Mila's Mum

http://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/ottawa-shootings-corporal-nathan-cirillo-shot-dead-by-gunman-was-a-single-dad-raising-a-sixyearold-son/story-fnh81jut-1227100571285

From October last year http://www.theweeklyreviewboroondara.com.au/story/1791263/lost-dogs-home-under-pressure-in-two-states-over-kill-rates/ Melbourne’s Lost Dogs Home has been accused of euthanising an unacceptable number of animals, with pressure mounting on councils in two states to drop the pound operator. Animal welfare groups have called on Brisbane City Council to dump the Lost Dogs Home organisation as figures reveal kill rates for unclaimed animals at its two Brisbane pounds are higher than any other facility it runs in Australia. The allegations come after the Lost Dogs Home came under fire for its euthanasia rates and lost its contract with Melbourne Council, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Lost Dogs Home’s figures show it killed 1867 unclaimed dogs and cats, almost four times as many as it re-homed, within nine months of taking over Brisbane’s Bracken Ridge and Willawong pounds in October 2011. The majority of animals taken in by the shelter were reunited with their owners, but kill rates for unclaimed dogs and cats in Brisbane are now the highest in the country – 63 per cent of dogs and 83 per cent of cats were put down in 2011-12. According to new figures obtained from Brisbane City Council under freedom-of-information laws by advocacy group Saving Pets, in three months earlier this year six times more dogs were killed than were re-homed. The Lost Dogs Home’s general manager Kate Hoelter said the figures were misleading because they accounted for only those animals brought in by the council and did not include strays or animals surrendered by the public (believed to be about 30 per cent of dog admissions and 75 per cent of cat admissions). Ms Hoelter said the Lost Dogs Home’s most recent records showed higher adoption rates over 2012-13 – an average of one dog a day – but said the figures would not be publicly available until later this year. She also refused to provide the shelter’s most recent euthanasia statistics. Brisbane Council maintains it is “satisfied” with the shelter’s performance of re-homing healthy animals and there are no plans to review the three-year $2.4 million contract, which is up for renewal next year. Cr Krista Adams said the arrangement “paid off for both ratepayers and these pets that now get a second chance”. But Saving Pets founder Michelle Williamson described Brisbane’s pounds as a “disaster”. “The Lost Dogs Home is the last bastion of the high-kill model and Brisbane needs to prioritise saving animals’ lives.” A petition on Change.org calling on Brisbane Council to “tell the Lost Dogs Home to stop murdering our Brisbane pets and start working with rescue groups” has attracted 6000 signatures. The campaign comes as the shelter’s critics report a groundswell of support from councils considering dumping it over high kill rates. The Lost Dogs Home runs animal management services on behalf of 22 councils in three states, but was recently dealt a major blow in Victoria after the Melbourne City Council severed a 14 year relationship with the shelter. The council opted not to renew its $450,000 contract despite having an option for a three-year extension. A spokesman said the council enlisted the RSPCA because it was “the recognised leader in humane animal treatment”. Other metropolitan councils in Melbourne are also considering dumping the Lost Dogs Home, with some confirming they are conducting internal reviews into whether it would be resigned for another term. Other councils are believed to be “seeing out” their contracts. Tarsha Andrews, from anti-euthanasia Pound Reform Alliance, said Brisbane needed to follow the lead of Melbourne City Council, alleging, “the Lost Dogs Home doesn’t have the capacity to care for animals”. “Brisbane needs to take back responsibility for the community’s pets and implement a new shelter system like other progressive communities are doing,” she said. Former employees from Brisbane’s pounds said the shelter’s euthanasia figures were inaccurate and did not account for all animals that were put down. They criticised the Lost Dogs Home for failing to work with foster groups to re-home animals. Ms Hoelter denied the allegations, saying the official figures were accurate and that decisions about euthanising and adopting animals were based on assessments from an in-house vet who considered their health and behaviour. Brisbane Council spokesman Troy Bilsborough said the council investigated claims of higher euthanasia rates last year following a complaint from a former staff member and determined the shelter had “no case to answer”.

Hopefully AWLQLD will get the contract this time - LDH got the tender last time bec their price was so low. And when it comes to local and State Govt, it's all about lowest price is best - regardless of whether or not the job can be done properly at that price.

http://dogshome.com/brisbane-announcement/

http://dogshome.com/paw-mate-club/ The Lost Dogs’ Home Warra Shelter is launching the Paw-Mate Club this week in hope of urgently finding new homes for their long-term shelter animals. As part of the launch, all Paw-Mate Club members will have their adoption fee of $328 for dogs and puppies, $153 for adult cats and kittens waived until all are adopted. Shelter manager Debra Bell said she was concerned for our long-term adoption candidates, some of which have waited over one-hundred days to be adopted.

thank you for your replies :) - as of yesterday the bloke will be rescuing one from NSW - he is driving to collect him Mon/Tues - and a very helpful Vic rescue person did a house/person check on Friday - so fingers crossed it all goes well

An older gent with a jack russell is looking to adopt a rescue dobe - he has had several dobes before - does anyone know of any in the Vic (Geelong) area? I have no further info on the person wanting to adopt a dobe but hoping there might be a rescue one in the area so the rescue group can check out the potential owner. Thanks

Please sign and share - petition is running until Monday 21/4 Petition Link Gympie's local no-kill shelter, the only alternate dog and cat shelter in the region, is being threatened with a fine of up to $30,000 by council due to noise complaints made by citizens living in surrounding streets, despite the kennels having existed on this site for over 40 years. No one from the council or any other department has done a noise reading on premisis, yet they have stated that if the kennels do not reach 'No Noise' by April 2014, they will be fined, despite a request for any kind of extension! The owners of the shelter have stated that they acknowledge that there is noise coming from the dogs occassionally throughout the day - however this noise will generally only last for a short period during breakfast and dinner times. The shelter is built with the same materials as most other shelters - there are open runs for the dogs which are fenced with wire, as well as besser block enclosures, through which the dogs are rotated throughout the day, as well as being alternated to have some outdoor 'free time' to help burn extra energy. To entirely sound proof the shelter the council is expecting complete indoor enclosure of the dogs, with artificial lighting and no outdoor play. This just won't do for the furbabies' well being.. Not to mention it would cost tens of thousands of dollars, which can just not be gathered in this small amount of time. This shelter should be valued as an exemplary highlight of our community. The work is entirely done by volunteers and the shelter only continues with the generous support of the community and donations and discounts of compassionate vets and trainers. These are good people doing the right thing, and yet they are being treat as a nuisance and threatened as though they are committing criminal acts. Money is always an issue for shelters such as these, and this situation is entirely unfair. We need your support to buy us more time to raise funds and figure out a comprimise! We are trying our best, but we need the best outcome for our current and future furbabies, who without us, would likely not last to see new homes.

AWL Qld did put in a tender and it was widely hoped they would win, given their track record on the Gold Coast. But it came down to money - LDH had a lower price, so they won the tender. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/charity-bids-for-control-of-brisbanes-pounds-20101022-16xbu.html http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/council-move-to-cut-animal-shelter-costs/story-e6freoof-1226115883807

http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/the-lost-dogs-home-stop-murdering-our-brisbane-pets-and-start-working-with-rescue-groups?share_id=hXUICbTzOF&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition The Brisbane Lost Dogs Home has been approached by numerous rescue groups who are desperate to help the animals who end up at the Lost Dogs Home facilities in Brisbane. The Lost Dogs Home refuses to work with rescue groups and continues to kill healthy pets. Please sign this petition to let the Lost Dogs Home know the public will no longer put up with this unnecessary killing.

Many thanks for posting - I loved reading the stories and seeing the pictures

They look like labs or lab x's - might be worth contacting Lab Rescue to see if they might be able to assist, or even provide more exposure.

I like to think the dog was smart enough to realise something wasn't quite right and brought the "package" back home - otherwise he would have just eaten his "lunch" at the tip, like he probably did with other food items found previously

What a great dog to carry the baby all the way back home - his award is well deserved. Hope the baby finds a loving home especially with such an awful start to life.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/philippine-hero-dog-returns-home-from-us/story-fn3dxix6-1226660576925 THE Philippine dog that lost half her face saving the lives of two girls has returned home after treatment in the United States. Filipino veterinarian Anton Lim, who accompanied the named Kabang, said the mixed-breed whose snout and upper jaw had been sheared off was treated in California for seven months with $US27,000 ($A28,000) in donations raised in the Philippines and abroad. Kabang suffered the injuries in December 2011 when she jumped into the path of a motorcycle, stopping it from running over her owner's daughter and niece in southern Zamboanga city. Lim said a parade is planned for Kabang's Sunday homecoming in Zamboanga. University of California, Davis, veterinary Professor Frank Verstraete said doctors performed surgery to heal her wounds, though they could not reconstruct Kabang's jaw or snout. They took skin from her cheeks, neck, and forehead to cover up sensitive areas that were exposed on her face during surgery in March. Kabang won widespread sympathy because of her injuries. An American nurse spearheaded a fund-raising campaign to bring Kabang to the United States. Lim said donations poured in from 45 countries. "It is very fulfilling that at least our hope in humanity is restored," he said. Lim said Kabang has become a symbol of "unconditional love." "Now, if you give unconditional love to your dog, of course they will give it back to you. "So, she saved two lives so the whole world actually came together to save hers, so it is really a very nice symbol for everyone," he said.

She must be tough to have lasted that long being tied up - here's hoping she has a few more years left in her yet

Well done Vadar! I hope you get an extra chop or two for tea :D - what a lovely looking boy - and one proud Dad :)

Is it worth contacting the NZ group to get some ideas on how the owners might be approached and given guidance on how to provide him a better life?

It must have been a great relief to have secured her freedom

Have a look in the In Loving Memory section - that has more info on how they are killed

This is the group's definition of a Chained Dog - Chained dogs are neglected or abused dogs or puppies, that are permanently chained 24 hours 7 days a week. They exist in most areas of NZ but there is a particular problem in specific areas of Auckland where we currently concentrate our efforts. Typically this means: •Water is rarely provided •The dog has little suitable shelter •Food is provided when and if the "owner" remembers •The dog is never de-fleaed or de-wormed •The dog is not registered, vaccinated, microchipped or de-sexed due to lack of funds therefore it is chained or locked out of sight. •Faeces are rarely removed from underfoot •They have little or no human interaction •They are never exercised and the owners have no collars or leads to do so •Generation after generation see chaining as "normal" •There is total ignorance of what a dog needs As a result the average chained dog's lifespan is approx 18 months due to a combination of things such as long-term dehydration, malnutrition, pest infestation, blood poisioning, multiple pregnancies, lack of exercise and no medical attention or care. Going by the shame file and the success stories, they are not targeting dogs that are well looked after, and only occasionally chained. Personally, I think it's wonderful that a group of people are going to so much effort to help those that are being subjected to a living hell. In most cases, it's probably a blessing the dog's lifespan is only about 18 months.

Did you actually bother to read what they do, and what they have achieved? What an inane comment.

I came across this NZ rescue group while looking for something completely unrelated to rescue - haven't seen anything similar, so thought it might be of interest http://www.chaineddognz.org/default.html

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/logan/a-man-has-walked-over-300km-to-be-reunited-with-his-best-friend-a/story-fn8m0u8i-1226651549771 Logan City man Brian Railton, who walked almost 300km over eight weeks searching for his lost dog Benji, has been reunited with his companion. The kelpie-border collie cross escaped his yard at Kingston, south of Brisbane, when he was spooked by a storm on March 24. Every day since then, Mr Railton, 70, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, walked from his home to the council's animal management centre in the hope of finding his best mate, who would usually be walking by his side. With the help of his son Malcolm, Mr Railton hung posters and searched high and low until receiving the call he had been waiting for last Friday. "We were nearly at the point of giving up, we were talking about getting another dog because it was very stressful for dad," Malcolm Railton said. "I got the call from the pound and dad could hear me on the phone and was so excited to bring him home. "We had a celebration and took him to McDonald's for an ice-cream and he stole half of dad's as well." Mr Railton said Benji was found at a Waterford nursing home where he had been going for regular dinners for the past three weeks. He thanked Logan City Council staff for their help. Benji was bought as an eight-week-old pup and was registered and microchipped Mr Railton says walking up to 12km a day with Benji relieves shaking from Parkinson's disease Benji waits by the bus stop for Mr Railton when he takes trips to the shops.

Peninsula Animal Aid would be close for you - a great shelter and always in need of extra help (like all rescues)