Annette Clifford fights Fraser Coast council to keep eight rescue dogs

Eight dogs rescued from neglect, cruelty and dog fighting rings have found a safe and loving home on a Glenwood property, but are now on a countdown to being forcibly removed because of council bylaws. Have your say in our poll:

A Glenwood woman faced with rehoming six of her eight rescue dogs says she is prepared to live out of her car to avoid losing them.

After a run-in with the Fraser Coast Regional Council, which Glenwood is part of, self-confessed animal lover Annette Clifford was told she could not, by law, have more than two dogs on her property.

Ms Clifford turned her home into a dog haven after she rescued eight dogs, some from dog fighting rings. cruelty and neglect.

Five of Annette Clifford’s eight rescue dogs.

“One of my dogs does not have pads on her paws because they’ve been cut off,” she said.

But after a run-in with the Fraser Coast council, her dogs are under threat of being forcibly removed.

It started in February, 2022, when three of Ms Clifford’s dogs were allegedly poisoned and almost died, after they were drugged with what she claims were speed (amphetamine) and marijuana.

The dogs survived, but a new problem arose with the Fraser Coast council after it was reported Ms Clifford’s dogs were wandering freely and constantly barking.

Ms Clifford was asked for her permit, which turned out to be registered with the wrong council - Gympie Regional Council.

A permit is needed for anyone who owns two to four dogs.

It is illegal to own more than four dogs older than three months unless you are a registered breeder on the Fraser Coast.

“My babies”: Annette Clifford rescued all eight of her dogs from various environments, including from dog fighting rings. Photo: Elizabeth Neil

“When I said ‘I will go and apply for a permit, make sure once I get my permit I can register my dogs’, (the council worker) said ‘you will not be able to keep all your dogs, you need to choose which ones you will keep’,” Ms Clifford said.

When she refused, she was given a deadline of April 6, 2022, to rehome the animals, otherwise the council would forcibly remove them.

Desperate to keep her beloved “babies” at any cost, Ms Clifford said she was prepared to live out of her car to keep her dogs together.

“If (the council) say no, I am packing up my house, putting everything in storage and I will be going on the road,” she said.

Annette Clifford said she will live out of her car as a last resort if she cannot keep all her dogs. Pictured: Annette Clifford and her black labrador Zoe.

“They’ve been through enough in their life, they don’t need to be going from home to home. They need a stable home.

“I don’t want them to go to another home and think ‘what did I do? Am I not good enough?’.”

Fraser Coast councillor Phil Truscott, whose portfolio covers Ms Clifford’s home, said Ms Clifford had reached out to him in the hopes of resolving the issue to allow her to keep all her dogs.

Three meetings were held with Mr Truscott and other council members to try to resolve the issue.

Mr Truscott said he first suggested the council make an exception for Ms Clifford, but it was promptly shut down.

The Fraser Coast council only allows for two dogs to a property; three in special circumstances, but Mr Truscott said eight dogs was “going too far”.

Mr Truscott told The Gympie Times on Tuesday officers were trying to work with Ms Clifford to allow her to keep as many dogs as possible, though the chance of her keeping all eight were “fairly slim”.

No action has been taken yet.

Ms Clifford began a Change.org petition on Wednesday.

Click here to sign.