2014 rally wrap up

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Pound Reform Alliance Australia 1

PO Box 21164, Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. 8011

[email protected]

STOP KILLING OUR POUND PETS RALLY 2014

Thank you for your support for our 2014 rally in Melbourne.

Our message was loud and clear: Stop Killing Our Pound Pets.

Tarsha Andrews, President of Pound Reform Alliance Australia, spoke

about how many councils outsource their animal management services

to super pounds. RSPCA Victoria has pound contracts with 23 councils,the Lost DogsHome has contracts with 17 councils.

Many in the crowd were horrified to learn these super pounds simply do

not have the capacity to house the number of pets coming in from all

the council areas they service, yet they still continue to bid for more

contracts. Many were unaware that in rural areas rangers are allowed by

law to kill these pets by shooting them.

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[email protected]

Shel Williamson, founder of PetRescue, blogger and No-Kill advocate,

awakened the crowd with a reality check: Our homeless pets are not safe

in our pound system. And regardless of whether our pets are

microchipped, desexed, registered, loved, owned, displaced, our pounds

are not safe places for our pets. It is notthe irresponsible public killing

our pets in pounds, it is notpet overpopulation: Our pets are dying

because an ineffective, apathetic and brutal pound system is killing

themShel stated.

Kathleen Chapman, Darebin resident and co-founder of Save Darebin

Pets, inspired the audience when she spoke about the positive changes

that are now happening in the City of Darebin as a result of a few

determined residents and a like-minded councillor joining forces.

Kathleens speech was accompanied by a powerful and compelling

statement by Darebin councillor Trent McCarthy: we recently got the

Council to agree to look at setting up its own local No-Kill shelter, run in

partnership with rescue groups. It's a big project, but I think it can be

done and I'm committed to keep fighting for it. I believe we can end the

mindless killing of pound pets in Victoria. And we must.

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[email protected]

Jasmine Alexandra, former board director of the Cat Protection Society

of Victoria and the Geelong Animal Welfare Society, told how she learnt

of the appalling numbers of homeless cats killed by the CPS, Australias

largest cat welfare organisation.

Knowing that 9 out 10 unclaimed cats were killed at the Society in 2009,

was unacceptable, Jasmine brought this information to the public arena.

Her courage and honesty engaged the listeners as she reinforced the

importance of transparency and speaking out from within the system.

We were delighted to have Convenor of the Animal Justice Party Bruce

Poon wrap up the day, reinforcing the power of community voices.

Bruces insight as to the importance of finding the right language to

lobby your local council and politicians left no doubt in anyones mind

where to start action.

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[email protected]

The rally left the crowd with one question foremost in their minds

What is happening to the homeless pets in my community? PRAArecruited many more people for their Resident Action Groups which will

swing into action soon. More information about these groups can be

found here:http://bit.ly/1fARd1q

Pound Reform Alliance Australia is extremely gratified to see the

growing awareness in the community of the plight of homeless pound

pets. We will be back next year and continue to act until pounds and

shelters become the safe havens they are meant to be for homelesspets, not the killing fields they currently are.

Videos of our speakers will be available soon on our YouTube channel.

http://bit.ly/NVJFdI
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2014 rally wrap up

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