Dog rescue groups fear fallout on Domestic Animals Act reforms to puppy farms
DOG rescue groups fear they may be forced to close if State Government changes to the way animal foster carers operate go ahead.
Joanna Herceg, the Knox-based founder of Pug Rescue & Adoption Victoria, said amendments to the government’s controversial Domestic Animals Act to stop puppy and kitten farms, would have a huge impact on her charity.
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The organisation rescues 70-100 abandoned and surrendered pugs a year, before placing them with foster carers, completing extensive rehabilitation with the dogs, then rehoming them.
The Bill to amend the Act would introduce a voluntary scheme where foster carers may apply to their local council for registration, and in return they would be required to meet minimum vaccination, worming, desexing and record-keeping requirements.
Ms Herceg said it meant individual fosters carers would essentially become the owners of the dogs they were caring for.
She fears the scheme will eventually become mandatory.
“That is not what foster care is about, the foster carers have nothing to do with the paper work and dogs don’t belong to them,” Ms Herceg said.
“I’m not going to place dogs into foster care if they’re not our dogs anymore.
“We’re the heart and soul behind animal welfare and (the government) is basically trying to close us down.”
Ms Herceg said foster carers should not have been included in changes to the act.
“Why are we being lumped with puppy farmers and breeders?”
Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford said the registration scheme for foster carers was voluntary and would be the first time foster carers would be recognised under the law.
She said the change was in recognition of the “integral” role that foster carers, community foster care networks, and rescue groups played in caring for and promoting the rehoming of abandoned, stray and unwanted animals.
Dog Rescue Association of Victorian president Trisha Taylor said the government was trying to treat each foster carer as if they were an individual entity, when most were tied in with rescue groups.
“They want the foster carer to own the dog, to have the paperwork on the dog, in other words they are taking everything away from us,” Ms Taylor said.
“In effect what they’re trying to do we believe is close us down.”