Report called after Animal euthanasia rates soar at RSPCA-managed Darebin Council shelter
Animal euthanasia rates at an RSPCA-managed northern suburbs council shelter have skyrocketed, prompting Darebin Council to launch an investigation.
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Euthanasias at a RSPCA-managed shelter have “soared”, prompting the Darebin Council to
launch an inquiry into their contract with the organisation.
Darebin Councillor Julie Williams called for the report after rescue groups warned her of the
RSPCA’s dramatic rise in euthanasia numbers, with some cats and dogs being euthanised for
anxiety problems.
“I’ve been receiving a lot of phone calls from rescue groups implying that more animals are
being put down,” Ms Williams said.
“The concerning part from my perspective is I started the Animal Management Committee and we put in place a no-kill policy.
“I don’t think that animals should be put down because of their anxiety, they should only be
put down if they’re absolutely feral.”
One in four Darebin cats and dogs were euthanised last financial year, compared to
just one in twenty before the RSPCA took over running the council’s shelter.
Yet the RSPCA’s policy was to run a “low kill” facility of healthy and treatable animals,
according to a Darebin council report.
Darebin Mayor Susan Rennie said there were “many reasons” for this sharp
increase and that she had faith in their partnership with the RSPCA.
“There are many reasons why these numbers could fluctuate, such as the total number of
animals received by the RSPCA in a particular year, and the total number of animals received
with medical or behavioural issues in a particular year,” Cr Rennie said.
“Of course, council would like to see the rates of euthanasia at the facility lowered, but we
have been assured by the RSPCA this only happens when absolutely necessary.”
The mayor said the council “regularly” referred lost animals directly to rescue groups instead
of the RSPCA-run shelter.
But in an email from the council to local rescue group Save Darebin Pets early last year, a
council worker informed the group the council were “not permitted to refer any animals to
rescue groups anymore under the co-ordinator’s direction.”
Save Darebin Pets spokesman Kathleen Chapman said the kill rate had “soared under the
RSPCA”, and neither the RSPCA nor the council had contacted the organisation about cats
needing rescue since August last year.
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“Darebin made lots of positive changes and these changes were successful,” she said.
“Now, with the RSPCA, we’ve gone backwards and it’s the animals who are paying the price.”
An RSPCA spokesman said it worked in close partnership with Darebin and had regular, transparent consultation.
RSPCA Australia’s policies on animal euthanasia can be viewed online at Knowledgebase.