Here we list animal news items from Animal Aid and other areas around Australia that, while not "new" are still of interest. Click on the links below to read the article. Animal Aid in Coldstream may be forced to euthanise hundreds of cats and kittens this summer. This unfortunate statistic could be easily avoided if only the community would embrace early age desexing and ownership accountability. Between the months of October and February, a cardboard box arriving at the shelter can only mean one thing, kittens. Who would think that an innocuous item such as a cardboard box could be responsible for so much anxiety in the staff at Animal Aid? In the cooler months of the year it could perhaps contain some donated food or perhaps some bedding. But as the weather warms up it is a completely different story. "You begin to dread the sight of them; you cringe as you open the lid. You know that you will be faced with the heartbreaking sight of yet another set of terrified, little eyes peering out at you, blinking in the sudden flood of sunlight." Lynn Bell cattery manager said regretfully. Day after day, they pour in the door. "You see them being removed from the boots of cars in the parking lot, and sometimes find them at the front door when you arrive at work in the morning." Lynn Bell explains that exposure and heat stress can often cause fatalities. "Some of them make it, and some of them don’t. If they are accompanied by their mother, they have a greater chance of survival, but the majority of litters arrive unaccompanied, too young and frail to survive without her." Lynn goes on to say that with all the best intentions when someone finds a litter of kittens, assuming that they are abandoned, they take them to the shelter, not realizing that the mother cat is never far away. By removing the kittens, you bring the mother back into season and she can be pregnant again within six weeks. You are now in the same position as before, you still have a stray cat problem, and in fact you have accelerated her breeding capacity. Animal Aid want to get the message across that simply bringing the kittens in achieves very little in the big picture. If they can obtain the mother cats as well, we can desex them and essentially halt that colonies potential to get out of control. The community needs to understand that it is no longer acceptable to say "it's not my cat; I just put food out for it" it simply doesn't wash. If you do have this attitude then unfortunately you are part of the problem. The onus is on you, to either take responsibility for that animal and make it your own or hand it over to the appropriate authority, such as your welfare shelter or local council. If you have any enquiries regarding this issue or about how you can be a part of the solution please contact Animal Aid on 9739 0300 or visit our website www.vaat.org.au. Back to Top By Matthew Tibble Gippsland’s homeless dogs and cats will now be under the care of East Gippsland Animal Welfare and Animal Aid, after Animal Aid was successful in the tender process with the Shire for the region’s pound. This change will enable a new era to begin and has been accepted with much enthusiasm by the local community. Animal Aid is now able to provide its expertise to East Gippsland Animal Welfare (EGAW). With an area comprising of 11% of Victoria, EGAW’s task to manage the pound and welfare services on behalf of Animal Aid is substantial to say the least. Earlier this year, after a visit to Animal Aid’s location in the Yarra Valley, on the outskirts of Melbourne, Nicholas Peet, the Treasurer of the East Gippsland Animal Welfare group, visited the shelter to adopt a small dog. After discussions with the shelter staff and seeing firsthand the process by which the shelter rehomed unclaimed pound animals, Animal Aid agreed to assist the region in whatever way possible to help implement a rehoming program for the benefit of these unclaimed animals. “Animal Aid has offered us the chance to make a real difference to animals in our community, and with their assessment process will be able to ensure that adopted animals are rehomed responsibly”, said Mr Peet. Animal Aid has been operating two major Melbourne pounds for over 5 years, and sees approximately 5000 animals come to its shelter during the year. In addition to the pound contracts, the shelter also accepts unclaimed animals from two other pounds, as well as any surrendered and stray animals brought in by the community. Jo Boland, Animal Aid’s General Manager, was motivated to see a change take place in this part of Victoria. “When we heard about the fate that awaited so many of the animals at the Gippsland Pound, we knew we had to do something. Animal welfare has always been our priority, balancing it with the needs of the community and finding suitable homes for our temperament-tested animals. Being a part of this change in the Gippsland region in how the animals are managed is very exciting for us, and we are proud to be a part of it.” Back to Top By Matthew Tibble World Animal Day was celebrated on 4th October this year, with many animal shelters and organisations highlighting the importance that animals play in our lives. Animal Aid in Coldstream held their annual Eat for Pete campaign on the 1st and 2nd of October, hoping to raise the awareness of animal welfare in the community, and find some much-need homes for their temporary guests. “We began Eat for Pete two years ago, and each year the event has helped to raise money for food and veterinary supplies at the shelter. In addition, many animals find a home with a loving family”, said Debra Boland, the shelter’s spokesperson. With over 5000 animals each year coming to Animal Aid each year, events like Eat for Pete are vital to pay for the ongoing costs of the care for these animals. Customers had the experience of dining at a number of excellent restaurants and outlets in the outer-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, as well as being informed of the work of Animal Aid. “Animals contribute so much to our lives, and we can often overlook their importance in our hectic lifestyle”, Debra said. Funds are still being collected from the participating outlets, with last years total of $2,350 expected to be surpassed. This money will help pay for the costs of caring for the animals at Animal Aid. With no government funding, Animal Aid relies heavily on support from the community. For more information about Animal Aid, please call 9739 0300, or visit the website at www.vaat.org.au Back to Top by Matthew Tibble The day has finally come – we now have our own dog training facility. For a while now we have had a goal to operate our own dog training facility, where we can continue the philosophy of positive animal training by educating members of the public. When our PAT (Post Adoptive Training) program started earlier this year, this saw the beginning of this training for home life, as we have helped many dog owners understand their new pet and help facilitate them into their new home. Now based in what was once the Planet K9 facility situated in the Lilydale Showgrounds, K9 Kompany is now the centre for all things related to dog training. Since its opening on August 1st, it has been very busy with a whole range of classes and activities for dogs and their carers. Probably the most exciting element of the new facility is its attitude. We are concerned about one thing – helping you to have FUN with your dog. K9 Kompany offers a non-competitive environment where you can learn new things and have more interaction with you pet. Some of the classes that are offered include: Puppy School Our PAT Program Basic training Advanced obedience Agility Tricks All Sports Demo Team, and Walking Groups.
Some of our long-term supporters know of our Canine Coaching classes held at Lillydale Lake. These classes have now been relocated to K9 Kompany, and will be held in its indoor, all-weather centre. So, if you are interested in finding out more information about how you can have FUN with your dog, then give us a call. Enquiries for K9 Kompany can be made on 0400 390 300, or emailed at info@k9kompany.com.au or the website, at www.k9kompany.com.au Back to Top by Debra Boland The problem of unwanted kittens and puppies is an ever increasing one. The reluctance of pet owners to get their pets desexed can too often result in unplanned and therefore undervalued lives being brought in to the world. So, when should you desex your pet, to prevent these unwanted pregnancies? The best time to desex your pet is before they are sexually mature. For some animals such as cats, this can be as early as 4 months of age, and dogs can become sexually mature at 5-6 months. Historically, pets have not been desexed during this juvenile phase, and this had led to the large number of unwanted animals that arrive at shelters like Animal Aid. Animal Aid has been successfully performing juvenile surgery for over nine years now and considers its veterinary team to be experts in this field. Careful anesthesia procedures ensure the safety of the patient and keyhole surgery techniques result in much shorter recovery periods. In fact, the whole operation is a much less traumatic experience for them than surgery performed when they are mature.  “There are some misguided opinions about desexing, especially early-age desexing, that need to be dispelled. For example, desexing does not adversely affect a pet’s personality, and if anything can actually make them a more socially acceptable pet” said Debra Boland, shelter spokesperson for Animal Aid.
“There are no studies supporting the character change theory and as for size, in many cases the juvenile desexed animals will grow taller than undesexed animals. What studies can confirm is that if you don’t desex your pet, then they have a substantially increased risk of cancers associated to the reproductive system”. Other benefits for juvenile desexing include reduction in registration fees with your local council. It is now mandatory for all animals 3 months or older to be registered. Check with your local council for more information about any incentives might they offer. For any enquiries regarding getting your pets desexed sooner rather than later please call 97390500 or email us at vet@vaat.org.au Back to Top During the colder months of the year, animals require more food. A full tummy can help to regulate body temperature and, and particularly in the case of shelter animals, create a feeling of comfort and satisfaction. With approximately 2500 animals expected to arrive between now and the Christmas period, Animal Aid is seeking help from the community to fill the bellies of the animals at the shelter. “We are asking the community to dig deep and spare a can of food or a bag biscuits, especially canned cat food. With an average of 250 dogs and 130 cats and kittens arriving each month since the New Year, our food stores have been depleted. We are one again needing to purchase food to feed these animals”, said Debra Boland, shelter spokesperson. “After the success of last year’s winter food appeal, we were able to feed our temporary residents for over five months” Twenty-three supermarkets in the wider community have generously agreed to support the shelter by having special donation bins placed in their stores where shoppers can donate dry and canned food. Bins are also located in Animal Aid's opportunity shops in Blackburn South and Croydon South. This is a great opportunity for animal lovers to actively support the shelter in caring for the abandoned animals that arrive daily. Outlets Include:IGA: Croydon, Mooroolbark, Ringwood North, Ringwood East, Wantirna, Coldstream, Warrandyte, Emerald, Montrose, Seville, Warburton and Mount Evelyn. Licensed Groceries: Wandin, Millgrove and Healesville Gourmet pet foods: Lilydale Goldfields Produce: Warrandyte Maxi Foods: Blackburn North Safeway: Yarra Junction Woori Yallock: Post Office Heathmont Blockbuster Blue Ribbons Pet Foods, Healesville
Back to Top By Matthew Tibble One very lucky cat survived not one but two trains that sped over it as it was dumped with a plastic bag over its head at Ringwood Train Station on Saturday June 4th. It was due to the quick thinking of two station workers that spotted the stranded animal, who then rescued her and took her to the Council depot to calm down before bring her into Animal Aid in Coldstream.  The pure white desexed female cat named Chloe is another victim of unprovoked cruelty to cats that has given rise to enquiries into how animals, especially cats, are treated in the community. For many, cats are unjustly seen as a nuisance and a problem, and are often penalised for nothing more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Chloe was obviously someone’s loved pet, as it had a red collar and a council registration tag for the City of Whitehorse. “This poor animal was one of the fortunate ones”, said Jo Boland, the shelter’s manager. “If the council workers had not seen and saved this cat, then one of the trains would have killed her. With such an obvious act of cruelty inflicted upon this cat, communities need to band together to educate the public about the value of cats as pets, and about how we should behave toward animals in general”. Animal Aid is part of the Cat Crisis Coalition that is petitioning the government to change legislation on mandatory desexing of cats and to raise the value of cats in the community. For more information, please contact Animal Aid on 9739 0300, or visit www.vaat.org.au Back to Top By Matthew Tibble and Debra Boland Chaos, an 18 week old kitten, got carried away when he decided to try climbing a tree in the back yard of his Mt Evelyn home. What he didn’t realise was how far he could actually climb. It wasn’t until he found himself stranded over 10 metres high did he discover he was in trouble.  Chaos’ owner, Louise Laverick, tried everything she could to get him down. “I called the Shire of Yarra Ranges, who referred me to Animal Aid shelter in Coldstream, and to the RSPCA. After calling the RSPCA, I was told that if we left Chaos to his own devices, he will come down in a few days when he gets hungry”.
After being unsuccessful with both the RSPCA and the local CFA and SES services, Louise contacted Animal Aid, to see how they could help. “I called them up on Friday morning, and they were fantastic. They organised for a tree removal company to come out and rescue Chaos from his lofty location”, said a very relieved Louise. Brendan Jones and his crew, from Treecycle in Lilydale, came to Chaos’ rescue, and within twenty minutes, had him firmly on the ground and in the arms of his happy owners. After his ordeal and exposure, Chaos immediately began searching for his breakfast. Having eaten his fill, and in typical feline fashion, was wanting to explore the garden again. Animal Aid would like all cat owners to remember that their pets should be confined as much as possible, especially if they are under nine months of age. For further information about the shelter and its services, please call 9739 0300. Back to Top By Matthew Tibble and Debra Boland Two weeks ago, a 6 year old male Rhodesian Ridgeback came to Animal Aid shelter in Coldstream, in such a condition that the staff were appalled at the obvious lack of care that this animal had endured. Not only had he suffered much of his life abused by his owner, but he was found tethered to a tree in Kinglake National Park by bushwalkers. After he arrived, the staff immediately began treating him for severe malnutrition. Given the emaciated condition he was in, they were unable to feed him anything other than frequent small meals. Suffering from such a lack of care, and with extreme hunger and thirst, this poor pooch lapped up all the attention. “From what we can discern, he was discovered by some bushwalkers, tied to a tree in the Kinglake National Park, obviously hungry and very thirsty. They gave him a drink and called the ranger who then took him straight to the local vet”, said Debra Boland, a shelter spokesperson. Despite being chronically underweight and suffering from open pressure sores on his hips, he was deemed healthy enough to be housed at the pound. After being held for the required eight days, he was then brought to Animal Aid in Coldstream. “With a dog in such condition, it is obvious that he had been starving for a long time. The pressure sores are a direct result of the dog being housed in a confined, hard surface, such as a concrete enclosure. This is compounded by the fact that, because he has no muscle or fat, his bones press directly against his skin”, said Ms Boland. Owning a pet is a big commitment. It requires time, effort and lots of love. If you find that owning a pet becomes too much for you or your situation changes, Animal Aid is there to help. If you are in need of advice about how to care for your pet, then call Animal Aid today, on 9739 0300. You can also visit them on the internet, at www.vaat.org.au. Back to Top By Matthew Tibble Earlier this year, I was privileged to attend the Humane Society of the United States Animal Care Expo, held in Dallas, Texas. This was made possible by the support and sponsorship from IFAW - the International Fund for Animal Welfare, who have helped considerably with our ART program. It was a great opportunity for me to learn and bring information back to Animal Aid on animal welfare issues form around the world, and to build on our relationship with IFAW and share our knowledge and experience with the ART program with others.
The Animal Care expo, held each year, is an educational event open to American workers and international delegates within the animal welfare industry. Workshops are conducted over the three and a half day event on a variety of topics, ranging from Shelter Management issues to animal control, and everything in between. In addition to the networking opportunity and the workshops, a tradeshow is held in the convention centre, providing a venue for businesses and companies that provide products and services to the animal care and control industry to display and assist the expo attendees.
I was able share with other delegates our ART program success, and the strategies we are putting in place to help the animals in our community. I met and learnt from people from the Navajo Nation, Alaska, England, South Africa, and Mexico. Some of the main differences between an American shelter and an Australian shelter (Victoria) are the time restraints for how long an animal can remain available in a shelter - America has no time limits. Also, the desexing of animals at a shelter level is a legal requirement in Australia, whereas in America this is not the case. The responsibility is on the person to take the animal to a clinic and have it spayed or neutered.
Even though some issues impacting on Animal Aid are different from those affecting other organisations, there are some basic issues that we all face. Pet overpopulation as a result of large numbers of entire (non-desexed) animals in the community, a lack of understanding of animal behaviour, and general animal welfare issues in the community affect all shelters and animal welfare organisations. I was and am very proud of the work we do on a daily basis, and it is empowering to realise that we are working with organisations across the globe to change in how communities and society approach and respond to animals and animal welfare Back to Top By Matthew Tibble In a move to increase the awareness of companion animal welfare issues nationally, Animals Australia has voted to introduce a week whereby all animal welfare organisations can work together to educate the public. For too long has this country had a disjointed voice when it came to raising these issues, and October 2003 saw the beginnings of a new era in companion animal welfare.
It was after reading about how the United States promotes animal welfare shelters across the country in November that I put forth the suggestion for a similar week here in Australia. I felt that animal shelters in general do not work together enough to see an end to the issues affecting them all - pet overpopulation and the issue of unwanted pets, often as a result from a lack of education on responsible pet ownership. The proposal was presented at the Animals Australia AGM - an industry organisation made up of members that are other animal welfare groups. The proposal was accepted, with further discussion to take place and establish the procedure for the week.
The last 2 months has seen the discussion and procedures begin to be established. With consultation with the other members, a week in late February will be selected. Dubbed 'Homeless Animal Week', it would be an opportunity for organisations to feature the work they do on a daily basis. This week would focus on animal welfare issues as it relates to companion animals. The week will provide a national platform for groups to promote issues and educate the public in their community on issues such as desexing your pet (to help reduce pet overpopulation), responsible pet ownership, and being aware of basic animal welfare issues.
I am very excited to see that Australia is on the verge of launching an event that will unify the message of so many great organisations, and work together to reduce the severity and problems associated with our pets and other companion animals. The moment I have the exact week I will be publishing it here on our website.
Homeless Animals Week has become a reality. Back to Top Nicola Beynon at Humane Society International 2 million cats and dogs are now thanking the Prime Minister and his Customs Minister, after the announcement that Australia will ban imports of products made from their fur from the 22nd May 2004. So too will the 70,000 Australians that signed Humane Society International's petition to the Prime Minister calling for the ban.
In July 2003 Humane Society International (HSI) exposed the horrific cruelties involved in the global cat and dog fur trade and revealed its grisly products are on sale in Australia. "HSI congratulates the Coalition Government for taking a clear stand against the trade. Australian consumers certainly don't want to buy cat and dog fur and Australian retailers don't want to be at risk of selling it", said Nicola Beynon, HSI spokeperson.
HSI's 18 month investigation revealed appalling animal abuses at the fur farms in Asia, killing an estimated 2 million cats and dogs a year, and the deception tactics used by the merchandisers to sell the fur to unsuspecting dog and cat loving consumers in countries like Australia. Clothing and toys made from cat and dog fur are deliberately mislabelled as fictitious animals or not labelled at all. The public response to our investigation was overwhelming, attracting by far the biggest outcry of all the animal causes HSI has ever championed. While 70,000 Australians signed HSI's petition to the Prime Minister, one of the biggest petitions to the Australian parliament, we are also told that Senator Ellison, Minister for Customs received an unprecedented 9000 direct representations on the issue. "HSI sincerely thanks our many thousands of supporters for taking the time to speak up for the animals" said Ms Beynon. "We also thank the Prime Minister for writing to the States and Territories to ensure the import ban is matched with measures against any domestic trade that might occur". Australia's import ban follows countries like the United States, Italy, Denmark, France and Sweden that have already acted to ban cat and dog fur or have laws passing through their legislatures. "It is HSI's hope that closing down worldwide markets will stymie the industry and save millions of cats and dogs from awful suffering" concluded Ms Beynon Back to Top International concern voiced over crocodile safaris and Australia's eco-friendly reputationHUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL- News, Sydney 6 May 2004 Expressing the views of more than 10 million people, the world's three largest animal protection organisations have signed onto a letter to the Federal Environment Minister asking him to refuse the Northern Territory's request to allow trophy hunting of saltwater crocodiles.
Humane Society International (HSI) and IFAW-the International Fund for Animal Welfare have signed the letter along with 28 other organisations from around the world concerned Australia's long held policy against recreational hunting of Australian native animals is in danger of being
overturned.
The conservation and animal welfare organisations from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America represent many different wildlife perspectives from developing and developed countries.
The organisations remind the Minister that Australia is regarded as a progressive force for wildlife conservation. At international meetings such as the International Whaling Commission and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Australia is relied on to vote for the conservation and humane and ethical treatment of animals. They have asked the Minister to reach a decision befitting Australia's reputation and note this reputation contributes significantly to Australia's standing as a top eco-tourism destination.
"Allowing hunting of crocodiles for sport and entertainment would be a backward and retrograde step for Australia," said Rebecca Brand from IFAW. "We look to the Minister to demonstrate leadership by refusing this request-making a clear statement that Australia will not tolerate trophy hunting of native wildlife under any circumstances."
Hunting native animals for no better reason than recreational enjoyment and to bag a trophy is a practice that sickens many people. Human attitudes to wildlife around the world have advanced far beyond those associated with trophy hunting, and animal welfare rates highly as a matter of public concern.
"Our organisations are deeply concerned that it would be the thin end of the wedge. We can just imagine the next request would be to invite tourists to come and shoot our kangaroos for fun," said Nicola Beynon, Wildlife and Habitats Program Manager at Humane Society International. "Australia's policy that this sort of behaviour is unacceptable must remain intact."
Crocodiles are a major draw card for tourists to Australia and all but a few individuals who take pleasure in killing animals would prefer to see them alive and thriving in their natural habitats. The organisations have asked that, just as Australia espouses whale watching over whale hunting, eco-tourism be encouraged as an alternative revenue-raising venture to the proponents of crocodile safari hunting.
Contacts:
Nicola Beynon, Humane Society International (02) 9973 1728 or 0404 065 517
Erica Martin, Communications Manager, IFAW Asia Pacific, 02 9288 4922 or
0402 183 113 Back to Top Hunting Dogs Dumped Due To Legislation ChangeThe State Government's change in legislation in relation to hounds used for deer hunting has caused an upset in the hunting community that is now being felt at animal shelters - but for different reasons. With the start of the hunting season on April 24th 2004, the breeds that are permitted for use in hunting has been restricted to pure Beagles and pure Bloodhounds, which has resulted in a large amount of larger, cross breed dogs that can no longer be used for the hunt.
Despite the time delay between when the phase out regulation being agreed upon (Sep 11th, 2001) and the start of this year's season (April 24th 2004), many hunters still have animals that can no longer be used, and are now in a situation where they are unwanted and are considered too many and too costly to care for. As a result of this, members of the hunting community are surrendering their animals to animal shelters, and in some cases, releasing their animals into the wild.
In the 2 weeks following the start of the deer-hunting season, Animal Aid in Coldstream had six hunting dogs from the surrounding area arrive at the shelter. Of these, there were three that had been allegedly dumped. "The Deer Hunters Association is committed to ensuring that the best possible action is taken in relation to these animals. For hunters that do not have the facilities to adequately care for them, they should do the responsible thing and surrender them to animal shelters like Animal Aid, instead of releasing them into the wild." said Jo Boland, the general manager for Animal Aid. "However, it is these released animals that can cause problems for wildlife and people in the community".
Shire of Yarra Ranges residents should contact the council or the Department of Sustainability and Environment for further information about suitable dogs for hunting and registration requirements. Animal Aid is open from 11.00am to 4.00pm, 7 days a week, and can be contacted on 9739 0300. Back to Top | 
