labadore Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Some further developments on this tragedy with calls for enquiries and action by SA government and RSPCA into this tragedy, along with online petitions, see links below to all the relevant info: Lawyers for Companion Animals - they are calling for "a commission of enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the neglect to evacuate these beloved pets" and "seeks guidelines for minimum standards to be discussed, ratified into legislature, and applied to animal boarding facilities in fire-prone areas in South Australia". Links to Petitions setup and these links are also listed on "Lawyers for Companion Animals" page in above link Petition setup by "Lawyers for Companion Animals" Petition setup by "Orange for Animal Cruelty Awareness" I hope there is no covert agenda here re the petition. Doesn't seem so Jed as both petitions by two different groups have the same aim: to urge SA Government and RSPCA to conduct enquiries into the deaths of the pets and in the case of one of the petitions (on thepetitionsite.com website) they want changes to legislation in SA. If you follow the links to each of the petitions they clearly outline the aims of each petition. Petitions like these are normally galvanised into action by people/groups concerned that once the hue and outcry of a tragedy dies down, the necessary investigations are not carried out and no one is held accountable. There are so many reports abounding about this tragedy and facebook pages with extremely abusive messages which interestingly enough, most of the abuse is being posted by supporters of the kennels who are using disgusting language and tactics to intimidate and harrass the kennel's detractors to try to bully/frighten/bash them into silence There needs to be an enquiry to cut through the highly emotive issue of this tragedy to acertain all the facts of what happened/didn't happen for the sake of the grieving pet owners and their deceased pets and to prevent such a tragedy occuring in the future. Lessons need to be learned from any tragedy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 They have found a cat!! Just saw him on The Project. Looks in a bad way but is alive. A cat called Merlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 This is simply an idea. To reduce costs to the kennel in a fire prone area would it be possible to ask every owner to supply a suitable crate that could be used in the event of an evac when they drop off their pet? And if new kennels are being built or old ones renovated could there be high shelf storage in every single kennel and these crates be put there so they are quickly accessible for each and every dog? I can't imagine staff having to drag crates from storage that may not have been used in eons and dragging them in to runs might cause some dogs to spook. I suggest this idea because many people choose kennels where they feel their dog is safe and cared for to certain standards rather than just for cost or location. If I used a kennel regularly/annually and was really happy with the service then this requirement would be fine by me. In fact it would seem sensible. Crates remain the property of the pet owner and so storage and maintenance is not an issue for the kennel owner. They would have to be clear about crate type as it would be no good if people tried to use cardboard cat carriers. And perhaps they are only a requirement in high fire danger periods. Why shouldn't a kennel owner ask a pet owner to share some of the responsibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valbitz Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 A week after distraught pet owners were told every cat in the Tea Tree Gully boarding kennels perished in the Sampson Flat fire, against all odds, a sole survivor has been found Merlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 A week after distraught pet owners were told every cat in the Tea Tree Gully boarding kennels perished in the Sampson Flat fire, against all odds, a sole survivor has been found Merlin Video not working for me in NSW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 A week after distraught pet owners were told every cat in the Tea Tree Gully boarding kennels perished in the Sampson Flat fire, against all odds, a sole survivor has been found Merlin The poor little soul, 5 days without food/water, probably terrified and suffering burns as well. I hope he makes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Most of the dogs I get through - I don't board cats - are not crate trained dogs and the owners don't own crates. I collect my own BUT I have a much smaller facility than above. Edited January 12, 2015 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 That poor poor cat. My heart is shattered watching that. Yes he is alive but the horror Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valbitz Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 A week after distraught pet owners were told every cat in the Tea Tree Gully boarding kennels perished in the Sampson Flat fire, against all odds, a sole survivor has been found Merlin Video not working for me in NSW. Try this one, you will have to scroll down a bit My link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I have no opinion either way regarding this particular story but I have to agree with Christina about kennels generally- if you cannot safely evacuate the numbers you have, surely that's too many. If clients were made aware that no effort would be made to evacuate their dogs in the event of a disaster, I think many would look elsewhere for boarding. Yes I agree with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Try this one, you will have to scroll down a bit My link oh thank you so much. This is like the miracle of Russell. Not sure if you know his story. Russell was found 5 days after a house fire & is on a very long road to recovery. Here's the FB page https://www.facebook.com/AnimalEmergencyHospitalAndUrgentCare Paws crossed for Merlin's recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Most of the dogs I get through - I don't board cats - are not crate trained dogs and the owners don't own crates. I collect my own BUT I have a much smaller facility than above. I thought of that but even if they weren't crate trained, in the event of an emergency they would probably end up in one for a few hours while being transported. I guess I was trying to think of a solution that acknowledged the need to be prepared for fire season and shared the responsibility for that between the kennel and pet owner given the pet owner is choosing to use a kennel that could be in an evac area. The kennel owner would be responsible for moving the dog to safety so why shouldn't the owner provide the cage/carrier it gets moved in? And I'm assuming owner's would be warned in advance of the need to supply an evac crate. There would have to be a transitional period. And you will always get an animal who turns up without one. Edited January 13, 2015 by Little Gifts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labadore Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 They have found a cat!! Just saw him on The Project. Looks in a bad way but is alive. A cat called Merlin. A week after distraught pet owners were told every cat in the Tea Tree Gully boarding kennels perished in the Sampson Flat fire, against all odds, a sole survivor has been found Merlin Oh my that poor baby doesn't bear thinking about what this poor cat went through and pain he must have been in until they found him Sending lots of healing vibes and positive thoughts his way and hope he survives after all he has been through. Best wishes Merlin for a full recovery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 In regards to the petitions, I think there are enough unanswered questions to at least include what happened at the kennels in an overall bushfire inquiry. I doubt there would be a separate one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipsqueak Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 This is simply an idea. To reduce costs to the kennel in a fire prone area would it be possible to ask every owner to supply a suitable crate that could be used in the event of an evac when they drop off their pet? And if new kennels are being built or old ones renovated could there be high shelf storage in every single kennel and these crates be put there so they are quickly accessible for each and every dog? I can't imagine staff having to drag crates from storage that may not have been used in eons and dragging them in to runs might cause some dogs to spook. I suggest this idea because many people choose kennels where they feel their dog is safe and cared for to certain standards rather than just for cost or location. If I used a kennel regularly/annually and was really happy with the service then this requirement would be fine by me. In fact it would seem sensible. Crates remain the property of the pet owner and so storage and maintenance is not an issue for the kennel owner. They would have to be clear about crate type as it would be no good if people tried to use cardboard cat carriers. And perhaps they are only a requirement in high fire danger periods. Why shouldn't a kennel owner ask a pet owner to share some of the responsibility? My dogs are crate trained, however, we simply cannot get two large dogs and two crates in our current vehicle at the same time. Whilst it might work for people with small dogs, If a boarding place introduced this, it would preclude us from boarding (our dogs are 35kg each). Also, our crates weigh 16kg each, that would be a OHS nightmare for staff to get down from a high place. And, yes, we do have an evacuation plan that includes the dogs, just not the crates. It is the best we can do in our current situation. And yes, we have looked at soft crates, but the size we need still do not fit into our vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Most of the dogs I get through - I don't board cats - are not crate trained dogs and the owners don't own crates. I collect my own BUT I have a much smaller facility than above. I thought of that but even if they weren't crate trained, in the event of an emergency they would probably end up in one for a few hours while being transported. I guess I was trying to think of a solution that acknowledged the need to be prepared for fire season and shared the responsibility for that between the kennel and pet owner given the pet owner is choosing to use a kennel that could be in an evac area. The kennel owner would be responsible for moving the dog to safety so why shouldn't the owner provide the cage/carrier it gets moved in? And I'm assuming owner's would be warned in advance of the need to supply an evac crate. There would have to be a transitional period. And you will always get an animal who turns up without one. Oh yes without a doubt, if its an emergency they would just have to. However many owners have never had the use for a crate, don't own one and I think would not be open to buying one for the odd trip to a kennel. I have lots of crates, mainly big ones in case of such an emergency, but I don't think it is realistic to expect owners to supply something they have no other use for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 The object of these discussions is for people to learn and consider things from different points of view.... hence why I feel a need to respond as this is something I have experience (and very few have been thru this situation).... Owners supply crates.... mmmm seem a good idea.... but you have to understand the logistics.... This does not solve the problem of storing these crates ..... if left in the dogs pen we actually then reduce the space the dog has .... or else a nightmare for cleaning ..... plus staff having to lug various sized crates around .... Also who is responsible for any damage to crate (particularly the expensive soft sided crates). We already have to try to keep track of pets blankets toys and then some people bring their own food that requires organising and refrigeration...... often when people do bring crates they might be tied together with rope or tape which is fine for a quick trip but not for an emergency situation. PipSqueak made a very valid point that you have to think of the weight of dog and crate... plus the room they take.... plus different styles of crates don't always stack up on each other and fold down styles of crates are not strong enough for an emergency situation.... Also would need to carry water bowls for each dog that need constantly filling up as they keep getting knocked over therefore large amounts of water must also be carted and food and first aid. So perhaps there are good ideas.... but how do you allow for OH&S regulations and have enough staff (volunteer or paid) on hand 24/7 for fire danger days to lift, carry, and fit into the volley of vehicles needed and drive out.... Hence would mean that I couldn't take any dog bigger than a small spaniel......what about the dogs who are in panic and won't budge or try to run off... so finally a couple of hour later we might be loaded up and off we go.... To where?.... and how long? ....... As I am sure many Kennel Owners do care......Personally we do take responsibility for our charges as we treat the kennel dogs the same as we treat our own.... I would hazard a guess that a big Corporate Company would not have the same emotional attachment to their charges that us smaller owners do regardless of location and fire plan.... besides thats what their expensive insurance policy is for... but as stated before..... each emergency situation is unique hence difficult to create rules..... and remember kennels in suburban areas are still at risk of an emergency.... as are Pet/House Sitters.... as are Visiting Pet Services..... as are Vet Clinics... as are breeders with say 10 or more dogs..... as are dog owners who are away at work and cannot get back to their own home..... Our clients know where we are located and they all come up to the pens to drop off and collect hence they know our setup... but remember, there is also a responsibility on the part of the dog owners to understand and ask questions and if they are not happy with the situation then they can choose to find alternatives.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nushie Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 What I don't understand is why would they have turned people away that wanted to go and collect their dogs?? Surely, if the situation is bad enough that people were concerned and offering to pick up their dogs, why tell them not too? Was he too busy offsite to worry about the extra work of people collecting dogs in a rush? Was he concerned about people driving into fire zone? Did he not want to loose money during peak periods if people wanted refunds for a shorter stay? Was it all too much work for the 16year old that was supposedly left there alone? I understand that there is a lot going on in an emergency, and if people were on holidays and sending others out to collect dogs on their behalf, that would cause its own drama, keeping records of who picked up who etc. Especially if they weren't the original emergency contact. But why advise people not to when other facilities were already preparing to leave?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roova Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Although logistically it might be difficult storing crates, I'm sure something could be managed with a bit of thought. A shelf above head height in each pen would work well (i think as already mentioned) because crates can collapse down and not need much space. Cat cages could slide on the shelves as is. What's the alternative? That they walk away and leave the dogs or pile them in to cars willy nilly whether they're in season, dog aggressive, reactive, timid etc? If each crate was provided with a tag indicating dog and owners name, diet or handling requirements I could imagine that would be invaluable if evacuating dozens and dozens of dogs. If the general public did help in an emergency, they would at least know a little about the dog and how to contact the owner. I can't imagine the difficulty dealing with those numbers in an emergency but it's the responsibility of the business owner who's taking money for caring for the pets to have a plan in place. IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliwake Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I'd rather have my dog piled in a car or truck willy nilly in an emergency than have him left there to die... In fact I'd prefer they even just open the door and let him free to fend for himself. I really don't see how crates would ever be practical. they're heavy and unwieldy, and would take a LOT of time to be loaded in an emergency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now