Geelong Pound Goes 'no Kill'

[betsy]

I live in Geelong, wasn't born here, but I do know there is a good community spirit. And yes, some of that involves the football club!

Well done GAWS! I am happy that something has been done. And well done to the OP for highlighting the major turn-around.

:thumbsup:

[chuckandsteve]

Sheridan, no issues with the new regime at all I think they are so far doing a great job. I just really like to see they check all the boxes.

If not thats fine they are trying but they should own it. My experience in rescue is that people are out there saying how great they are doing but dont admit stuff ups, or where they aren't quite as good as they like (ie areas to improve on).

[Mel_P]

GAWS is NOT a no kill shelter and never will be a no kill shelter. Simply ask the Council that and they will tell you so. However Mr Bailey will simpy not come out and say anything. He certainly won't say that they killed 30 to 40 cats/kittens on 23 December 2011 due to cat flu. Things have not changed there at all, it may have new people in, but nothing has changed, they are simply better at covering things up.

[westieblessed]

Help me out here. It's my understanding that "No Kill" is actually a catchy name but does in fact allow for killing the sick or the unredeemably aggressive? Am I wrong? Please educate me, I'm not an expert. What I've read of the new regime at GAWS is very positive.

[Sheridan]

No kill means that any shelter animal that can possibly be rehomed will be rehomed, not pts.

[Nekhbet]

GAWS is NOT a no kill shelter and never will be a no kill shelter. Simply ask the Council that and they will tell you so. However Mr Bailey will simpy not come out and say anything. He certainly won't say that they killed 30 to 40 cats/kittens on 23 December 2011 due to cat flu. Things have not changed there at all, it may have new people in, but nothing has changed, they are simply better at covering things up.

Sheriden is right - no kill means rehomable animals are not killed. Not every animal is rehomable, would you rather they warehouse them for the rest of their lives in cages?

[westieblessed]

GAWS is NOT a no kill shelter and never will be a no kill shelter. Simply ask the Council that and they will tell you so. However Mr Bailey will simpy not come out and say anything. He certainly won't say that they killed 30 to 40 cats/kittens on 23 December 2011 due to cat flu. Things have not changed there at all, it may have new people in, but nothing has changed, they are simply better at covering things up.

Sheriden is right - no kill means rehomable animals are not killed. Not every animal is rehomable, would you rather they warehouse them for the rest of their lives in cages?

Thank you. That was my understanding.

[Mel_P]

GAWS is NOT a no kill shelter and never will be a no kill shelter. Simply ask the Council that and they will tell you so. However Mr Bailey will simpy not come out and say anything. He certainly won't say that they killed 30 to 40 cats/kittens on 23 December 2011 due to cat flu. Things have not changed there at all, it may have new people in, but nothing has changed, they are simply better at covering things up.

Sheriden is right - no kill means rehomable animals are not killed. Not every animal is rehomable, would you rather they warehouse them for the rest of their lives in cages?

Thank you. That was my understanding.

Yes you are right, unfortunately, GAWS is still killing rehomable animals. There was no need to kill all those cats in December, they simply didnt have sufficient cross infection measures in place. They kill dogs and cats to make space. So everything Mike Bailey has preached he is going against.

[westiemum]

Mel P if you read my original post, you would see where I reported that Geelong admitted they were not having the success with cats that they want, particularly when compared with dogs. So to can the organisation on that basis I suggest is unfair - particularly since its such early days.

The point of my original post was to acknowledge a large old organisation that was trying to do things differently and in a way that DOL would generally applaud. Change always takes time and in this case its only been months. I have no doubt they are finding it tougher than they initially imagined when the new Board and mangement took over.

However improvements are already evident and their kill rates are already better than many comparable pounds on the east coast. I expect there will be further improvement as time goes on. And believe we should support their efforts.

To aim for 'no kill' of rehomable animals is laudable and I for one congratulate them on their early efforts. And if 'low kill' has to be the intermediary step then as long as they continue to aim for 'no kill' then thats fine with me. :)

Edited March 8, 2012 by westiemum

[Mel_P]

Mel P if you read my original post, you would see where I reported that Geelong admitted they were not having the success with cats that they want, particularly when compared with dogs. So to can the organisation on that basis I suggest is unfair - particularly since its such early days.

The point of my original post was to acknowledge a large old organisation that was trying to do things differently and in a way that DOL would generally applaud. Change always takes time and in this case its only been months. I have no doubt they are finding it tougher than they initially imagined when the new Board and mangement took over.

However improvements are already evident and their kill rates are already better than many comparable pounds on the east coast. I expect there will be further improvement as time goes on. And believe we should support their efforts.

To aim for 'no kill' of rehomable animals is laudable and I for one congratulate them on their early efforts. And if 'low kill' has to be the intermediary step then as long as they continue to aim for 'no kill' then thats fine with me. :)

Westiemum, I have read your post, but what I am trying to tell you is that there is still a lot of killing that is going on. Figures are not being released and the figures that were released are from accurate. It is a case of not releasing figures because they are simply not much better! I for one do not agree to the killing of so many cats and kittens because the organisation does not have adequate measures in place to contain cat flu. It may be early days but this is a clear breach of the DPI Code. Insted of getting amateurs in there to run this shelter, perhaps it would have been best to get people in who actually know what they are doing!

Dogs and cats have been put down prior to their eight days being up, surely this is not something that DOL would applaud. Would DOL applaud the temperament testing being carried our by unqualified people?

[Sheridan]

Mel P if you read my original post, you would see where I reported that Geelong admitted they were not having the success with cats that they want, particularly when compared with dogs. So to can the organisation on that basis I suggest is unfair - particularly since its such early days.

The point of my original post was to acknowledge a large old organisation that was trying to do things differently and in a way that DOL would generally applaud. Change always takes time and in this case its only been months. I have no doubt they are finding it tougher than they initially imagined when the new Board and mangement took over.

However improvements are already evident and their kill rates are already better than many comparable pounds on the east coast. I expect there will be further improvement as time goes on. And believe we should support their efforts.

To aim for 'no kill' of rehomable animals is laudable and I for one congratulate them on their early efforts. And if 'low kill' has to be the intermediary step then as long as they continue to aim for 'no kill' then thats fine with me. :)

Westiemum, I have read your post, but what I am trying to tell you is that there is still a lot of killing that is going on. Figures are not being released and the figures that were released are from accurate. It is a case of not releasing figures because they are simply not much better! I for one do not agree to the killing of so many cats and kittens because the organisation does not have adequate measures in place to contain cat flu. It may be early days but this is a clear breach of the DPI Code. Insted of getting amateurs in there to run this shelter, perhaps it would have been best to get people in who actually know what they are doing!

Dogs and cats have been put down prior to their eight days being up, surely this is not something that DOL would applaud. Would DOL applaud the temperament testing being carried our by unqualified people?

Then if you can prove these allegations then bitching about it on DOL isn't going to make it stop. Put in a complaint to DPI, write to the Addie and the News.

[helen]

All that I can say is I live in Geelong, and went to GAWS recently as a friend from Melbourne lost their dog in Geelong, and I was keeping an eye out in case she was there. What I saw when I visited was huge improvements in the way the place was run, signs on the pens of available animals that encouraged adoption where none existed before and helpful staff.

ETA - and a much more welcoming building for the public to enter the place

Edited March 9, 2012 by helen

[Mel_P]

All that I can say is I live in Geelong, and went to GAWS recently as a friend from Melbourne lost their dog in Geelong, and I was keeping an eye out in case she was there. What I saw when I visited was huge improvements in the way the place was run, signs on the pens of available animals that encouraged adoption where none existed before and helpful staff.

ETA - and a much more welcoming building for the public to enter the place

That is great Helen, but are you privy to what occurs "behind the scenes" so to speak?

[Sheridan]

All that I can say is I live in Geelong, and went to GAWS recently as a friend from Melbourne lost their dog in Geelong, and I was keeping an eye out in case she was there. What I saw when I visited was huge improvements in the way the place was run, signs on the pens of available animals that encouraged adoption where none existed before and helpful staff.

ETA - and a much more welcoming building for the public to enter the place

That is great Helen, but are you privy to what occurs "behind the scenes" so to speak?

Notice you ignored my post ...

[mita]

Then if you can prove these allegations then bitching about it on DOL isn't going to make it stop. Put in a complaint to DPI, write to the Addie and the News.

Yes. Along with evidence/source.

[helen]

All that I can say is I live in Geelong, and went to GAWS recently as a friend from Melbourne lost their dog in Geelong, and I was keeping an eye out in case she was there. What I saw when I visited was huge improvements in the way the place was run, signs on the pens of available animals that encouraged adoption where none existed before and helpful staff.

ETA - and a much more welcoming building for the public to enter the place

That is great Helen, but are you privy to what occurs "behind the scenes" so to speak?

Of course not, are you. All I can assume is these changes came about by things happening behind the scenes, and as far as I am aware they happened very quickly, and maybe things will keep on improving. If there are bad things, then why not say them, and why they will not improve also.

[helen]

I just checked their website and this is what I found, go to the link as there is a lot more info then I have posted http://www.gaws.org.au/ - and a bit about the future and the fact the changes will take time, and the professional bodies that are helping them

The following initiatives have been implemented since 1 November 2011

In 2011 the following initiatives have been implemented.

1 Developing the foster care program for cats, dogs and rabbits.

2 Welcoming rescue groups to take animals from our shelter. To date we have released 14 cats and dogs.

3 Working with local vet clinics to take kittens and adopt them out from their centres. Four clinics have adopted 16 kittens so far.

4 Transferring cats and dogs to other shelters in Melbourne with space, when necessary. At this point 32 cats and dogs have been accommodated.

5 Treating injured and sick animals that would have been euthanised in the past for their conditions.

6 Sending dogs to organisations such as the Police Dog Squad, Seeing Eye Dogs, and to perform scent detection work.

7 Recruiting new highly-qualified staff with welfare backgrounds to complement the established crew.

8 Establishing a system of observation charts to monitor the health and behaviour of all our animals on a daily basis.

9 Implementing an effective system for data collection on incoming animals.

10 Developing new internal protocols for the humane euthanising of animals.

11 Implementing improvements in our OHS procedures.

12 Focussing on our dogs health, for example volunteers now take dogs for a walk and free-run every day, as well as regular grooming and washing.

13 Medicating all incoming cats and dogs with flea and worming treatment on arrival.

14 Bringing in temperament tests for all dogs for re-homing.

15 Encouraging dog trainers to perform obedience training on puppies that come in.

16 Joining forces with K9 lifestyle to start a training centre for dogs with behavioural problems to assist with management of their dogs issues.

17 Offering half-price cat adoptions to promote cat sales.

18 Promoting pets through Pet Rescue.

19 Promoting our work through local media, for example radio station Krock are doing a segment on 'a stray each day' and the Geelong Advertiser is publishing a story from the shelter each week.

20 Working with people with disabilities to share skills.

21 Allowing cats and dogs that are old and may not have long to live to be adopted at good will.

22 Rehabilitating emaciated dogs from RSPCA cases, 5 dogs so far and all re-homed.

23 Holding animals for no charge for people in domestic violence cases.

24 Improving our telecommunications systems so we can receive more than one caller at a time.

25 Approaching Council to build cat condos to prevent disease spread like upper respiratory disease, ring worm, Herpes virus.

26 Ordering 10 free-standing enclosures to enable cats that don't get along to be on display for the chance of being adopted.

27 Implementing new procedures for how animals are cared for in regards to cleaning products and procedures.

28 Treating cats for cat flu.

29 Treating dogs for kennel cough.

30 Housing rabbits in better enclosures and conditions.

31 Bringing in new laundry arrangements so blankets are washed in time for our animals.

32 Working with Council on the transport of feral cats in a less stress manner, by implementing correct carry cages.

[westiemum]

Mel p these are serious allegations so I suggest you do as Sheridan suggests - substantiate your allegations and make a formal complaint which requires formal investigation. The balance of posts here suggest the organization has made substantial improvements and again if you read my original post objectively then you would see that I only reported improvements and nothing else. You are in a minority of one to suggest it isn't happening.

As to amateur management I suggest that the previous board and management were the amateurs...hence their kill rates, waste management approach to running the pound and their ultimate removal...

Do you have some relationship or interest in the previous board or managers / staff? I ask as your vehemence suggests to me another agenda...

Mel P if you read my original post, you would see where I reported that Geelong admitted they were not having the success with cats that they want, particularly when compared with dogs. So to can the organisation on that basis I suggest is unfair - particularly since its such early days.

The point of my original post was to acknowledge a large old organisation that was trying to do things differently and in a way that DOL would generally applaud. Change always takes time and in this case its only been months. I have no doubt they are finding it tougher than they initially imagined when the new Board and mangement took over.

However improvements are already evident and their kill rates are already better than many comparable pounds on the east coast. I expect there will be further improvement as time goes on. And believe we should support their efforts.

To aim for 'no kill' of rehomable animals is laudable and I for one congratulate them on their early efforts. And if 'low kill' has to be the intermediary step then as long as they continue to aim for 'no kill' then thats fine with me. :)

Westiemum, I have read your post, but what I am trying to tell you is that there is still a lot of killing that is going on. Figures are not being released and the figures that were released are from accurate. It is a case of not releasing figures because they are simply not much better! I for one do not agree to the killing of so many cats and kittens because the organisation does not have adequate measures in place to contain cat flu. It may be early days but this is a clear breach of the DPI Code. Insted of getting amateurs in there to run this shelter, perhaps it would have been best to get people in who actually know what they are doing!

Dogs and cats have been put down prior to their eight days being up, surely this is not something that DOL would applaud. Would DOL applaud the temperament testing being carried our by unqualified people?

[Nekhbet]

The most complaints I have heard is rude staff and lack of contactability - I've heard 10 complaints just this past week of staff ignoring people, snapping at them or just not having the phones answered at all. Even a vet clinic has complained of their unreliability.

[helen]

Nekhbet, that is not what I experienced the day I went in, the staff were very busy but very friendly and helpful.