Mount Gambier’s council-run dog shelter reapproved by Dog and Cat Board after public outcry

A country town’s dog pound has been reapproved by officials after an fears by locals that animals were unsafe and could be harmed.

The Mount Gambier Council dog pound has been reapproved by the SA Dog and Cat Management Board after locals feared for the comfort and safety of dogs kept inside the facility.

Last week, a concerned local called the police after hearing a dog barking in a distressed manner from inside the council-run shelter as temperatures rose.

The city’s dog pound is a shed and a cage and is capped at four dogs.

The caller recorded a video of the dog barking and shared the footage on several Mount Gambier community Facebook pages.

The video – as well more social media questions about the conditions – prompted the council for another audit by the board to reassure the community the pound was up to code.

The Mount Gambier dog pound came under fire for its conditions but has been reapproved. Picture: Supplied

“We want to allay any concerns regarding wandering dogs in our care, so we invited a senior officer of the board to come down from Adelaide to inspect council’s facility and discuss our process and procedures when handling dogs,” Mount Gambier council’s corporate and regulatory services general manager Jane Fetherstonhaugh said.

Ms Fetherstonhaugh said the pound was approved by the board in July last year but given community concerns the council wanted to reaffirm it aligned with the board’s guidelines.

After inspecting the pound last week, a Dog and Cat Management Board senior project officer formally advised the council the Board was satisfied.

“We keep the dogs as safe and comfortable as possible until we can reunite them with their owner, or transfer them to one of our partner organisations for rehoming,” Ms Fetherstonhaugh said.

Locals’ concerns included a lack of separation between impounded dogs and fears the asphalt ground of the depot could be harmful for animals during summer heat.

Ms Fetherstonhaugh said the council had put in place measures to ensure the comfort and safety of impounded dogs during warmer weather.

“During warmer days we visit the temporary kennel frequently to ensure dogs have access to food and water. We also monitor the temperature inside the kennel and if required, hose down the floor and the dog, and enable outside access within an enclosure.”

Mount Gambier Council's dog impound facility has been reapproved by the Dog and Cat Management Board. Picture: Supplied

“We have installed shadecloth on the outside enclosure and we have a small plastic children’s swimming pool for use on hot days. We continue to investigate making other improvements such as roof ventilation in the kennels and an additional shade sail over the holding pen.”

Up until last year, the Mount Gambier Council had a funding agreement with SEAWL, a local not-for-profit organisation, which impounded dogs and held them at its facilities.

The agreement expired on June 30 last year with the council saying SEAWL had declined the offer of a eight-month contract extension.

SEAWL said on its Facebook page the decision to not renew the existing agreement “was made in private … with no invite to SEAWL”.

After the expiration of the contract, the council constructed their impound facility in accordance the Dog and Cat Management Board detention facility guidelines, which outline that dog pens must be fully enclosed and constructed from impervious, washable and durable materials.

“In comparison to the comforts of home, the facility may appear basic. However, these specific requirements are outlined by the board to meet health and safety standards for the dogs and our staff,” Mrs Fetherstonhaugh said.

“We need to ensure that the floors are constructed of impervious materials that are free of cracks or small gaps that potentially harbour infectious bacteria.”

“When we receive a dog, we don’t know its medical or behavioural history. It may not be vaccinated or may be carrying an infection or disease. The dog needs to be quarantined and there needs to be effective housing and hygiene protocols in place to prevent the potential spread of disease to other dogs held at the facility.”

Since July 2023, 188 dogs have been collected by council inspectors, 176 returned to their owners and 12 impounded. Six dogs have been transferred to partner organisations for rehoming and six were fostered.