Can we get real about RESCUE?

[Loving my Oldies]

I know this isn't the point of this thread, but I have just been talking to the rescuer for whom I foster (she has been doing this for over 30 years!!!) because she has just posted on her FB page looking for foster carers for four dogs who are coming from the RSPCA.  The RSPCA (Yagoona) has 180 dogs there at the moment and they are not in air conditioning and it is 31C today and 39C tomorrow.  That is just one place in Sydney; considering all the council facilities there must be hundreds if not a couple of thousand impounded dogs all over the place.    

 

It is such an awful situation.  God knows how many cats and kittens there are in these facilities.  

 

And, yes, I did put my hand up for one of the dogs    because there didn't seem to be enough takers and all I could think of was this dreadful heat.  My a/con is already up and away.

[Dogsfevr]

5 hours ago, Loving my Oldies said:

I know this isn't the point of this thread, but I have just been talking to the rescuer for whom I foster (she has been doing this for over 30 years!!!) because she has just posted on her FB page looking for foster carers for four dogs who are coming from the RSPCA.  The RSPCA (Yagoona) has 180 dogs there at the moment and they are not in air conditioning and it is 31C today and 39C tomorrow.  That is just one place in Sydney; considering all the council facilities there must be hundreds if not a couple of thousand impounded dogs all over the place.    

 

It is such an awful situation.  God knows how many cats and kittens there are in these facilities.  

 

And, yes, I did put my hand up for one of the dogs    because there didn't seem to be enough takers and all I could think of was this dreadful heat.  My a/con is already up and away.

But remember this is the same org that pushed for how dogs are housed & if kennels arent scraped of water correctly after hosing its an its an offense.
The RSPCA has no excuse to not have air conditioned facilities .
And before anyone says BUT 
I own boarding kennels 2 big air cons one small no gov grants or people donating money or leaving money in wills .
You provide what is required .
 

[Loving my Oldies]

2 hours ago, Dogsfevr said:

The RSPCA has no excuse to not have air conditioned facilities .
And before anyone says BUT 

I certainly won't say BUT.  On the contrary, I am the first to point out the failings of the RSPCA.  There is so much more they could and should be doing.  Like so many large organisations, they long ago became arrogant and believed their own publicity.  They should go back to basis and act in accordance with their name.  That is not to say there are not good people there.  There are, but the old adage "a fish rots from the head down" is pretty well always true.  

[tdierikx]

I'm surprised that the RSPCA at Yagoona didn't factor in methods of heat/cold reduction when they spent the $12 million of taxpayer money given to them by the NSW State government to build all those shiny new kennel blocks they have there. It's certainly not the case that they weren't aware that summer temperatures in Sydney could get over 40 degrees for multiple days, as right before the grant was sought/given, we'd just had a summer that did just that, along with major bushfires, etc.

 

The current NSW inquiry into pounds has already had one hearing, where the RSPCA sent a delegation of witnesses to give evidence from their perspective. This resulted in some very pertinent questioning by Emily Suvaal (Labor) regarding RSPCA NSW's financial position. It makes for some VERY interesting reading if you are interested... link to the transcript here... https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/transcripts/3140/Transcript - Portfolio Committee 8 - Pounds in New South Wales - 14 November 2023 - UNCORRECTED.pdf - RSPCA stuff starts at page 55 of the transcript, and goes into what they have so far done with the $40.5 million the outgoing Perrottet government allocated them in the pre-election cash splash. You may want to contrast RSPCA actions with AWL actions to see exactly where their priorities lie - AWL are building a new rehab/rehoming centre with the $5.5 million they got, complete with dedicated space for animals displaced in domestic violence matters, where RSPCA have used all of their $40.5 million to grow their inspectorate arm... I'll let you draw your own conclusions on those differences. RSPCA pulling out of all their pound activities is covered too (you might want to go back in the transcript to see how that will be affecting Blue Mountains council). Emily Suvaal goes into RSPCA financial records in some detail, and it's gripping stuff...

 

Oh... and just a reminder that the second pound inquiry hearing is set for next Friday, 15th December... if anyone is interested. Unfortunately the schedule of witnesses has not been posted yet, but the lobby group I'm with will be giving evidence at that hearing. I'm tipping that the rest of the witnesses will be from various rescue organisations all asking for funding to let them continue taking on the responsibilities that government have basically abrogated with the enactment of Emma Hurst's Rehoming Bill last year. My group's position will be that in order to receive government funding, conditions must be met - basically that means that some form of regulation and oversight needs to be in place to make sure that any grants/funding are used effectively, and have the desired welfare outcomes for homeless animals.

 

In my experience, rescue is not exactly rocket science, but it does have a level of complexity that may be being missed by rescues who focus on numbers of animals rehomed, rather than focusing on making sure every animal is 100% behaviourally and physically acceptable to be rehomed. The back stories that are being given to "excuse" certain behavioural issues needs to stop now. Rescue animals should NOT be universally regarded as "broken", rather they should be seen as a source for amazing pets that may have had a rough start, or have had a setback causing them to become homeless, but are fully ready to begin the next chapter of living their best lives with carefully selected new loving families.

 

T.