Community rallies against Whittlesea Council ceasing adoptions at an Epping animal shelter

A council’s decision to stop direct adoption to the public at an Epping animal shelter could result in the deaths of thousands of lost pets.

Thousands of impounded pets face a grim future with a Melbourne council’s move to take over an animal welfare facility likely to put an end to public adoptions.

Whittlesea Council will take over management of the Epping Animal Welfare Facility in October, a centre run by the RSPCA that takes in lost animals from three council areas.

The council plans to put an end to all direct to public adoptions, meaning that the only way an animal can leave the centre alive is via rescue groups.

Saskia Adams, from the Forever Friends Animal Rescue, said this would leave more than 2000 animals at risk of being put down without rescue group assistance.

“The centre is taking animals from Whittlesea, Moreland and Darebin council areas. Last year they estimated to have adopted at least 2000 animals,” she said.

“If they stop public adoptions from the centre, that’s 2000 or more pets that will be put down because there is nowhere else for them to go.”

Fellow animal rescuer Kathleen Chapman co-authored a petition presented to the Moreland Council, which attracted more than 7000 signatures in under a week.

She said she had been alerted to the council’s plans to overtake the centre through her rescue network.

“We can only assume they’re taking over to reduce costs, which will mean a rise in convenience killing of animals that would make great pets. There is no other logical reason they would do this,” she said.

“Rescuing animals is a full-time job, which many of us do on top of our normal jobs.

“Rescue groups won’t be able to keep up with the demand this kind of change would cause.”

This comes after Darebin Council committed to making the welfare centre a no-kill shelter in 2017 — a promise that has never been fulfilled.

“This really is a betrayal to the public,” Ms Chapman said.

“Rescues should be a safety net for lost animals in need of help, not a dumping ground to exploit our unpaid labour.”

Supporters of the petition rallied at the Moreland Civic Centre on September 14, joined by council members Sue Bolton, Oscar Yildiz, James Conlon and Angelica Panopoulos.

Protesters against Whittlesea Council ceasing public adoptions at the Epping Animal Welfare Facility at a community rally. Image: Gemma Scerri

Ms Chapman said she hoped the turnout would make a positive impact on the decision made by Moreland Council when voting on Whittlesea’s plan.

A Protester against Whittlesea Council’s decision to stop public adoptions at the Epping Animal Welfare Facility. Image: Gemma Scerri

“The decision Moreland Council makes will influence the Darebin Council in a few weeks,” she said.

“We hope all three councils will take what we say into account, as rescuers are the ones who will be doing the work.”

Ms Chapman said the council had a responsibility to continue direct to public adoptions.

“Adoptions are an essential service that should be provided at every public animal shelter,” she said.

“Myself, and countless other women have spent thousands of hours working to rescue, care for and rehome abandoned and lost animals

“We would not have had to do this if the shelter was doing its job.”

The RSPCA, Darebin, Moreland and Whittlesea Councils’ have been contacted for comment.

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