Applying For 16d?

[kelpiecuddles]

I have said i will assist the rescue I am now with to obtain their 16D status for their NSW foster carers. can anyone tell me how I am best to go about this?

[minimax]

Step 1: Learn to google ;)

http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/documents/Forms/08-73%20Clause%2016d%20Guidelines.pdf

[kelpiecuddles]

I already looked at that but do you seriously need to get written stuff from every single council? we are a statewide organisation so that is potentially hundreds of councils?

[HazyWal]

It's very involved, I was talking to a friend who is with a Bull Terrier rescue about it. I'm sure some of the rescues will come in and help you.

[minimax]

I already looked at that but do you seriously need to get written stuff from every single council? we are a statewide organisation so that is potentially hundreds of councils?

Sounds like you need it from each council pound you intend to take animals from, yes. Remember not every council has a pound.

Applications need to include written confirmation from the relevant local council/s that it supports the organisation’s sourcing of animals from their pound facility.

[kelpiecuddles]

Wow, that's still potentially huge!

Any rescues able to add to this, what happenss if it's a pound you've never rescued from before and they weren't involved in giving their support for the 16D, does that screw up your ability to rescue that animal?

[Plan B]

You only need contact the councils for one specific pound. For instance, with Renbury, you need to contact the four councils they are contracted to.

Once you've been issued with your Clause 16d, you then just need to show other pounds you intend to work with (or they themselves can check your status). You don't need to contact every council that every pound works with.

[kelpiecuddles]

Oh few, that was sounding ridiculous, not too bad if you are restricted to a single area but for a state wide mob it would have been mad!

[Plan B]

Yep, don't worry, I had the same "WTF" moment when we first applied.

It's relatively straightforward and easy - the worst part is waiting for councils to send their letters of support. One council we applied to took almost a year to send theirs and several reminders. :/

[ozsomerset]

that's because some councils research the rescues that are applying and make sure they are worthy of 16D

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

It has become much harder to get a Clause 16D now. Expect that it will take months and expect a truckload of questions - depending on how your rescue runs.

It shouldn't be too easy and perhaps the DLG should also be investigating that those rescues with a current Clause 16D operate in an ethical way or it should be rescinded.

Far too many cowboys out there.

[kelpiecuddles]

Thanks dogmad, how does it work if the rescue is Aus wide and the person who runs it is based in another state? One of us in NSW is happy to be a local contact if needed but does the 16d need to be applied for under a NSW based individuals name?

[Plan B]

that's because some councils research the rescues that are applying and make sure they are worthy of 16D

Not really. It was more staff changeover and then needing to redo the letters months after because the Director General was no longer the same, and then a fire at the office.

Would love to meet a council that takes a year to research one group.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Thanks dogmad, how does it work if the rescue is Aus wide and the person who runs it is based in another state? One of us in NSW is happy to be a local contact if needed but does the 16d need to be applied for under a NSW based individuals name?

My application went in under my name for my particular rescue. We supplied documentation with the application but then got a call asking for all our policies and procedures plus how we educated the general public on the NSW laws, lost dogs and so on.

Other rescues have been asked for different information.

I'd like to see the DLG looking at some of the rescues I've had calls about lately - the one that rehomes undesexed dogs interstate with no questions, no checks made, would be a great start.

[kelpiecuddles]

I spoke to someone at the department today and they are going to phone me tomorrow. :) Will ask a bunch of questions and we'll go from there

[tdierikx]

All the 16D clause means is that you don't have to pay the council registration for the animal for 12 months after getting it from the pound. The registration must still be paid on transfer of that animal to another person regardless of desexing status.

As there are still no official regulations dictating how a rescue must be run, if animals are being rehomed undesexed, that is still not illegal unfortunately - regardless of the rescue having a 16D... *sigh*

T.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

The main problem I see is not registration but the fact that if you don't have one, you must buy the animal from the shelter.

The animal, whether well enough or not, will then undergo the standard surgery, vac etc.

This is OK if the animal is not already desexed and young and healthy. Many of the dogs I rescue need a dental or lumps removed, other tests etc.

I've bought dogs from pounds and they've gone through the standard procedures, only to then require me to do a further dental or different procedure.

Whilst it isn't unusual for dogs to cost me more than the adoption fee, as a rescue you need to save money where you can. It is also not good for some dogs - especially sighthounds - to be undergoing too many anaesthetics.

You could also take a dog that isn't well, has something obvious wrong but it still gets to have the standard procedures and then you have to put to sleep - if it had been to your rescue vet in the first place, you wouldn't have had to do all that.

Edited May 21, 2013 by dogmad

[tdierikx]

There are only a few pounds that insist on desexing before the animal goes to its new home - the vast majority of pounds in NSW don't, yet you still need a 16D in order for you to not be charged the registration fee when the animal is released to you. Of the pounds that do desex before rehoming, they have expanded on the 16D coverage for rescues to include being able to take the animal undesexed - which assumes they believe that the rescue will do the right thing themselves before rehoming the animal.

Until formal regulation is brought in - or the 16D clause expanded to include that a rescue dog must be desexed prior to rehoming - then there will be the problem of some cowboys not doing so.

The general concensus is that rescues don't want formal regulations enacted, yet we are constantly bemoaning that there are people out there doing things that give us all a bad name... rock and a hard place really.

How about we get our heads together and come up with some possible ways the current system can be amended to be a little tighter and ensure that more rescues are forced to do the right thing?

My suggestion is to see if we can come up with a way to expand upon the 16D regulation to include that each dog must be desexed and/or vetworked for fixable medical issues (like fixing teeth) before rehoming. The easy part is the amendment of the regulation clause - the harder part is the reporting back to DLG, changing their reporting process, etc... anything that will increase their workload won't be looked at favourably... *grin*

T.

[Clyde]

Why dont you foster first for another group? You've said before that you haven't fostered before so it would probably best to try it out rather than jump in feet first. Attach yourself to a reputable group and learn the ins and outs on how to run a rescue properly.