Council Pounds
Every year in NSW more than 60 000 cats and dogs are euthanased in Council pounds. All of these animals at one stage had homes or were the unwanted offspring of animals who had homes.
If a stray cat or dog is found, Councils are required to place them into a holding facility for 7 to 14 days (depending on whether they are microchipped) to give owners the opportunity to reclaim them. At the end of this period, if they are not reclaimed, rehomed or rescued, the animal is euthanased.
Council pounds are not welfare agencies or shelters, but facilities designed to manage companion animals not under the immediate care of their owners. They are a ‘lost and found’ and sadly, most impounded pets are not saved. Their lives tragically taken from them, when they needed us most.
Where do all these animals come from? Two things are clear - if animals were sold responsibly they are less likely to be abandoned; and there would be significantly less animals in pounds if pets were sold desexed.
The overwhelming number of animals impounded are not desexed, and during the summer months most of the animals in pounds are babies, and the females preganant or nursing litters. Pet shops and backyard breeders are the two main groups that sell animals not desexed, and this combined with their policy to drive impulsive purchases is a deadly combination.
The Animals Bill will greatly reduce the number of animals entering pounds by:
- Improving the way in which animals are sold, and ensuring that prospective owners are provided with care information and are fully prepared for pet ownership
- Preventing pet shops from selling cats and dogs, where impulse buying is encouraged and animals are sold not desexed
- Banning backyard breeders sell animals not desexed and often take ‘breeding stock’ and unwanted litters to pounds
- Banning puppy farms
- Making it an offense for owners to not collect their animals from pounds
Although not a pound, the Animal Welfare League has noted a significant increase in the number of ‘oodle’ cross breeds surrendered to their shelters. These are the types of dogs typically bred in puppy farms and by backyard breeders; and the types of dogs sold from pet shops.
