Minutes from the AWL NSW Annual General Meeting (Saturday 21st of April 2018)
Statistics
- 9,132 animals cared for
- 7,506 desexing
- 2,472 animals adopted
- 1,216 complaints (inspectorate)
The had a panleukopenia breakout in the cattery.
Question from audience (to board); why did Ingleside close down?
The council did not close us down. We as responsible employers closed the site down. Because of the raw sewerage and the “waterfall” that occurs between the two buildings. There was lots of issues; did you think those kennels were suitable?
Answer (former Ingleside employee); I thought it was suitable.
Question from audience; What is the plan for that site? Why not spend the money and get the site up and running again?
Because the cost to repair and get it up to standard is so much, and the land is about to be rezoned.
If you lived next door to a shelter, would you be happy to have dogs barking? If that land is rezoned, even if we have an exception on it, we won’t be able to keep dogs there.
We have a property at West Hoxton; Liverpool council complains everytime we keep dogs there. The neighbours complain. We have a property that we can’t use efficiently, because of the neighbours.
We needed to close it because of legal responsibilities.
Does somebody want to ask a question not about Ingleside?
Question from audience; Who is taking the minutes? Will these questions appear in the minutes?
The company secretary is taking the minutes. (These questions) won’t appear in the minutes, no. The minutes will typically say that "there was multiple questions raised about Ingleside". Not going to be an attempt to copy them verbatim.
And with respect; this is an opportunity for you to ask questions, not an opportunity to engage in the cross-examination of the Chairman. I think it would be better if you asked a discreet question, wait for an answer - instead of interrupting - and then if you have another question ask it.
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Chairman - I’m not going to talk about Ingleside for the next three hours, I promise you. We’ll talk about other things because there’s things I wanted to share with you, but I will not talk about that.
Question from audience; will you release the quote for the plumbing?
I can’t release that; it’s commercial in confidence. It’s a quote. I’m not going to release a quote.
Question from audience; what is the plan for the next twelve months for Ingleside?
We’ve completed the strategic plan, and we’re now at the planning stage of what will happen and how the company will look. A lot will depend on continued negotiations with Northern Suburbs council and until that’s settled, I can’t say to you “we’re going to sell it” - I don’t know that.
Question from audience; I understand there was close to a million dollars spent on renovations there in 2013.
There was yes. We’ve had four years of good use of it and a lot of the equipment has been removed to use in other shelters. The money has not been wasted.
Are we finished on Ingleside now?
Audience response - "not really"
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Question from the Animal Justice Party; There has been much speculation about AWL’s relationship with the Kellyville Pets pet shop and an outpouring of public disappointment in the AWL’s ongoing relationship with the pet store which derives an income from the selling and proposed breeding for this pet shop market. AWL NSW has also derived a financial benefit of around $35,000 from the Kellyville Pets Christmas campaign over recent years. What financial benefit is the AWL expecting from it’s relationship with Kellyville Pets in 2018 and beyond?
The $35k is the money from the Santa photo thing. Kellyville Pets have done a lot of work for us. They adopted over 300 cats/kittens for us, and they have done that and given us the use of their facility at no cost. They refund the full adoption money back to AWL; not the case everywhere.
So we have had a really good working relationship with Kellyville Pets.
They do not donate to us. That money was raised by selling santa photos. And then it was given to us. It was not a specific donation. It is actually using their facilities.
I’ve been there on adoption days and what they do is fantastic for us. My question to you is, do we not adopt these animals? These animals need to be in good homes. And if we have a facility where we can put an animal up for adoption and they get adopted and go to their new home what is wrong with that?
I’m not going into the argument on whether it (breeding) is right or wrong, because that’s not this forum, what I will do is show you our position statement on breeding dogs and cats. This is our response and it’s only been approved shortly ago, and it is our response to how dogs and cats should be bred; and we all know they’re gonna be bred. And if you’d heard the story this morning about what the RSPCA QLD has found, they were a puppy farm, not a commercial breeder.
And this is the difference you’ve got to look at.
(New) AWL NSW Statement on dog and cat breeding
AWL NSW encourage all potential new dog and cat owners to please consider giving a home to a dog from an animal shelter, a rescue group or a council holding facility.
However, AWL NSW recognises that not all new owners will be comfortable taking a rescue dog or cat or they may simply prefer to purchase a breed of their own choosing from a reputable dog or cat breeder.
Consequently AWL NSW does not discourage the responsible breeding of dogs and cats, provided that such animals are bred under the most exemplary standards of animal welfare, in areas of;
- Housing, preventative health, nutrition and living space
- Reproductive health and fitness, both physically and psychologically, including the number and frequency of litters and the maximum age of mothers to be determined on independent veterinary advice.
- Antenatal care of puppies to ensure optimal health and minimal stressful weaning and rehoming at the appropriate age.
- Regard to improvement in overall breed health physiologically, including temperament. This should include breeding to reverse extreme characteristics like brachycephaly or other veterinary problems known to be associated with certain breeds, and should include mandating the use of genetic and other tests to achieve this aim.
- Adequate opportunities for socialisation and play behaviours with other dogs and cats and humans.
- All necessary veterinary attention and whole of life care of all breeding dogs and cats.
- Certification allowing the identification of the breeder, pedigree and ownership with can be tracked over the life of the pet.
- Kennel and cattery access for approved authorities
AWL actively supports legislation and licensing to implement mandate, fund and monitor the above requirements.
Question from audience; Does this mean AWL NSW is going to give Kellyville Pets a free pass to puppy farm?
I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer because it not a puppy farm.
Question from audience; Can you clarify - what is a puppy farm?
A puppy farm does not meet those things.
Question from audience; How can you know what he is doing now, or what he plans to do in the future?
When we got involved with Kellyville Pets, all Kellyville breeders were submitted to the AWL to be inspected on a regular basis.
Question from audience; And how often are they inspected?
Once a year.
Question from audience; the AWL desex animals before they rehome them - will Kellyville Pets be doing the same?
Yes they are. They will be desexed and they will have a lifetime guarantee on them.
Question from audience; I haven’t read that at all, nor was it on his proposal to council. There was nothing about desexing on it.
I read it.
Question from audience; he has animals on his website now that aren’t desexed.
Anyway, that’s our policy you’ve now seen it. We get no financial gain from Kellyville Pets whatsoever.
AWL NSW 2019 Five Year Plan
- Animal adoption centre
- Foster carer support network (24hrs)
- Large scale, short-stay facility
- Online education portal for pet owners
- Enlarged inspectorate; given the task of identifying unregistered breeders
AWL NSW Board of Directors voted by members:
- Christine Richardson, President
- Glynis Boobyer, Vice President
- David Hope, Treasurer
- Audrey McGeown
- Narelle Cocks
- Shawn Skyring
- Annette Tomlinson
- Aaron Heiler