed her? I felt sick to my stomach. Edited April 22, 2012 by Riverena Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mila's Mum Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 ... a councillor has told me we should contribute to the local newspaper's discussion on this, it's being looked at closely. http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/news/local/news/general/pound-desexing-under-review/2523087.aspx?page=3 There are some great comments from the public at the bottom of this article. Please add your support to the others who have contributed already - it doesn't have to be long. Just by showing that there is an ever growing ground swell of support for compulsory desexing, will help sway votes in our favour. The more the comments there are, the more the councillors will sit up and take notice. LOTS OF COMMENTS = LOTS OF NOTICE !! Come on people - have your say. Do it for the poundies - we are their voice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytpets Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 I've added a comment. Fingers crossed it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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