Out Of A Horror Movie?

[Steve]

http://www.glouceste...ed/2612641.aspx

THE RSPCA has confirmed it has launched an investigation into the euthanising of dogs by council staff at the Gloucester landfill last week.

Council confirmed that on Wednesday and Thursday last week several dogs were taken to the tip where they were shot and then disposed of on the tip face.

The Advocate was made aware of the incident after a resident complained to the paper.

Stratford resident Keith Whittall said he was at the tip between 12.20pm and 2pm last Wednesday when the council ranger arrived at the facility with the dogs on the back of his vehicle.

"He said he was taking the dogs down the back to shoot them," he said.

"He went down behind the rubbish pile and I heard the shots go off from where I was standing at the shed.

"Then he threw the carcasses into the general waste."

Mr Whittall said it was a "cruel and inhumane" way to dispose of the animals and said he was particularly upset that the incident had occurred during regular tip operating hours.

"I never want to see something like that happen again," he said.

"It made me feel physically sick. After I left the tip I went and got my daughter and took some pictures.

"There were 11 dogs in total, five of them were pups."

Director of Planning and Environment Graham Gardner said council had been responding to a request from a local resident who had asked that the dogs be disposed of.

Mr Gardner said the RSPCA had contacted council.

"On Friday afternoon council was visited by an inspector from the RSPCA who came to interview (the council ranger)," Mr Gardner said.

"The background circumstances to this incident are complex but there will likely be a focus on the action of euthanising and disposal of the dogs.

"We will review the details of this incident and clarify or adjust any operational procedures as necessary arising from this incident."

Edited July 5, 2012 by Steve

[GeckoTree]

Yep horrid for sure have seen a pic of scores of puppies with a smiling asswipe proud in the fact of his work.

[nawnim]

So awful. Perhaps I am naive but would the waiting dogs have seen what was happening to their fellows?

[Cheyd]

OMG that is horrible, I know some country pounds still shoot dogs but to do it at a public tip is disgraceful.

Gotta hope the guy was a good clean shot, would hate to think of dogs still being alive and suffering after being thrown on the tip

[HazyWal]

Disgraceful makes me feel sick

[j]

Unfortunately, if the deaths were quick with no undue suffering, it is unlikely that they have committed any offences against that states equivalent of the Animal Welfare Act (not sure what it's called there, that's what it is here). There may be some issues for the council themselves with procedures.

[Kirislin]

OMG that is horrible, I know some country pounds still shoot dogs but to do it at a public tip is disgraceful.

Gotta hope the guy was a good clean shot, would hate to think of dogs still being alive and suffering after being thrown on the tip

I saw a doco a few years ago about an outback country town and it showed the council worker do this to a frightened whimpering little terrier, they made no secret of it, so I assumed it must be legal, I wish there'd been a warning about it at the start of the program, I probably wouldn't have watched it if I'd known what was about to happen.

[Dame Aussie]

Whether it's legal or not, it is inhumane and there are better methods available, and it should never have been done during normal operating hours in front of children FFS.

Guy sounds like a complete cretin.

[stellnme]

The council should take responsibility for this - they have employed the ranger and have (or should have) guidelines and a job description for him. I would say they are very aware of how their staff operate. I would like to know if they have other options in place for the pound, i.e. working with rescue, pets of the week and advertising in the local paper, etc. My local pound operates very much like this council, except they load up the dogs and take them to a vet for PTS, and if a local group didn't rescue the few they can, the situation would be a lot worse.

Padraic, I don't think the dogs "know" what is happening as such, but they can certainly sense fear and this method is totally unacceptable to any thinking person, when there are other options.

[Guest Arcane]

Is there a vet within cooee of this place? I know my own council still shoot dogs because the nearest vets are at least 1/2 hrs in either direction and it's a 3 hrs round trip to bring dogs down to the city to the RSPCA or AWL shelters. I'm not saying I like it, but often there isn't a vet on hand. Rescue & adoption programs again are difficult because of the lack of vet close by. I'm frankly torn on which i'd prefer....the dogs shot or the dogs given back out to the local community completely un-vetted? The tyranny of distance so often wins in our vast country.

[nawnim]

Unfortunately, if the deaths were quick with no undue suffering, it is unlikely that they have committed any offences against that states equivalent of the Animal Welfare Act (not sure what it's called there, that's what it is here). There may be some issues for the council themselves with procedures.

How is it done? Presumably there is no vet nurse to hold the dog still to make sure the bullet goes in the right place.

In these outback places if a prize stud animal became ill a vet would be called out. Why can't a vet be called for these poor unwanted animals too. Or does it all come down to cost?

[Cat]

Is there a vet within cooee of this place? I know my own council still shoot dogs because the nearest vets are at least 1/2 hrs in either direction and it's a 3 hrs round trip to bring dogs down to the city to the RSPCA or AWL shelters. I'm not saying I like it, but often there isn't a vet on hand. Rescue & adoption programs again are difficult because of the lack of vet close by. I'm frankly torn on which i'd prefer....the dogs shot or the dogs given back out to the local community completely un-vetted? The tyranny of distance so often wins in our vast country.

there is at least one veterinary hospital. It isn't that far out.

[Guest Arcane]

Possibly a valuable stud animal would be afforded a visit from a vet but the cold hard truth is for many domestic animals, be they livestock or house pets, living in out of the way & isolated places, a bullet is the best they can hope for if they become sick, injured or unwanted. The cost & the distance to get a vet is often deemed too much. Of course if an animal is poorly or badly injured, waiting hours for the vet may be a lot less humane than a bullet too.

[Guest Arcane]

Is there a vet within cooee of this place? I know my own council still shoot dogs because the nearest vets are at least 1/2 hrs in either direction and it's a 3 hrs round trip to bring dogs down to the city to the RSPCA or AWL shelters. I'm not saying I like it, but often there isn't a vet on hand. Rescue & adoption programs again are difficult because of the lack of vet close by. I'm frankly torn on which i'd prefer....the dogs shot or the dogs given back out to the local community completely un-vetted? The tyranny of distance so often wins in our vast country.

there is at least one veterinary hospital. It isn't that far out.

That's a bit shitty then. If there is a vet within 15 mins or so it seems strange to me that they would not choose to use the vet.

I guess If they used the vet, I guess the costs would be a lot higher than a ranger with his gun.

[Steve]

Look I live in the bush and its common procedure to put an animal which is suffering out of its misery with a bullet .If the person holding the gun is skilled its a quick and pain free solution.

But to do what has been reported here where he took them to a public place during normal operating hours is way out of line and just shooting the gun near an area where there were members of the public is incredible let alone shooting in view of people to kill animals.

He's an idiot and should be charged wit discharging a firearm in a public place and anyone approving what he did needs a blood nose.

[nawnim]

Look I live in the bush and its common procedure to put an animal which is suffering out of its misery with a bullet .If the person holding the gun is skilled its a quick and pain free solution.

But to do what has been reported here where he took them to a public place during normal operating hours is way out of line and just shooting the gun near an area where there were members of the public is incredible let alone shooting in view of people to kill animals.

He's an idiot and should be charged wit discharging a firearm in a public place and anyone approving what he did needs a blood nose.

If danger to the public is the main concern I don't understand why the RSPCA has become involved.

[Steve]

The RSPCA are in because someone complained to them but Ill be surprised if he is pinged with any cruelty charges etc and it will all just blow over. I don't think shooting in a public place is necessarily the only concern but it is one thing you could be pretty sure to make him skirm over because its doubtful they will get him on anything else.

[LizT]

Look I live in the bush and its common procedure to put an animal which is suffering out of its misery with a bullet .If the person holding the gun is skilled its a quick and pain free solution.

But to do what has been reported here where he took them to a public place during normal operating hours is way out of line and just shooting the gun near an area where there were members of the public is incredible let alone shooting in view of people to kill animals.

He's an idiot and should be charged wit discharging a firearm in a public place and anyone approving what he did needs a blood nose.

This. There are far more inhumane ways to dispose of an animal than a quick bullet but these circumstances are a different issue entirely.

[mac'ella]

I wonder how much training would be required for euthanising with an injection,surely you shouldn't have to do a complete vet degree to be trained to do this,are those burdened with this at city pounds qualified vets

[Guest Arcane]

I can only imagine that the issue isn't so much whether the operator is a fully trained veterinarian, but more the fact that it is a highly dangerous drug that you would surely need some sort of special requirements met to have it in possession?