'False impression' of pound deaths

MORE than 60% of dogs that end up at Rockhampton Animal Pound are returned to their owners or rehoused, councillors were told yesterday.

Compliance officer Chris Phillips said a front page story in yesterday's Morning Bulletin, which revealed that more than 300 dogs and cats were destroyed at the pound during March, gave a false impression of the scale of slaughter at the council-run facility.

“Monthly figures vary a lot,” he said, explaining that March is a traditional peak as it is three months after Christmas when a lot of animals given as presents are discarded.

But he admitted just 11% of cats survive a spell at the pound and during April only seven of the hundreds of animals taken to the pound were rehoused by the council.

And more than two thirds of the animals euthanised at the pound in March were surrendered by their owners as unwanted pets

Cr Tony Williams said the problem was that some people treated pets as a disposable item. “Pets are for life, not just three months, but sadly not everyone sees it that way,” he said.

“People need to consider the costs associated with a pet prior to taking a cute little puppy or kitten home to join their family.

“The reality is they will grow up.”

He said those who worked at the pound needed steel wills because their job was so disturbing.