Fears animals will continue to die before Renbury Farm handover

RENBURY Farm will be leased by Liverpool Council on December 1. But animal rescuer Judith Carter is concerned healthy animals will continue to die before the handover.

Judith Carter at her Faulconbridge home with her two rescue cats, Little Milo and Big Milo. Picture: Justin Sanson

• Online petition against animal cruelty
• Animal shelter to close
• Shelter to stay open a further two years

BELEAGUERED pound Ren­bury Farm will soon get a new lease on life, but many of the animals currently at the facility may not.

Liverpool Council will take the reins on December 1, transforming the pound into a no-kill facility.

Along with giving the facility a new name, the council plans to upgrade it and forge new relationships with budding volunteers and rescue groups.

But rescuer Judith Carter fears many healthy animals will continue to die before the handover.

“While animals are held at Renbury Farm, their lives are not safe,” she said.

“It’s currently a high-kill pound. If not rescued or adopted, these animals are euthanased.”

Ms Carter is one of a handful of individuals who devote their free time to rehoming animals from Renbury. She spends her own money doing so and has also opened her home to Renbury rescues.

“(Cat) Little Milo was underweight and nervous, but now he’s warm, well fed and safe,” she said.

“I think about what a terrible tragedy it would have been if Little Milo was killed.

“It’s awful how many animals die. These animals deserve to live and don’t deserve to be thrown out like garbage.

Judith Carter and step daughter Alex Cullen. Picture: Justin Sanson

The facility got media attention in March when a online petition was posted on Change.org with claims many healthy animals were being killed.

The next week the pound announced it was closing down permanently but said it had nothing to do with the petition that called for an internal audit and action by the mayors of Liverpool, Fairfield, Bankstown and Camden councils.

In the 20014-2015 financial year the councils combined provided $735,000 to help run the facility.

At the time, Renbury’s chief executive Stephen Cole denied all allegations of abuse and neglect, stating staff caught treating animals neglectfully were sacked.

In July Liverpool Council voted to lease the pound from its current owners fro two years.

Where adoption is not possible, Ms Carter urges either donation or foster caring.

“We really need more foster carers,” she said. “You get all the pleasure of having an animal, but none of the financial responsibility. The pleasure you get from an animal is thousandfold.”

Liverpool’s planning and growth director Toni Averay said the council would vote next month on the proposal to upgrade the pound.

“We’re undertaking a due-diligence process to inform ourselves about the state of the facility so that we can take that operation over in an informed position,” she said.

Renbury Farm Animal Shelter will get a new lease on life. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

“It’s a huge task, because Liverpool is such a large LGA. We’ll still have to pick up livestock as well as domestic animals.”

She said the proposal adopted a no-kill policy and volunteers would become an integral part of the new plan.

“It’s our intention to work positively with volunteer groups in the future,” Ms Averay said.

She was also swayed by the plight of animals at the shelter.

“I’ve got a rescue cat from Renbury, she’s a delight,” she said. “She’s now my companion.”

Adopt a pet

● Renbury Farm is located at 402 Bringelly Rd, Austral

● Phone [phone] or 9606 6655

● Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm

Or rescue from:

● Jackie’s 2nd Chance Cat Adoption Centre, [phone]

● Kittie Kat Rescue: facebook.com/Kittiekatrescue

● Blossoms Rescue: blossomsrescue.org.au

Screenshot of petition to have Renbury Farm Animal Shelter audited on change.org by James Barone.