Leema Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) 8:30pm tonight, SBS Insight will be asking: "Why are we killing so many dogs and cats?" This program, in my mind, will be revolutionary, in shifting the blame from 'the irresponsible public', onto shelters who are killing animals for trivial reasons while failing to market animals available for adoption in their care. I don't believe any program of this nature has aired in Australia before. For the SBS website's details: http://www.sbs.com.au/insight/episode/overview/501/The-Tail-End Rescued With Love's blog post regarding the program: http://www.rescuedwithlove.org/apps/blog/show/18985705-you-re-the-voice#.UFp8itE5S4Y.twitter News article on the Daily Liberal regarding the program: http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/355634/poor-animal-kill-statistics-aired-on-tv/?cs=112 Herald Sun article mentioning this upcoming program: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/shelter-animals-killed-for-convenience/story-fncynkc6-1226480386569 Edited September 24, 2012 by Leema Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Will watching it just end up making us angry, or is it actually positive and helpful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 I think it's positive in that, once the public identifies shelters as problematic, then hopefully change will start. Whether it will 'just make you angry', I can't say. I don't know you and I haven't seen the program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I don't know how much they can fit into the scope of one program, but it'd be helpful to look at the reasons why so many dogs and cats are flooding into shelters and pounds in great numbers. That might lead to some preventative measures being taken. Here's hoping, then, that this won't be the last program that investigates the issue. Sure good to see this first one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are You Serious Jo Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 But the real problem is the public who put the dogs there in the first place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Overpopulation is not a problem. There is plenty of homes to go around, but shelters fail to use foster care networks, fail to train or rehabilitate animals, fail to market their animals to the public, and then blame others for killing pets. Shelters have a huge role in reducing shelter euthanasia, and they're currently accepting the status quo rather than utilizing proven strategies to reduce kill rates. Very few animals are owner surrendered in pounds. Many are impounded as strays, but shelters make limited efforts in reuniting these pets with their owners. Their owners may be to blame for their mistakes, but the shelters are to blame for the killing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are You Serious Jo Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I never said there was an over population, but if all dog owners were responsible there would be very few dogs surrendered to pounds or not collected as a stray from the pound. Why not address the thing that leads to the problem rather than try to come up with a never ending packet of band aids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Arcane Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I never said there was an over population, but if all dog owners were responsible there would be very few dogs surrendered to pounds or not collected as a stray from the pound. Why not address the thing that leads to the problem rather than try to come up with a never ending packet of band aids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 From where I sit blaming pounds for killng dogs is like blaming emergency services for fires and floods. Why blame the people dealing with the problem. They're not responsible for creating it, just dealing with it. Pounds and shelters deal with dogs unwanted by the public. Address the reasons why dogs aren't wanted by the public and maybe, just maybe we'll get somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy's mum Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 (edited) Oops, double post. Edited September 25, 2012 by Poppy's mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy's mum Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Agree Haredown and Arcane. I can't see that Shelters putting more dogs back into circulation will solve the problem. Let alone ones with behavioural probalems etc Legal minefield even if they are apparently "rehabilitated". My impression is that it's the public view that dogs are mere commodities and that puppies are the must-have accessory that fuels the problem. Of course, there are a myriad of causes. It will be interesting to see what the documentary makers identify. Surely not the shelters? That's a bit chicken and egg. The shelters exist because people dump their dogs, as much as any other reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I think there are a few issues at play. There is definitely a problem with responsible pet ownership (or lack thereof), but there is also a mis match One of the things that angers me in particular, is that some of the organisations responsible for running council pounds receive significant amounts of money to run pounds, but the way in which they do this, and have historically done this, has been quite hidden and non-transparent. In my view, the operating model and the way they conduct their organisations is at odds with the job they are tasked with, and with what the community thinks they do. Many people that I know donate or used to donate to the Lost Dogs Home in particular, but no longer do after discovering that they actually make quite a hefty profit. It's not that they're not allowed to do that, but that people feel cheated, thinking they are helping dogs and cats, when in reality profit is being made. It doesn't add up. In a nutshell - they do a bad job at what they're meant to be doing. And it doesn't just affect stray dogs, but LOST dogs. We almost never got our lost dog back when he was taken to the LDH - I was constantly reassured that no dog matching his description and microcihp was there, but when my mum went into actually look (out of desperation), there he was. I'd love if our was an isolated incident, but I've heard of and read about this happening so many times that I consider it to be a real issue. ANd it's separate to responsible dog ownership, and the dumping of dogs and pounds mopping up the mess. Just my 2c. I can't wait to watch tonight's episode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwoman Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I never said there was an over population, but if all dog owners were responsible there would be very few dogs surrendered to pounds or not collected as a stray from the pound. Why not address the thing that leads to the problem rather than try to come up with a never ending packet of band aids. Exactly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I never said there was an over population, but if all dog owners were responsible there would be very few dogs surrendered to pounds or not collected as a stray from the pound. Why not address the thing that leads to the problem rather than try to come up with a never ending packet of band aids. Exactly Yep. Some of those advocating for pounds and shelters to work more closely with small rescue groups need to stand back and accept that they are responsible for pounds and shelters being reluctant to work with them. There are also laws at play especially in Victoria where there are strict laws in place to determine which dogs can and cannot be rehomed. Also lumping in cat numbers with dogs is very misleading especially when a high majority of cats in pounds are feral and not someone's ex pet. Until we get true stats which tell us exactly why dogs are put down so we know which ones have incurable illnesses or temperament issues etc and until we have true figures on where they come from ,who dumps them and why etc its all just grabbing at straws . Figures are manipulated and few players are capable of being objective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckandsteve Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 (edited) When my husban and I went looking to get a dog I took him to the LDH north Melbourne. That's where my family's dogs came from but it had been 17 years since we last got a dog. There were 5 dogs there for adoption, the biggest pound in Victoria!!!! So none suited and I thought maybe we dont have the problem with strays like we use to and we thought we would get a puppy, thank dog I did more research. When the biggest kill facility in Victoria has 5 dogs for adoption you have to ask questions don't you? They have more than that now but only thanks to the constant pressure rescue groups are putting them under and it is still not enough. I don't think pounds are totally to blame but they are making millions pretending their goal is to rehome when it's not Edited September 25, 2012 by chuckandsteve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I don't think pounds are totally to blame but they are making millions pretending their goal is to regime when it's not Pounds cost most rate payers money. They're not generating funds for their councils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showpony Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 The rescue group for my breed Pointers has been apart and witness this just recently........where we had given details of our interested to unco operative staff at a shelter not really interested that we were prepared to take a Pointer on that had ended in the shelter........then we find out a week later it has been PTS......after not reacting well enough to a cat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckandsteve Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I think most rescue groups in Victoria want them to do the work and rehouse the animals themselves. Currently there are 29 dogs available so not even 2 for each council it runs impounding facilities for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 (edited) Shel from PetRescue posted this on FB today. I thought it was fitting: **** Things that kill pound pets **** - a lack of positive marketing of individual pets - an inconvenient location, or opening hours - refusing to release pets to community rescue groups - a lack of rehabilitation programs for common behaviour and health issues - failures to reunited lost pets and owners (including lost pet photos on the internet and the use of volunteer pet detectives) - poor disease control procedures - a poorly run, or no adoption program whatsoever - no veterinary and training programs which help needy owners keep their pets. - breed generalisations, including bans on ‘pit bull type’ dogs - laws which require community cats be impounded - arbitrary laws which see pets seized from their families; mandatory desexing laws, pet limit laws, breed bans - an ‘open door’ policy for community cats (rather than aggressive desexing programs) - a lack of placement opportunities for untame cats (ie. barn cat adoptions) - unnecessarily laborious adoption processes - a lack of on-site adoptions & adoption events - no foster care program, especially for unweaned kittens - multiple tender ’super pounds’ collecting more animals than they can reasonably home - poor shelter and shelter management and a lack of compassion by staff - pound management choosing to support a culture of killing Edited September 25, 2012 by Leema Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greyt Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Yep. Some of those advocating for pounds and shelters to work more closely with small rescue groups need to stand back and accept that they are responsible for pounds and shelters being reluctant to work with them. Many high profile pounds and shelters do not have a set of processes (application forms, criteria,process, follow up) in place , even in late 2012 when there are mountains of anecdotal evidence to suggest this is best practice., costs little, extends the time available for the dog to be re-homed and can save on vets bills. Pounds and shelters, if they were managed effectively, would have these things in place so that rescues could assist them to save more dogs. They would offer among other things, education, support, assistance with marketing, policies and procedures, selecting and dealing with foster carers etc In the meantime kill rates in the high 40 percentiles still occur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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