Eurobodalla Shire Council is appealing to residents to adopt pets from the council Pound to lessen the increasing numbers of animals who have to be put down every year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“Too many animals are put down in Australia, let alone in the Eurobodalla, so if people adopt animals from the Pound, they will be saving them as well as getting a good animal for much less than from a breeder,” council’s planning and sustainability services Tracey Stewart said.
Council was forced to put down 75 animals in the last six months of last year.
During the same period, 36 animals were returned to their owners but only 16 were rehomed.
This is a big increase on the same period in 2010, when 58 animals were euthanased, 32 returned to their owners and 12 rehomed.
“While these stats are not indicative of a trend, there are still too many animals being put down,” Ms Stewart said.
“When they are saved, these rescued animals provide a lifelong friendship and unending gratitude because they have been saved from a terrible fate.”
There are practical reasons to adopt an animal from the Pound.
“A fellow rang up and asked if we had a silky terrier,” council’s chief ranger Phil Clark said.
“He was going to pay $900 from a breeder, before he realised he could get one from us at a cost of around $100.”
All animals that leave the Pound are microchipped, as required by law.
“After that you just have to take the animal to the vet to have it immunised,” Mr Clark said.
He added a discount was available for owners to have Pound animals desexed.
Mr Clark said that he and Ms Stewart weren’t asking anyone to do anything they hadn’t done themselves.
“All rangers have a rescue dog or cat,” he said.
“When one of us walks a rescue animal through council, within minutes there is an adoption.”
Ms Stewart said a Pound animal made an ideal companion not just for its owner, but also for their existing animals.
“My dog wasn’t half the dog he is now before we got him a friend from the Pound,” she said.
Rangers will often take an animal home with them for a few days to extend its life for as long as possible.
“You can’t do this job if you are a heartless being,” Mr Clark said.
To find out more about adopting an animal from the Pound, call Ms Stewart on 4474 1283.
