Little Gifts

Yay Zipp! Sorry Staffyluv but you did good, real good!

Thank you for that T! It's not like the RSPCA were helpful with options! Obviously if the goats are still theirs and they get another farm they will just keep them and continue operating as a farm with a smaller livestock base. Hopefully we will find that out today.

Had an interesting call from an RSPCA Inspector this afternoon. They are of the opinion my sister and her husband still own the goats and if they are not attended on the farm then they will be getting a smack on the wrist for it. She also said they had plenty of notice they were being evicted and should not have left things till the last minute! What a charming lady! The gates are all chained and there are signs saying the place is the property of the trustee. They were also verbally advised if they returned it would be considered trespassing. Their names have been removed from the title deeds. Not sure how anything that remains on the property could be considered theirs, but she will ring the Sheriff and clarify and in a best case scenario she hopes the maremma's can go back to the farm to care for the goats (it's the only place they have ever known) and they can go there everyday to check on all the animals, feed the dogs, etc as they are living close by. The working dogs might have to be kennelled and I found a lovely guy who used to shear with my BIL who has offered me a good rate to look after them. He's also used to working dogs. Obviously if this happens I will let Andrea know. There's lots of good eggs out there!

RSPCA got back to me and they don't consider them homeless so they don't qualify for emergency respite. Clearly there are different degrees of homelessness. Suck it up LG. They can provide emergency boarding in Orange (which needs to be paid for) so I'm thinking it could be easier to just pay for them to be kennelled in Cowra and save all that travelling. So I'm now checking out space and prices on that. DD without the maremmas the nanny goats and particularly their newborn kids will be at risk of being killed by the foxes. Such is farm life unfortunately. The trustees don't seem to be in any rush to get them somewhere safer. The only thing of value to them is the land.

Got some good news. The ranger is a gem! He is caring for all 5 dogs personally, ie outside the pound system, for a short period of time and is very happy to work with us and rescue to sort out some temp care until my sister and her hubby get some accom. He had also contacted the RSPCA about the goats but didn't know they were in kid. So I currently have the lovely Andrea offering assistance with the maremmas and I'm waiting to hear back from the RSPCA and AWDRI about some emergency respite options for the 3 working dogs. The ranger will release them without any charge. I could kiss him! And even though he had contacted the RSPCA there was nothing on record about the goats so I made a full report to them this morning as there are water issues as well as the problem with foxes and they will need to be monitored. If my sister or her hubby go back to the farm unsupervised to check on them they could be charged with trespassing. You can just imagine the bureaucracy of getting supervised farm access can't you!

Waiting to hear back from the ranger still. Waiting....trying to be patient.....

Thanks Guardienne! I think because your location doesn't show up I couldn't work out how you fitted into the whole picture. Knowing your experiences are Vic based helps me understand your perspective! And thank you VicDRG - third arm rather than the picker up of pieces across the board - YES! There is a place and purpose for all of us at present.

Thank you Loreley! I didn't know that! I have to log off DOL now but the help is really appreciated!

People clearly have some very different experiences with LDH and like any rescue group or organisation often the most positive stuff happens between actual people talking and negotiating and not at the organisational level. So it is feasible to have different experiences. Can we please not beat up on each other's experiences just because they are different? We all know it achieves nothing for the animals. No-one on this thread so far is disputing the stats currently available are concerning for Brisbane and at present that is the location that is under scrutiny. Some useful lobbying information has been provided and I hope those that care enough and have the capacity at present push for clarity and change (if/where needed). The dogs would be horrified that we were hating on each other like this. PS I just need to add that I really can't work out where you are coming from Guardienne? Are you pro or con LDH because you keep coming across to me as for both sides and it is a little confusing. I'd feel better if I knew where you were located and what position you were coming from, ie whether your personal experiences were positive or negative with LDH. You have put up some great suggestions too.

That's not the news I want to hear, particularly for the special maremma girl. Could be more bad news given the Sheriff could actually surrender them as the government's property from a seized farm (ie they no longer legally belong to my sister). I guess I will find out tomorrow morning.

Portland in NSW is less than 2 hours away. The other Portland is in Vic! MUP that's all I can find on the pound too - doesn't tell me much about how long they hold them for so I will ring tomorrow morning. I didn't find out till after dark tonight that the dogs weren't safe or I would've done this earlier. Thanks for all other suggestions - you guys are wonderful! I will pursue everything I can tomorrow and hopefully come up with some practical options. I was thinking I could also call AWDRI as they have connections everywhere too.

Thank you Dogmad - I'll look up her details and check out the distance.

Does anyone here know much about Cowra Pound or rescue from there or have foster carers in that area? My older sister and her husband were evicted from their Woodstock farm yesterday. It is likely their 3 working dogs and 2 yard dogs (maremmas) were taken to the pound yesterday afternoon as my sister was unable to find an option for them prior to the eviction taking place. My sister is attempting to find another small farm in the area to rent so would like to be able to get the dogs out of the pound. Their website does not say how long dogs are held for and I can't ring till tomorrow to ask. Given she is juggling a lot of balls at present she may need rescue's help caring for the dogs for a very brief period of time if say the pound only hold for a couple of days and they don't have accom for say a week. I also did a google search and can't find any specific rescue groups in the area to contact and broach this topic with to see what temp assistance they could offer so these dogs don't have to get put down. One of the maremmas would not be a suitable rehoming candidate - she is a bit loopy, so we know she will be put down after her time is up if not claimed by her owners. My sister currently has very minimal phone and internet access so all I can do is find out info and pass it on to her at present. As you can appreciate, they have a lot on their plate and I am just trying to facilitate some options she can pursue. I appreciate that rescue is not a dog sitting service but they are a family in crisis who do wish to continue to care for their animals if allowed and able to do so once they have a roof over their heads again (which is their first priority). I don't live close enough to do anything practical to help but will be ringing the pound first thing tomorrow to determine if the dogs are there. But for tonight I just wanted to start gathering any info I could so I could make calls tomorrow and identify tangible options for her to pursue. They also left behind 135 boer goats that they couldn't find a place for. These goats are currently kidding and whilst they were left with access to food and water the kids are likely to be picked off by foxes without the maremmas on watch. If anyone knows of someone who would take these goats it would also be appreciated as we can pass the info on to those currently in possession of the property so the goats don't get neglected. Thanks everyone. Alyson

It's good that you can see there might be some purpose to your losses. I think that helps to understand it a little better because truly, sometimes it isn't about us. It's also good that you are starting to remember all those funny moments you shared with them. To me that means you are healing. Our other dogs did not really miss a beat after we lost our old Stafford. She considered herself top dog but at almost 17 was well past her prime and all activities and household routines had changed to accommodate her needs. She also took a lot of my attention from the other dogs over those last 6 months. At first I was a little mad that they weren't sadder about her being gone given she was such a huge part of our lives but all they could see was the car trips took less to organise, the walks were faster and longer and they got more direct attention. Can't blame them for focussing on the good stuff! Hugs. XXX

This is what I don't get and how we seem to realise it is wrong but LDH doesn't. Why should smaller rescues have to rescue dogs from a much larger rescue organisation to ensure their safety? Why should smaller rescue groups have to jump through hoops to work with a much larger rescue organisation? If their values and processes were held in such high esteem and so effective it would be the other way around - the 'little guys' would be knocking on the door of their 'mentors' and welcomed in with open arms, sharing the low and adding to the power base for positive community change. And why do we tolerate a large rescue organisation seeking public donations when they are already receiving contract monies to run a service? There is something very wrong with that right there. LDH might need to do some soul searching on why they don't have respect from smaller rescue groups and why these groups choose back door routes to save a dog that should already be safe.

shelters Brisbane City Council has two animal shelters that house homeless, lost or abandoned animals. Council's animal shelters provide a safe environment for lost cats, dogs and other animals. The animal welfare organisation, The Lost Dogs' Home (The Home), has been engaged to administer the animal shelters. Since 1910, The Home has been a voice for animals without owners. It has been a pioneer for fair animal laws and continues to work towards reducing the number of lost, abandoned and stray cats and dogs. Excuse me while I vomit in my mouth a bit. The Home is currently managing pound and animal shelters services on behalf of 22 local government agencies, including Brisbane City Council. It is committed to providing high quality services for the ratepayers and residents of Brisbane, as well as visitors to the city. Does this mean they are managing shelters for 22 councils/shires? It would have to be across Australia or that means it runs most of them across this state and I don't think that is true. And if they are managing pounds and shelters for 22 LGAs then they should know how to do it better than their stats are showing here in Brisbane and adoption figures are showing in Melbourne.

Not arguing for one system Mita or a one size fits all approach as each community is different. But it does concern me that there are indications independent and small rescue groups can do more/better with a lot less infrastructure and support. It makes me wonder what they could do with more. Do they simply become like LDH or could they stay the path and become AWL? I guess I'm just raising the things that bug me; that stand out like dog's balls and I was wondering if I was the only one who noticed them? There seems to be a lack of learning or perhaps a lack of interest in learning about what already works well and using the same approach. I don't get it. I'll be honest and say I now have two major family crisis on my plate with fall out still pending tonight or tomorrow. For me to be publicly active about anything I want to read up and know what I'm talking about before I stick my nose in and I don't have the time or energy to do that with this LDH situation this week. Next week could be a different story.

That is too much to bear. I am so, so sorry. There is nothing to say that will make this better. It sucks. It's too cruel to even think about let alone experience. My heart goes out to you. XXX

And we are all too scared to say anything in case they wont work with us and the animals pay with their lives. Does anyone know of a council pound run by say a rescue co-op of several smaller rescue groups working together? I'm just wondering how feasible the idea is? AWL started out as a small independent rescue and have maintained their values and good name over years of expansion. I grew up on the Gold Coast and still remember their old shelter in the swamp at the back of Labrador and their dodgy op shops. The volunteers were always so friendly, true animal lovers and committed to the cause. So it can be done without losing sight of why you exist. What happened to the RSPCA and LDH?

I love who I love and if you saw me at Woofstock or the Pet Expo you'd know I love a lot! I do have certain weaknesses though.....

She will end up where she is meant to be.

I don't have any detailed information on what LDH is doing in Brisbane. All I know is that some rescue groups have started a petition asking that a policy of not releasing to rescue be changed. And current 'snap' adoption-available figures taken from their own website seem curiously small given the council area population is above 1 million. My response will be to go to those responsible for awarding the contract... the Brisbane City Council. I'll speak with our local councillor & also the councillor who chairs their animal management committee. As ratepayers, we have a responsibility & a right to get information and make comment. We pay for that contract. http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-strategy/councillors-wards/ Pointing out (apart from the facts above): 1. there's been history of (at least some) healthy & rehomeable animals being released to rescue from Brisbane Council pounds. 2. UQ research concluded that it could be in a Council's economic interests to focus on rehoming, as there's costs in putting healthy/rehomeable animals to sleep ... both money & human mental well-being. 3. there's viable rescue groups who have offered to contribute to that rehoming, thereby reducing those costs.4. viability of responsible rescue groups in SE Qld has been recognized by RSPCA Qld, who now host Adoption Days including them. 5 we already have a respected role model in SE Qld. AWL Qld contractually works with both the Gold Coast & Ipswich Councils in increasing rehoming of healthy/rehomeable dogs & cats. Both are huge population areas, too. This totally shits me. Rescue groups don't have an income of rates, application fees and fines. Rescue don't have a huge physical and HR infrastructure to draw upon. They don't have numerous figure heads (councillors) to advocate on their behalf, they don't have a captive audience (rate payers and residents and pardon the pun) and pathways (newsletter and rates notices) to sharing information regularly to that audience and they certainly don't attract local media attention as easily. So why does BCC get to fob off their responsibilities to a contractor who then doesn't meet expectations so it falls down to little old rescue again? It is not good enough! Especially for a council of it's size and age. They spend millions on footbridges over rivers and questionable art work on the streets (and their own buildings). But independent rescue has to step in and offer them their precious resources so healthy, rehomeable dogs can be saved? Am I the only one who thinks this is ludicrous? I'd be interested in seeing what grants they have provided to local rescue groups this financial year. I bet the figure is awfully low. And while I'm having a moan about the South East Qld area I'd like to say this. We have the highest population growth in the country, year in and year out. We have 10 councils. Each of those councils (I am assuming) would have animal management services and possibly one or more pounds. On top of that we have huge RSPCA and AWL facilities and they are very well known brand names. But as evidenced by the RSPCA Adopt Out, we also have at least 30 independent rescue groups operating in the area. I'd say even more as I know BFR (who have like 12,000 likers on FB) were not there. What is wrong with this picture? In anyone's terms you would think we were over serviced. Animal Management is not the responsibility of independent rescue groups yet here we all are picking up the pieces! How much money is being used inappropriately on this issue, whether it be a local authority who does not fund it adequately, a large entity who seems to be raking in the money with public sympathy but making little impact on the lives of animals in need or contractors like LDH who swallow up animals whole? Rant over.

I'm happy to do it if you want to send me the info. I've done a few home checks now for interstate rescue groups, maybe even PAWS?

I pretty much notice and want to touch every dog I meet but always ask first. We've had quite a few doggy events recently with Peiradise and I come home covered head to toe in dog slag! So many gorgeous dogs and different breeds to feel and smooch! This afternoon on my way home from the Gold Coast Pet Expo I was a bit shaky hungry so I pulled off to get something to eat. I took a look at my hands and realised they were filthy. I ate anyway!

YAY! Go Zipp!!!!! Work your magic on the mum!