Progress

The second week of our campaign saw it being reported on radio and the press. The story below in the Geelong Advertiser resulted in hundreds of readers giving feedback in the form of comments or Facebook ‘Likes’.

How long can the Minister, Joe Helper, refuse to listen to the voice of reason?

Pup death penalty fight

November 5th, 2010

CLOCK'S TICKING: Lucky the terrier may struggle to live up to his name.

VICTORIA’S animal shelters are demanding an end to the rule that requires them to put down cats and dogs that haven’t been adopted within 28 days.

Victoria is the only remaining Australian state to impose an arbitrary limit on how long shelters can spend seeking new owners for their animals.

Geelong Animal Welfare Society manager Robyn Stewart said the current limit was far too short.

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“You can’t re-home puppies in four weeks if a mother comes in with with brand new puppies,” she said.

“Longer would make it much easier for us to abide by the legislation. More time would give us a grace period to get animals well enough, fit enough and fat enough for sale.”

Several animal rights groups and animal shelters have demonstrated strong opposition to the current law. The new online campaign, www.stoptheclock. com.au, is calling for this restriction to be abolished and has been endorsed by animal welfare groups including the RSPCA Victoria, the Lost Dogs Home and Animal Aid.

The campaign’s Facebook group had over 2500 members join up in its first week alone.

The controversial piece of legislation is found in the Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds, which specifies that “the maximum time any animal selected for sale can be held at a shelter is four weeks”.

Geelong Advertiser