Cowra Rescuers..is This True Or A Beat-Up?

[Little Gifts]

Isn't it the case that council have excluded working with rescue groups or volunteers for an extensive period of time, like forever? I'm sorry Wreckit but I disagree with pretty much everything you have written, and I am saying that as a person who has had positive dealings with the ranger.

The council has caused these problems for themselves. They continue to ignore any concerns raised over the years or offers of help and it has resulted in this. They have a well paid ranger doing several other tasks and prioritising revenue raising over basic care of the animals at the facility. They charge people a daily fee for the care of those animals. If you were to do a home assessment for a potential adopter and find faeces, minimal water, no bedding in freezing conditions and open tins of food lying around would you consider that adequate? I suspect all rescue groups would answer no. So why is it ok for a council pound facility? In some ways shouldn't we hold them to an even higher standard given they are built for purpose?

The issue for me is more than the ranger and the dead dog - it is how the facility is being run and maintained and how that leads to the inadequate care of any animals held there. Why is the ranger the only person caring for the animals? He can't be expected to be there 24/7 and do the rest of his job adequately. I can only imagine what happens to sick or injured dogs that come in if no-one is on the premises regularly monitoring the animals there.

So lets take individuals out of this scenario and see if the issues still exist. I think they do and this is probably not the only pound it would apply to, it just happens to be the one under fire at present.

[WreckitWhippet]

Yes they have excluded rescue and volunteers for quite some time and to be frank the behaviour of rescue has been appalling at times.

No Council is going to work with any groups or individuals who continually attack and criticise them. It's been seen over and again across the country.

:laugh: fancy that a ranger doing his job and fining people, that's the crux of the matter for quite a few who choose to beat up on him.

What he earns or doesn't is a matter between himself and his employer and is certainly no one else's business.

Let's keep in mind that they have already been investigated by the RSPCA and they found no significant fault.

So is telling the truth here ?

[Little Gifts]

What have I not told the truth about? It might be usual for ranger's to be fining people re animals but parking fines and security guard duties too? Is there no-one else who can do those tasks? And his contract salary would be a matter of public record.

I am personally glad that an investigation has been carried out and that the outcomes were acceptable but I still think there is an issue with how that pound is manned and lots of people seem to have witnessed (and photographed) some inadequacies over an extended period of time that could be addressed by more onsite man hours. I'm not saying that ranger needs to work more or differently but what about a casual kennel hand for cleaning and feeding once a day? Or what about them recruiting volunteers they can work with if they can't afford to employ a casual? I don't think these are radical ideas if they take their responsibility to the animals in their care seriously.

So I guess time will tell now if things continue along the same or council use this as an opportunity for change.

[Maddy]

Isn't it the case that council have excluded working with rescue groups or volunteers for an extensive period of time, like forever? I'm sorry Wreckit but I disagree with pretty much everything you have written, and I am saying that as a person who has had positive dealings with the ranger.

The council has caused these problems for themselves. They continue to ignore any concerns raised over the years or offers of help and it has resulted in this. They have a well paid ranger doing several other tasks and prioritising revenue raising over basic care of the animals at the facility. They charge people a daily fee for the care of those animals. If you were to do a home assessment for a potential adopter and find faeces, minimal water, no bedding in freezing conditions and open tins of food lying around would you consider that adequate? I suspect all rescue groups would answer no. So why is it ok for a council pound facility? In some ways shouldn't we hold them to an even higher standard given they are built for purpose?

The issue for me is more than the ranger and the dead dog - it is how the facility is being run and maintained and how that leads to the inadequate care of any animals held there. Why is the ranger the only person caring for the animals? He can't be expected to be there 24/7 and do the rest of his job adequately. I can only imagine what happens to sick or injured dogs that come in if no-one is on the premises regularly monitoring the animals there.

So lets take individuals out of this scenario and see if the issues still exist. I think they do and this is probably not the only pound it would apply to, it just happens to be the one under fire at present.

But a pound is not a home so there's not really much point comparing the two.

As I pointed out to someone on FB, providing optimal conditions to suit the many and varied needs of a holding facility isn't easy.

I'll use bedding as an example.. Firstly, soft beds are pretty much out. Confined dogs will rip them into so many tiny pieces. And that brings with it the choking/obstruction risk of bed stuffing/foam or other bed parts. If a dog were to die from such a thing in the pound, people would be outraged again. Then there's the issue of hygiene- soft beds or bedding are, by their very natural, magnets for germs. Bedding that gets damp will grow fungal/mould spores, bodily fluids from unwell dogs soak into the bedding and washing the bedding in boiling water and disinfectant (which would be your only option) will quickly destroy most soft beds anyway. If you have a parvo outbreak, every bed or blanket becomes a potential piece of contaminated material that must be carefully disposed of. And so on and so forth.

Obviously there are some solutions- like raised trampoline beds to give the dogs some amount of comfort or having indoor/outdoor kennels that can be climate controlled- but a rinky-dink little country pound is probably not going to be getting the funding needed to make those sorts of changes.

As I mentioned above, there are things that could easily be fixed (like not leaving empty food cans around like a filthy bush pig) but others are a lot more complicated than they seem at first glance.

[Little Gifts]

Maddy I used to volunteer and clean at an older RSPCA facility (puppies and adult dogs) so I'm familiar with what you can put in brick, concrete and metal pens that is both safe, comfortable and can withstand boredom. I know it is tricky, particularly temperature control, but there are options if a council is interested and upgrades could be staged to keep costs at a minimum. They don't need to reinvent the wheel either - there are plenty of other shelters who had the same problems and who have come up with alternatives and solutions.

I appreciate a pound is not a home but it still has a public responsibility for the animals in its care so some minimum standards should still be expected, particularly as it was built with and is run using public monies.

[Steph M]

As I mentioned above, there are things that could easily be fixed (like not leaving empty food cans around like a filthy bush pig) but others are a lot more complicated than they seem at first glance.

God love you, Maddy. :laugh:

[Maddy]

Maddy I used to volunteer and clean at an older RSPCA facility (puppies and adult dogs) so I'm familiar with what you can put in brick, concrete and metal pens that is both safe, comfortable and can withstand boredom. I know it is tricky, particularly temperature control, but there are options if a council is interested and upgrades could be staged to keep costs at a minimum. They don't need to reinvent the wheel either - there are plenty of other shelters who had the same problems and who have come up with alternatives and solutions.

I appreciate a pound is not a home but it still has a public responsibility for the animals in its care so some minimum standards should still be expected, particularly as it was built with and is run using public monies.

They are required only to meet certain standards and without knowing much about that pound beyond the photos I've seen, I'd guess they'd meet basic welfare standards. The dogs have food, water and shelter from the elements. Obviously above standard would be preferable but they are council holding pens, not a five star boarding kennel. RSPCA facilities (even the old ones) were built by an organisation with very deep pockets. The facilities of Cowra look very much like pounds run by small town councils down here- pretty crappy and not ideal for long term holding but they do the job.

The problem with that petition was that it was demanding changes when some of those things are not really the problem. Another example.. "ermagherd there was poop in the runs near the water bowls". First, staff can't really control where the dogs choose to poop within their runs. And some dogs are a bit grotty (the ones who've never been toilet trained and are used to pooping wherever they feel like pooping). This problem could (sort of) be addressed by hosing out kennels more than once a day. But.. in winter, that means concrete stays wet for even longer. And when you have dogs that are a three-times-a-day dog, the run will almost never be dry (and people will complain about dogs sitting in wet runs).

The changes need to be in other areas and relate more to management- such as not having any dogs loose outside of pens unless on lead (his kelpie shouldn't have been there at all), keeping kennels free of actual garbage and maintaining very careful records of impounds so that if the condition of a dog is called into question (like the attacking dog's weight), he can supply information. If the ranger struggles to keep up with the increased workload (of picking up empty Chum cans), employ a second one, even if just part time.

[Dame Aussie]

I don't know anything about this pound but if the conditions are as they have been described here, that is not acceptable. Having worked in a number of pounds/shelters it isn't difficult to treat the dogs in a decent fashion. Pens should be cleaned daily, faeces removed asap with a pooper scooper at least, raised beds with bedding and food and water bowls provided. Those are the basics and tbh I'm not surprised the RSPCA don't see a problem with these conditions.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Dame Aussie

[BarbedWire]

I agree with DA. I also know zilch about this pound but saying it's okay for dogs to sleep on concrete shocks me. I spoke to someone once who had left their dog at a kennel and it had slept on concrete. It developed pneumonia and died. I find it deplorable that the RSPCA has approved these conditions.

[~Anne~]

I saw the original post about this on Facebook the afternoon they were posted and contacted someone for advice. I trust the person I contacted and they reported that it was being investigated. I hope that whatever occurred gets sorted.

The photos do not show the kelpies face so no-one can say by viewing them that the kelpie had wounds on it's face. Just because that is where the blood seems to be doesn't mean it wasn't internally bleeding out. It does however have what looks like potential puncture wound on it's hind leg.

The tins of food may have been placed as garbage. Seeing them on the ground doesn't mean anything. The dogs could have pulled them out of a bin or off a shelf.

The questions that needs to be asked in my view is - why is the ranger's 'working kelpie' placed at risk of deadly viruses, intestinal parasites, and other health issues through being in the impound area and why was the public freely able to access the impound area and see such a gruesome scene?

A review of the practices of the pound and the actions of the Ranger should be undertaken immediately. I would like to think that this is now happening.

[Little Gifts]

Anne there were definitely pics of the dead dog's face showing the wounds. Have a look at this link if you want to see the face but be warned - it is graphic.

https://www.change.org/p/councillor-councillor-judi-smith-deputy-mayor-cowra-council-nsw-council-cowra-nsw-gov-au-stop-the-unethical-treatment-of-dogs-and-cats-impounded-in-cowra-council-facility?recruiter=83480938&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

[~Anne~]

I've seen that pic and I still can't see facial wounds??? The dogs face appears to be wet, there is what appears to be saliva near the corner of the mouth and there is what appears to some red colouring under the fur but I cannot see any wounds. Am I blind?

[~Anne~]

If you look closely, you can see what seems to be a puncture mark on the hind leg towards the inside groin. That is the only wound I can see.

[~Anne~]

The dog that was the alleged aggressor hasn't any wounds that I can see from the photographs. There are about 3 pics of him. The pics show him front on and his sides and he is dry and appears unmarked in each image.

Anything could have happened and it is simply pointless to speculate or try to determine anything from the pics. I'm just pointing out what I can see and can't see in the images.

Edited June 5, 2015 by ~Anne~

[cryptic]

I moved to Cowra a year ago. Also a rescuer of 5 years ... .I rescue from Dubbo City Animal Shelter and Renbury Farm . Costly getting transport however the local pound was not interested in working with my rescue when I politely offered they said that the animals nearly all get homes. Why are people saying that the behaviour of rescue has been appalling and we have attacked and criticised council ? I have never seen a rescue criticise the ranger or council only members of the general public on Facebook.

There are huge problems with this pound . Saw the Kelpie in the breezeway around 3 weeks before the incident and wondered why he was there and thought it must have been to keep people away from the dogs behind him ? Had heard from a friend who was dumping off waste at the tip there was an old sick Foxie out there lying on the concrete hardly moving and I went to check as I knew that the pound was unattended and was worried . Didn't see the Foxie it was not there.

I am glad this has come to light and that the general public can access the pound during tip opening hours otherwise it would have never been exposed . The conditions are not satisfactory especially for older animals and puppies . The holding cages are open at both ends and they spend 48 hours quarantine before being placed in the runs. My dogs would die overnight in winter in these conditions.

I cannot believe anyone can say that the conditions are satisfactory I guess we all have different standards .

Edited June 5, 2015 by cryptic

[CountryGirl]

I live just outside of Cowra Shire in Weddin Shire. I've been here for exactly ONE year. In that time, I've seen locals selling pups and dogs that they've obtained free from the Cowra pound - calling it "rescue" despite having NO vet work done. Calling it "rescue" because they believe taking the dog out of the pound is the end of the story, not the beginning. However, just because they're not clear on what constitutes bona fide rescue, doesn't mean they can't learn. It's just that they don't learn.

The death of the Kelpie is not at all unusual. The "story" just doesn't add up. If the death was caused by a Dangerous Dog that had been impounded for 90 days, then whomever was responsible for its kennelling needs to be sacked. My belief is that the Kelpie died from eating out of a can of Chum, cutting itself in the process. There is no evidence on the so-called Dangerous Dog that it actually attacked anything on the day of the Kelpie's death. It appeared to be clean and dry with no blood in its coat, muzzle, paws etc. Surely if it was responsible for a fatal attack it would not be so "clean".

The dogs which the Ranger wants killed are shot. They are not given a lethal injection by a vet. The pound is at the rubbish tip; the impounded animals are treated like rubbish too. They have NO bedding. These are concrete floored runs with no insulation, the mesh doors face south, so the dogs are cold in winter and hot in summer. The council does not seem to care and the RSPCA "investigations" of this pound are beyond a joke. I believe it is inhumane to keep dogs in such conditions. The dogs are not seen as "valuable" to the community. Many dogs which disappear in the area are "never found"...even dogs which are microchipped and details are up-to-date...so there doesn't seem to be a procedure for identifying strays and returning them to their rightful owners. People say they will donate bedding and that will fix the problems. It won't. Bedding would need to be cleaned. The Ranger won't be interested in cleaning bedding. Why are the dogs fed tinned food direct from the can? Because it's easier than having a food bowl in each kennel...

If anyone is in any doubt about the misery and horror of this pound, please be assured it's worse than even the media can portray. Council and the Ranger and the RSPCA are merely covering up what happens on a routine basis. As a long-time experienced rescuer, I am beyond upset at the way this pound is allowed to operate...and I don't even try to rescue from Cowra as the Ranger simply refuses to have anything to do with bona fide rescue. It's a closed shop.

[tonka1]

Everything stated by "Cryptic" and "Country Girl" is 100% correct.

[Little Gifts]

I've seen that pic and I still can't see facial wounds??? The dogs face appears to be wet, there is what appears to be saliva near the corner of the mouth and there is what appears to some red colouring under the fur but I cannot see any wounds. Am I blind?

You're right. I saw the red near the eye and on the ears as a sign that perhaps there was some damage in those areas consistent with a dog fight but like you I can only see one actual puncture near the groin area. If they are wounds on the face they are certainly not fatal looking and more like grazes. A lot of blood seems to be pooling under the chin area so I assumed if it was a dog attack (and I'm still not sure about that) then the fatal wounds were shielded from view and on the underside or other side of the dog.

However it happened it is sad that it died from some kind of trauma.

Cryptic, do you have a rough idea of how many dogs and cats they might generally have impounded at any given time? And do you have any idea of how much time the ranger might spend there on a daily basis? Is his office there? Does he do his paperwork there or at council chambers or at the refuse office? I guess I was just thinking that if there are only ever a small handful of impounded animals (ie under 10) then cleaning and feeding would not take up a significant amount of time if they needed a volunteer or to hire a casual to do it. One of my ongoing concerns has been around injured, old, very young or whelping animals being left without monitoring for extended periods of time, particularly as it does get down around freezing in that area. I sincerely hope the investigation might open council up to looking at a better way of managing this facility, possibly doing some upgrades and definitely recruiting volunteers to do the work paid staff can't. And if nothing changes I hope residents who have genuine concerns will continue to keep social media informed until public pressure forces the council's hand.

[cryptic]

I've seen that pic and I still can't see facial wounds??? The dogs face appears to be wet, there is what appears to be saliva near the corner of the mouth and there is what appears to some red colouring under the fur but I cannot see any wounds. Am I blind?

You're right. I saw the red near the eye and on the ears as a sign that perhaps there was some damage in those areas consistent with a dog fight but like you I can only see one actual puncture near the groin area. If they are wounds on the face they are certainly not fatal looking and more like grazes. A lot of blood seems to be pooling under the chin area so I assumed if it was a dog attack (and I'm still not sure about that) then the fatal wounds were shielded from view and on the underside or other side of the dog.

However it happened it is sad that it died from some kind of trauma.

Cryptic, do you have a rough idea of how many dogs and cats they might generally have impounded at any given time? And do you have any idea of how much time the ranger might spend there on a daily basis? Is his office there? Does he do his paperwork there or at council chambers or at the refuse office? I guess I was just thinking that if there are only ever a small handful of impounded animals (ie under 10) then cleaning and feeding would not take up a significant amount of time if they needed a volunteer or to hire a casual to do it. One of my ongoing concerns has been around injured, old, very young or whelping animals being left without monitoring for extended periods of time, particularly as it does get down around freezing in that area. I sincerely hope the investigation might open council up to looking at a better way of managing this facility, possibly doing some upgrades and definitely recruiting volunteers to do the work paid staff can't. And if nothing changes I hope residents who have genuine concerns will continue to keep social media informed until public pressure forces the council's hand.

[cryptic]

Not sure Little Gifts . I have only been out there twice .