RSPCA inspectors have deemed the death of the ranger’s kelpie at Cowra’s pound last week to be an unfortunate, isolated incident.
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David O’Shanessy, RSPCA NSW’s chief inspector, went to the pound after the RSPCA received complaints in regards to the fatal incident, finding no significant faults.
“I did an inspection last week and it appears that the dogs were appropriately housed,” Mr O’Shanessy said.
“Regrettably the declared dangerous dog broke through the gate where it was being housed. It is a very unfortunate incident for the kelpie concerned.”
The RSPCA will discuss their findings with Cowra Council on completion of the report.
Council’s general manager, Paul Devery is also investigating the incident.
“Cowra Council is currently reviewing all issues to do with the recent incident at Cowra’s Impoundment facility,” he said.
“We are also assessing our procedures, practices, and facilities in regards to this service.”
Mandy Hartles, who originally drew attention to the dead dog in the council-run facility via Facebook, says she is pleased with council’s decision to assess their procedures.
“About time, shouldn’t have taken this to do that. Unfortunately it has,” she said.
The RSPCA found the housings to be adequate in their investigation; Ms Hartles has ideas to make them more than adequate.
“They might be adequate in structure, but they are not adequate in caring, or bedding, and the ground is always wet from the water bowl which needs to be fixed,” she said.
Ms Hartles wants to see change at the pound pending the end of the investigations by the RSPCA and Cowra Council.
“I would like them to staff it properly, and admit that there is a problem, a bad problem,” she said.
“There is an investigation, and at the end of it someone has to be accountable.
“I have lived here eight years, and I have never seen any change out there, and it is time for that now.”
Member for Cootamundra, Katrina Hodgkinson is backing the decision of the RSPCA.
“When it comes to animal welfare, and the decision of whether or not animal protection laws have been broken, the best people to call are the NSW RSPCA,” she said.
“You can’t always judge a book by its cover, and the assessment on the incident needs to be done by those who are qualified.”
Ms Hodgkinson says that to take photos of animals in a pound without knowing the history can be unfair.
“It is easy and quick to judge,” she said.
“They say a picture tells 1000 words, but it is important to look at the full story and get all details before making conclusions.
“Pounds can pick animals up who are in poor condition, often needing veterinary assistance or animals who are emaciated.”
Mr O’Shanessy says that animal housings at a pound must be cleaned once daily, which has been upheld at this facility.
“You could clean the cages a couple of times a day, and it wouldn’t prevent the dogs from defecating in the area,” he said.
He also commented on the online criticism of the dog’s dangerous status, which has been questioned after a photo of the dog being petted through the fence went viral.
“It is quite possible that an animal with an appropriate temperament with people be dangerous to other animals,” he said.
“I don’t know the specifics of the animal but given the incident where it broke through its kennel, unprovoked and killed another dog, I would question animal’s temperament.
“Like any animal you can’t truly trust them, you don’t know what its trigger could be, they all need to be treated with respect and caution so incidents don’t happen,”
Council declined to answer questions on who was looking after the pound in Mr Ryan’s absence, how often the area was cleaned, why cans of food were in the cages and how the dog got out.
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