Bourke Council rejects cruelty allegations
Operations at Bourke’s dog pound are in the sights of animal welfare organisations, with another cruelty complaint under investigation by RSPCA NSW.
While the Bourke Council has denied the cruelty claims, animal welfare organisations have asked the NSW government to further investigate operations at the pound.
In the latest complaint to the state government, Bourke Shire Council has been accused of animal cruelty and a failure to exercise its duty of care.
Bourke Shire Council General Manager, Leonie Brown, said council denied that it improperly treated impounded dogs.
Mrs Brown said the animal welfare concerns raised with council had been investigated by the RSPCA, but they were yet to receive a report of the outcome to RSPCA enquiries.
“Further to this, the Bourke Pound has been inspected and we are advised it meets RSPCA requirements,” Mrs Brown said.
“Furthermore, I will be working with council staff to review and potentially implement any further RSPCA recommendation.”
The RSPCA investigation arose from an incident in February, when volunteers from the rescue service DARE, arrived in Bourke to remove nine dogs and puppies.
It is alleged that all but one of the canines were later found to have the contagious and potentially deadly parvovirus, amongst other health issues.
A volunteer with DARE said he was shocked by conditions in the five-pen Bourke shelter.
He alleged each pen lacked blankets or bedding and four of the five adult dogs were very thin and weak. […]
Read more local news in the printed edition of The Western Herald.
To subscribe call (02) 6872 2333 today and receive The Western Herald in your letterbox next week!
Comments