Lort Smith: Proper Update.
For those of you interested in this issue.
I spent a decent chunk of this morning talking to the head of the (now-ex) Lort Smith Animal Shelter, Diane Aitken, a really lovely lady who has come back from leave to the worst news possible, and who was good enough to share some information with me. Apparently the closure of the shelter is due to a long-term council ruling that says that each local council has a contract with one animal shelter to take care of that council's 'pound' responsibilities, which the council has apparently only just noticed after 75 years. Melbourne City Council's contract is with the Lost Dog's Home, and for legal reasons (which she didn't go into), no other shelter is legally able to act as a pound in this area. Don't ask me why, I think it's ridiculous, especially for an area as densely populated as Melbourne CBD/surrounds. Nevertheless, the decision to come down on Lort Smith for its shelter activities was not a sudden victimisation of the shelter, but a response to an (apparent) long-term legally-binding situation. However, Lort Smith has been acting as a shelter for many, many years, and the newly-elected council's decision to crack down on this ruling - and their timing in doing so - is incredibly unfortunate. Lort Smith had no idea that they were contravening any laws in providing pound and rehoming facilities.
Diane said that the council was being helpful and that they were currently in negotiations to work out what L.S. can do in terms of shelter 'support', like providing accommodation for strays that technically fall under the Lost Dogs' Home's protection. It remains a terrible blow to both Lort Smith and to the tens of thousands of animals that they take in each year. Their shelter is currently completely full, and these animals are all going to have to find places in other shelters or be euthanised. Many more animals will now be euthanised because there are now fewer places available for them, thanks to Lort Smith's shelter closure. I'm personally saddened that the council cannot allow for two shelters to accommodate the larger number of animals in Mebourne city, and that the bureaucrat who came across this choice piece of information didn't keep it to themselves, given the amazing work Lort Smith does, with no government funding. They cost the council nothing and perform a valuable service - closing their shelter down is deeply counter-productive; a lose-lose result for everyone.
Last year, statistics showed that in Victoria alone, a dog is put to sleep every 50 minutes (27 dogs a day - the numbers don't include cats), even though 5000 were found new homes every year. If Lort Smith is no longer able to take in and rehome strays, expect much less positive news for Victoria's unwanted and stray animals.
The bad news - Diane said that the decision was not reversible. This is a long-standing rule. The good news - and the reason we should keep pressuring the council - is that they are negotiating how far the boundaries can stretch, and with a lot of public support those boundaries may be stretched a little further, maybe even enough to reverse the closure, who knows? If we can put local, national, even international pressure on Melbourne City council to do the right thing by Lort Smith, chances are they will listen. So please, keep emailing, keep calling, keep writing, and keep letting them know that this is an important issue and one that has outraged us deeply. Diane was very grateful for the effort that we're all putting in to do what we can for the animals, and thinks it will lead to a positive result. Apparently the council's phones have been ringing off the hook about this issue, so please, keep it coming!
I don't know which particular council member was responsible for taking action on Lort Smith. For those who care about this issue there are two things to consider; the first is, of course, to keep pressuring the council to expand the boundaries of this decision, and to let them know what a travesty this is. The second is that Lort Smith is now desperate to find homes for the stray animals it can no longer keep. I've offered to be a foster home for anything that'll live happily in a rabbit cage (because I already have cats, rabbits, mice, and a snake, and I'm not sure the groaning seams of the house can hold any more, but I have a spare rabbit cage for temporary accommodation), and I have arranged contact for them with a pet shop that acts as a shelter (without officially being a pound) and takes in strays, and if you know anyone who is thinking of adopting, now is a good time to do so. I believe they may be looking for foster homes but if you are able to do this you'd have to contact them personally.
Thank you for your support everyone; hopefully together we will be able to do some serious good here!:)
To end on a positive note, this is my little rescue cat. He was picked up off the streets as a stray: ill, and terrified of people and so feral that the vet he was taken to advised he be put down, because he'd never be salvageable. Fortunately the lady who rescued him (from the aforementioned pet shop) had faith he'd come good, and so did I. I've had him for three years and he's the most enthralling, affectionate, sweet, and funny companion a girl could wish for. He's repaid me a million times over for the patience he was shown early on in his life.
And this is my rescued bunny, dumped after the school holidays last year, by a woman who bought him for her kid as a two-week holiday amusement. Now living the life of Riley.:)
Happy endings like this are what Lort Smith has helped to provide for the better part of a century.
"Established in 1935, Lort Smith Animal Hospital is one of the largest Animal Hospitals in the world, providing quality care for over 100,000 lost, abandoned, mistreated and sick animals every year."
http://www.lortsmith.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=323&srcid=323
Let's do our best to keep that tradition going!
*'Scuse the formal tone; this has been crossposted to other communities.:)*
I spent a decent chunk of this morning talking to the head of the (now-ex) Lort Smith Animal Shelter, Diane Aitken, a really lovely lady who has come back from leave to the worst news possible, and who was good enough to share some information with me. Apparently the closure of the shelter is due to a long-term council ruling that says that each local council has a contract with one animal shelter to take care of that council's 'pound' responsibilities, which the council has apparently only just noticed after 75 years. Melbourne City Council's contract is with the Lost Dog's Home, and for legal reasons (which she didn't go into), no other shelter is legally able to act as a pound in this area. Don't ask me why, I think it's ridiculous, especially for an area as densely populated as Melbourne CBD/surrounds. Nevertheless, the decision to come down on Lort Smith for its shelter activities was not a sudden victimisation of the shelter, but a response to an (apparent) long-term legally-binding situation. However, Lort Smith has been acting as a shelter for many, many years, and the newly-elected council's decision to crack down on this ruling - and their timing in doing so - is incredibly unfortunate. Lort Smith had no idea that they were contravening any laws in providing pound and rehoming facilities.
Diane said that the council was being helpful and that they were currently in negotiations to work out what L.S. can do in terms of shelter 'support', like providing accommodation for strays that technically fall under the Lost Dogs' Home's protection. It remains a terrible blow to both Lort Smith and to the tens of thousands of animals that they take in each year. Their shelter is currently completely full, and these animals are all going to have to find places in other shelters or be euthanised. Many more animals will now be euthanised because there are now fewer places available for them, thanks to Lort Smith's shelter closure. I'm personally saddened that the council cannot allow for two shelters to accommodate the larger number of animals in Mebourne city, and that the bureaucrat who came across this choice piece of information didn't keep it to themselves, given the amazing work Lort Smith does, with no government funding. They cost the council nothing and perform a valuable service - closing their shelter down is deeply counter-productive; a lose-lose result for everyone.
Last year, statistics showed that in Victoria alone, a dog is put to sleep every 50 minutes (27 dogs a day - the numbers don't include cats), even though 5000 were found new homes every year. If Lort Smith is no longer able to take in and rehome strays, expect much less positive news for Victoria's unwanted and stray animals.
The bad news - Diane said that the decision was not reversible. This is a long-standing rule. The good news - and the reason we should keep pressuring the council - is that they are negotiating how far the boundaries can stretch, and with a lot of public support those boundaries may be stretched a little further, maybe even enough to reverse the closure, who knows? If we can put local, national, even international pressure on Melbourne City council to do the right thing by Lort Smith, chances are they will listen. So please, keep emailing, keep calling, keep writing, and keep letting them know that this is an important issue and one that has outraged us deeply. Diane was very grateful for the effort that we're all putting in to do what we can for the animals, and thinks it will lead to a positive result. Apparently the council's phones have been ringing off the hook about this issue, so please, keep it coming!
I don't know which particular council member was responsible for taking action on Lort Smith. For those who care about this issue there are two things to consider; the first is, of course, to keep pressuring the council to expand the boundaries of this decision, and to let them know what a travesty this is. The second is that Lort Smith is now desperate to find homes for the stray animals it can no longer keep. I've offered to be a foster home for anything that'll live happily in a rabbit cage (because I already have cats, rabbits, mice, and a snake, and I'm not sure the groaning seams of the house can hold any more, but I have a spare rabbit cage for temporary accommodation), and I have arranged contact for them with a pet shop that acts as a shelter (without officially being a pound) and takes in strays, and if you know anyone who is thinking of adopting, now is a good time to do so. I believe they may be looking for foster homes but if you are able to do this you'd have to contact them personally.
Thank you for your support everyone; hopefully together we will be able to do some serious good here!:)
To end on a positive note, this is my little rescue cat. He was picked up off the streets as a stray: ill, and terrified of people and so feral that the vet he was taken to advised he be put down, because he'd never be salvageable. Fortunately the lady who rescued him (from the aforementioned pet shop) had faith he'd come good, and so did I. I've had him for three years and he's the most enthralling, affectionate, sweet, and funny companion a girl could wish for. He's repaid me a million times over for the patience he was shown early on in his life.
And this is my rescued bunny, dumped after the school holidays last year, by a woman who bought him for her kid as a two-week holiday amusement. Now living the life of Riley.:)
Happy endings like this are what Lort Smith has helped to provide for the better part of a century.
"Established in 1935, Lort Smith Animal Hospital is one of the largest Animal Hospitals in the world, providing quality care for over 100,000 lost, abandoned, mistreated and sick animals every year."
http://www.lortsmith.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=323&srcid=323
Let's do our best to keep that tradition going!
*'Scuse the formal tone; this has been crossposted to other communities.:)*