Blacktown City Council PLEASE rethink your Temperament testing policy at Blacktown Pound!

Blacktown City Council PLEASE rethink your Independent Temperament testing policy at Blacktown Pound!

We the undersigned request that Council rethink the new Independent Temperament testing policy following the recent March 15th incident at its Animal Holding Facility (AHF) at Blacktown, where the sad and tragic deaths of five (5) innocent dogs who had rescue holds occurred.

Dignity, Marlon, Zorro, Ronan and Clint did NOT deserve to die.

An Independent Provider assessed the five dogs that were KILLED and deemed them to not be suitable for rehoming due to aggression issues.

We would like to know just WHO this Independent Provider is, and just what qualifications they hold.

To be fair - Temperament testing should always be done outside of the shelter, in a less stressful environment for the animal!

Pounds are scary, noisy places for the animals, and to assess them in this environment is just not fair.

Councillors are you aware that it is illegal to kill dogs when there are alternatives:
What protective measures are in place to prevent the killing by law? No matter how an animal (or dog in this case) ends up in a council pound, subsections 64(5) and 64A(2) of the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW) stipulate that it is the DUTY of the council concerned to consider whether there is an ALTERNATIVE action to that of destroying the animal and if practicable to adopt any such alternative. It is NSW state law to choose rehoming of these dogs.

We want to encourage Blacktown Council to employ a qualified Behaviourist or Behavioural Trainer to manage and oversee the training and assessment programs put in place for the animals at the Pound.

Lead the way and rethink your recent stupid decision Councillors. 

Start now by working towards giving the animals at your Pound a chance to be rehomed.

Work in harmony alongside the Animal rescue groups and make Blacktown Pound a role model for other Pounds to follow.

Sincerely..