RSPCA NSW cuts its links with council

[Lhok]

https://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/rspca-nsw-cuts-its-links-with-council/3409272/

 

COFFS Harbour City Council will need to establish a new pound following news RSPCA NSW Coffs Harbour will cease to provide impound services after its contract ends in 2020.

RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman recently met with the council to discuss the future of the contract, and notified the council that they will not be providing pet management services beyond September 2020.

According to Mr Coleman, around 50 per cent of RSPCA NSW's intake is comprised of animals managed for councils.

"These are difficult but necessary decisions,” Mr Coleman said.

"Without these hard decisions, we cannot support the increase in our work under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and our welfare work. These changes are aimed at realigning our focus to our core business, which is animal welfare.

"We simply don't have the means to build more shelters so we have to look at using every last kennel, cage and enclosure to support those animals that need it most.”

The council will decide at tomorrow's meeting whether to seek expressions of interest from the private market for a new impounding service to meet its statutory obligations under the the Companion Animals Act 1998.

Since 1994, RSPCA NSW has taken in impounded dogs and cats for the council, providing accommodation, feeding and veterinary care as well as micro-chipping and registration of the animals.

A previous review undertaken by the council in 2015 identified a number of difficulties associated with the potential impact if RSPCA NSW was to withdraw its service.

It found private boarding kennels would fail to provide the level of service necessary, such as micro-chipping, registration, rehousing animals, euthanasing unwanted animals, and limited access to veterinary treatment.

It also found the possibility of establishing a council-owned pound would be difficult due to the costs associated with securing a suitable site, constructing and operating a facility.

After 2020, the existing RSPCA NSW Coffs Harbour facility will continue to care for and support animals consistent with a focus on animal welfare, but will not act as a pound for lost pets for the council.

The RSPCA is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to prevent animal cruelty by promoting their care and protection.




--Lhok

 

[Maddy]

They've done something similar down here - dropped two animal care centres, opened up a vet clinic in the north (right around the corner from an established low cost vet clinic) and claimed it was all about "going back to the core mission".

My opinion is that running pounds forces them to deal with larger numbers of animals and the associated work involved in rehoming them, to avoid horrendously high kill rates (because high kill rates means less donations). By going back to a model of private surrenders, they have less animals to deal with and achieving lower kill rates is easier. 

 

To be fair, if they can't protect animals from themselves, I think it's a good thing that they scale back the number of shelters that they have. But on the other hand, enforcement of legislation should never have been handed over to a non-government group to start with. If the laws were administered appropriately (by a government department, using government funding), there would be no need for the RSPCA for anything other than as a lobbying group, which would require much less in terms of public donations, leaving more money for actual rescue groups who actually care for lost/homeless animals.

 

[Lhok]

I forgot to mention this particular RSPCA branch runs a boarding kennel as well. I wonder if they re purpose the other runs to add to their boarding kennels? This particular branch didn't do low cost desexing  or any real community stuff as far as I could tell, They used to but it got less and less over the years. They also had odd hours to opening too which made it hard for people working to claim back pets.

I'm also not sure why the council can't have the land the pound is currently on. From my understanding the RSPCA was given the land to use for the pound. I might be wrong about that though.

--Lhok
 

[Maddy]

8 hours ago, Lhok said:

I forgot to mention this particular RSPCA branch runs a boarding kennel as well. I wonder if they re purpose the other runs to add to their boarding kennels? This particular branch didn't do low cost desexing  or any real community stuff as far as I could tell, They used to but it got less and less over the years. They also had odd hours to opening too which made it hard for people working to claim back pets.

I'm also not sure why the council can't have the land the pound is currently on. From my understanding the RSPCA was given the land to use for the pound. I might be wrong about that though.

--Lhok
 

I'd assume boarding facilities would perhaps be used for things related to enforcing the act, like holding seized animals? But who knows. Our northern RSPCA facility had boarding (of exceptionally poor quality, ironically) and then closed it down  After that, they closed off half their adoption kennels to make them into inspectorate kennels, despite there never being more than a couple of dogs at a time in the inspectorate section- and it certainly wasn't secure, just roped off from the public. They're forever shuffling things around in a way that makes the least efficient use of facilities and funding. That said, RSPCA Tasmania has been churning through the leadership since the financial scandal a few years back so new leadership, new ideas, new leadership gets replaced, rinse, repeat, waste money, etc. NSW still has the same one, yeah? Steve Coleman?

[jemappelle]

It's happening in the Shoalhaven as well.  Council is building a much needed new shelter and the RSPCA will not be tendering to run it, as they do currently with the old one.  The employees have been offered jobs but it means they will have to relocate, or take up a redundancy that has been offered.

 

Sounds like it is going to happen everywhere.

[Teebs]

Orange RsPCA had just stopped taking strays too 

 

at this stage there is no council pound, strays are taken to the vet and if not picked up that day they are taken to an unknown kennel and no one knows what happens to them after that  

[tdierikx]

Much more lucrative to run vet clinics and seize animals and charge ludicrous fees for holding them until an equally luctrative court battle happens... and they can spin the whole thing as "animal welfare" related to elicit more donations...

 

Sounds cynical, doesn't it? But that's the reality... grrr!

 

T.

[asal]

Dont forget blue mountains residents bought and built their kennels along with buying two retail outlets to finance the running of the completely self funded facility, Their BIG mistake was asking rspca to badge it. 

Demanded ownership. Once done have sold the shops n absorbed the money into their coffers then sacked all staff with intention of selling now no income premises, residents mutinied, not sure what the ultimate outcome will be for the facility or the residents rights who build it

Edited May 11, 2018 by asal

[asal]

On 5/10/2018 at 9:26 AM, tdierikx said:

Much more lucrative to run vet clinics and seize animals and charge ludicrous fees for holding them until an equally luctrative court battle happens... and they can spin the whole thing as "animal welfare" related to elicit more donations...

 

Sounds cynical, doesn't it? But that's the reality... grrr!

 

T.

well this lady's story sounds pretty familiar    its pretty well written along with the accompanying videos.

 

 

https://www.gofundme.com/yardahgate

Edited May 11, 2018 by asal

[tdierikx]

It's amazing how many that COULD help in situations like that, feel that there may be reprisals on THEM if they come forward... everyone is frightened of the RSPCA.

 

T.

[asal]

with good reason, don't forget 18 years ago when I tried to tell people what happened to my dog I was not allowed to say anything about them or be frozen from posting here. I am amazed these threads are allowed now. But they have become so sure of themselves more and more are learning the hard way to fear them.

 

Sadly the reality is they will send her bankrupt regardless of if she wins again, look at the murry grey stud example, ten years to win the case and compensation awarded and not a cent paid. If it cost the rspca 7 million trying to win what did it cost the winner?  You need massively big pockets to fight the Goliath.

 

they still turn up and check me out, one day they will decide todays the day and that will be the end .. Until the day dawns there is accountability and avenue of appeal made law, the only choices we have at present is if we decide we love our pets and have pets you do risk being destroyed or forego having any live animals, just have fluffy toys.

 

the stress was so great when my dog was taken ended up in hospital doctors told me I had bipolar, drugged me stupid.  it took until 2014 and after I forget how many psych's, I had been referred to Dr Faber he  realised it was PTSD, totally different treatment needed and unfortunately just like bipolar its permanent, (remarkably the damage done by extreme stress  can be seen on a MRI) but at least now know what is wrong,  Weird to learn its not just war vets to get this, but now many are beginning to learn there is a war going on in this country, its just that it's a secret one. 

 whats one of the best to  help someone with PTSD? assistance dogs, that who, cant wait to seize? 

One chap in SA had his taken as did another (It was WEARING its Assistance dog vest) forget where at the moment.

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by asal

[asal]

happenings in USA, as someone asked is australia next?  Expect Ruth Downey thinks it probably started here.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by asal