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Visiting Hour Raises A Tail Thump Or Two For Fire Affected Pets

Eleven o’clock each morning this week has been eagerly awaited by some of the many who have been dramatically affected by the recent severe fires.

By Latrobe City - 13th February 2009 - Back to News

It’s visiting time at 11am each day at the council depot in Traralgon, where numerous dogs, cats, a goat, guinea pigs, and even rats and a cockatoo have found hospice in the last week or so, while their masters and mistresses are staying in temporary accommodation or with friends or relatives unable to house their pet.

For many residents who decided to leave their houses when fire threatened or in the aftermath, concerns immediately turned to their family, their photos, important documents, and of course their pets - who many people consider to be members of their family.

Latrobe City Council’s coordinator local laws, Peter Fraser, said as part of council’s response to the emergency, there was the recognition that some of the people whose lives have been devastated by the bushfires, would need help finding temporary accommodation for their domestic animals.

"We were able to reactivate our former impoundment facility at the Traralgon council depot to help numerous fire affected families who were unable to keep their pets with them when they utilised emergency accommodation. Knowing their pet could be temporarily looked after, removed one worry for numerous people distraught by the catastrophic events," Mr Fraser explained.

"At one stage we had quite a menagerie, but the situation has stabilised a lot now, and happily many people have been able to reclaim their pets either to return to their homes, or because they have found other suitable accommodation with friends, relatives or neighbours.

Mr Fraser said that council had implemented ‘visiting hours’ at the Traralgon facility so that pet owners could be with their animals and enjoy each other’s company. "Owners are able to visit the facility and take their dogs for walks, or cuddle their cats. It’s great to see the obvious enjoyment for pets and owners who have been through so much.

"There’s much tail thumping as dogs recognise the voices of their owners and realise they’ve come to visit," he added.

Latrobe City mayor, Cr Lisa Price, said that council urged residents who had been affected by fires and lost contact with their pets to check council’s impoundment register on the website www.latrobe.vic.gov.au.

"Many domestic animals have been distraught by events, have taken shelter at other people’s homes or been found wandering, possibly several kilometres away from where their owners reside.

"Neighbours can help too, by checking the animal impoundment page on the website to see if they recognise the next door neighbour’s cat or dog and helping put us in touch with the owner," Cr Price said.

"While there are statutory periods for pets to be kept unclaimed before deciding upon their future, obviously in the current circumstances we will be holding animals found at large for extended periods of time, to provide greater opportunities for pets and owners to be reunited.

"There will obviously come a time however where some animals remain unclaimed and we may be unable to establish who their owners are. It would be great to think that just as the people of our community have rallied so generously to support the mums, dads and children of or municipality rebuild their lives; that those able to in our community, can consider taking on the responsibility of giving a caring home to one of those displaced pets," Cr Price said.

"Council is also using its discretion as far as any charges are concerned for the release of impounded animals. In a situation where fire has traumatised both humans and animals any fees that might normally apply are being waived. Our sole purpose in such circumstances is to reunite pets with their owners and help refoster the bonds that lie between them," Cr Price added.

For further information on animal adoption, contact council’s local laws team, telephone 1300 367 700.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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