Every week there are cats and dogs at Hawkesbury Companion Animal Shelter who are at risk of losing their lives due to the harsh reality that their owners no longer want them.
Last week the Gazette posted a story on its Facebook page about 28 dogs and 57 cats/kittens who were due to be put down the next day (Wednesday, April 15) if they weren’t adopted before then.
These statistics were originally posted on the Facebook page ‘Friends of the Hawkesbury Companion Animal Shelter’.
However Council denied the figures, stating only six dogs and 10 cats would be put down. (Council owns the the facility, which is manned by volunteers — the ‘Friends’).
Statistical discrepancies aside, what’s certain is that every week there are animals of all ages and breeds in need of love and another chance at life who appear on a weekly ‘put to sleep’ list.
Hawkesbury Council confirmed with the Gazette on April 15 that no animals were euthanased that day at the shelter, with 30 cats and nine dogs re-homed.
While the shelter doesn’t have a ‘‘no kill’’ policy, Council’s general manager Peter Jackson said Council actively promotes adoption from the shelter and works with animal rescue organisations to ensure it achieves the highest level of re-homing.
‘‘Over the last financial year 2013-14 Hawkesbury Companion Animal Shelter had a re-homing rate for dogs of 94 per cent, a figure of which we are very proud,’’ he said.
In 2014, 2095 dogs entered the shelter and 1970 were returned to the owner or sold or rescued. It also received 1195 cats, 930 of which were returned to the owner or sold or rescued.
Merryn Benham, a volunteer at the shelter since 2013, said she’s been involved in animal rescue for over a decade, and currently has a rescue dachshund Charley, who she adopted last year.
‘‘Being a volunteer can be difficult at times, especially when the shelter becomes full,’’ she said.
‘‘As a Council-run shelter the doors must be open for intakes which means they face euthanasing animals if it becomes too crowded. While this is always a very last resort, times are difficult when space is running low and adoptions are slow.’’
Ms Benham said while there’s the heartbreaking aspects of being a volunteer it’s incredibly rewarding too, and there’s a lot of ‘‘caring people in the Hawkesbury’’.
‘‘Sometimes when a stray dog or cat arrives he or she is bewildered and confused, but they soon warm up to the volunteers and staff, and are full of life, looking for love, then someone adopts them. That’s why we do it,’’ she said.
If looking to buy a puppy or kitten, Ms Benham encourages to opt for a rescue pet instead, who are ‘‘incredibly deserving of love and have so much to give’’.
‘‘The shelter includes all the vet work in their adoption price which is pretty cheap compared to paying for it all yourself,’’ she said.
‘‘At Hawkesbury Shelter there are animals of all ages, sizes and breeds, and you might be surprised who you fall in love with! They’re usually well socialised animals, and many of them go into family homes and thrive.’’
