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Victorian Coalition Government¡¦S Animal Welfare Fund Now Open To Local Organisations Member for Morwell Russell Northe is encouraging local animal welfare organisations to apply for a grant under the latest round of the Victorian Coalition Government¡¦s $1.6 million Animal Welfare Fund. By Russell Northe - 8th August 2014 - Back to News Mr Northe said eligible not-for-profit organisations could apply for small grants of up to $10,000 or large grants of up to $50,000 to support their vital work.
¡§The Victorian Coalition Government is committed to strengthening animal welfare in Victoria,¡¨ Mr Northe said.
¡§We introduced the Animal Welfare Fund in 2011 to support the important work of not-for-profit organisations in improving the lives of abused, neglected and homeless companion animals.
¡§The Animal Welfare Fund is open to animal shelters, organisations promoting responsible animal ownership education, community foster care networks, and groups that provide relief facilities and services during an emergency.
¡§These organisations often rely heavily on donations and volunteers, so these grants from the Coalition Government could go a long way to assisting them in their important work.¡¨
Mr Northe said examples of work supported by the fund included:
„h Community education programs on responsible ownership of animals, including consideration of ethics, sentience and duty of care;
„h Use of facilities by animal relief services during an emergency;
„h Improving the rates of reuniting companion animals with their owners and re-homing of companion animals; and
„h Providing facilities to promote dog exercising in parks and socialisation classes for dogs.
¡§Since 2011 the Coalition Government has also strengthened regulations for breeding dogs and cats and delivered tougher penalties and more substantial fines for animal cruelty,¡¨ Mr Northe said.
¡§We have doubled the penalties for cruelty offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 including fines of up to $73,000 or two years¡¦ imprisonment for aggravated cruelty.
¡§Penalties for unregistered and non-compliant dog and cat breeding business have also been increased with up to $35,512 in fines, bans of up to 10 years on owning animals, and the confiscation of animals and property.
¡§We have done more to improve animal welfare in three-and-a-half years than Labor achieved in a decade,¡¨ Mr Northe said.
Applications close at 5pm on 22 August. For more information or to apply, visit http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/animalwelfaregrants
Media contact: 5133 9088
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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