Residents Outraged After Dog Put Down At Campbelltown Pound

[Holmesy]

This is my local pound. Sad really

http://macarthur-chronicle-campbelltown.whereilive.com.au/news/story/residents-outraged-after-dog-put-down-at-campbelltown-pound/

ANIMAL rescue and welfare groups are outraged after an eight-year-old labrador was put down due to kennel cough at Campbelltown Council's Animal Care Facility last week.

Dog rescue group Labrador Rescue had already found a new home for the dog when it was put down after the group became the first animal rescue body to be allowed access to the Rose St facility.

The council is conducting an internal review of after the incident, which prompted an influx of letters and emails to the Chronicle condemning the facility's action.

Council general manager Paul Tosi said it was not normal practice for the pound to put dogs down because of kennel cough.

He said the labrador was one of seven animals put down on the same day due to a variety of illnesses and based on the amount of time they had been at the pound.

Vet Dr Rob Zammit, who operates the Vineyard Veterinary Hospital since 1980 and has been a vet since 1978, said he had never heard of a dog being put down because of kennel cough.

``Kennel cough is a common infection for dogs in pounds and kennels, treatment may involve antibiotics or other treatment but I have never heard of a dog being put down because of kennel cough,'' Dr Zammit said.

Labrador Rescue member Warren Clifford, of Camden Park, said the dog should not have been put down and welcomed the council review.

The group's chief executive officer Katherine MacDonald said the incident should also prompt pet owners to look after their animals and prevent them ending up in pounds in the first place.

``If you don't want to be responsible for a dog for its entire life, then don't ever buy one,'' she said.

Campbelltown Mayor Anoulack Chanthivong said he was saddened the dog had been put down and said he was awaiting the results of the council review.

[Little Gifts]

``If you don't want to be responsible for a dog for its entire life, then don't ever buy one,'' she said.

Wow, that's a narrow POV that is not going to change one little thing. There would be lots of reasons a dog ends up in a pound. A good education program and working with local rescue groups might do more for the overall issue in that local council area than pointing the finger of blame after the event.

[Greytmate]

``If you don't want to be responsible for a dog for its entire life, then don't ever buy one,'' she said.

Wow, that's a narrow POV that is not going to change one little thing. There would be lots of reasons a dog ends up in a pound. A good education program and working with local rescue groups might do more for the overall issue in that local council area than pointing the finger of blame after the event.

She was talking about prevention. And I agree with her point. Don't buy a dog unless you are prepared to take responsibility for its entire life. That responsibility would include collecting it if it ends up in the pound. A good education program would be a way to prevent more dogs ending up in pounds, but working with rescue groups isn't as much about prevention, but about a solution.

I do question why a dog rescue organisation would have a CEO. Unusual way for a rescue to do business.

[Little Gifts]

Greyt I actually thought she was the CEO of the council - hence my offence at such a simplistic comment because I thought she was using it to defend the pound's actions. Not surprised I read it wrong given a CEO for a rescue group seems rather regal.

[Linda K]

I thought it was the CEO of the council too - seems a very strange comment either way

[mr.mister]

I thought this was common practice in pounds. I adopted a cat that I found and gave to the local RSPCA as his eight days were up and he had, of course, caught cat flu. A very treatable illness that's common in pound facilities due to stress, but the facility was bursting at the seams and any animal that wasn't in optimal health was euth'd after its eight days was up.

The thing that makes no sense was that a home was already lined up for the dog.. surely a lack of communication, but incredibly sad regardless.

[Dame Aussie]

I thought this was common practice in pounds. I adopted a cat that I found and gave to the local RSPCA as his eight days were up and he had, of course, caught cat flu. A very treatable illness that's common in pound facilities due to stress, but the facility was bursting at the seams and any animal that wasn't in optimal health was euth'd after its eight days was up.

The thing that makes no sense was that a home was already lined up for the dog.. surely a lack of communication, but incredibly sad regardless.

Unfortunately cats are considered a lot more disposable than dogs, mainly due to the amount of strays that come in, so they don't seem to get the same treatment.

This is disgraceful but frankly, not surprising.

I agree with the comment, pets are for life, no ifs buts or maybes.

[Jumabaar]

``If you don't want to be responsible for a dog for its entire life, then don't ever buy one,'' she said.

Wow, that's a narrow POV that is not going to change one little thing. There would be lots of reasons a dog ends up in a pound. A good education program and working with local rescue groups might do more for the overall issue in that local council area than pointing the finger of blame after the event.

If you look at the sentence above it was aimed at pets not ending up in the pound in the first place.

The fact is that people buy dogs with no intention of seeing them through to the golden oldie stage- These people should not buy pets. I think its a very accurate point of view. Yes things happen that mean owners need to give up their dog, but that is a little different from someone who keeps replacing the dog when it stops being cute.

Poor dog I hope that a review may improve the situation

[westiemum]

Any news on the review results?