Founded in 1997, Hunter Animal Watch Inc. is an opportunity shop, run entirely by volunteers, which uses funds raised to operate a subsidised de-sexing program for pets belonging to people on low incomes. Hunter Animal Watch also aims to promote the causes of animal welfare, not only in the Hunter region but also on a national and global level.
Olga Parkes (Secretary) & Toto with Pat Hinton
(Treasurer) & Adam
Every month hundreds of healthy cats and dogs are destroyed because they are unwanted. Most of these unwanted pets are not strays but the 'extra' puppies and kittens produced by animal owners that do not desex their pets.
A lot of these owners may be uncaring toward the future of their pets offspring, or they may want to do the right thing but be financially unable to make the cost of the operation. Last year over 80,000 unwanted dogs were destroyed in NSW alone. From September 2002 pensioners will no longer be able to pay $1.50 to have their dog registered, the cost will be $100 if the dog is not desexed or $15 for life long registration if the dog is desexed.
Now in its fourth year of operation, Hunter Animal Watch has assisted in financing the desexing of over three thousand animals in the Lower Hunter. Originally using the services of 1 vets and mainly desexing dogs, the operation has expanded to the desexing of cats, ferrets and rabbits. Hunter Animal Watch works with over 25 different vets in the local government areas of Maitland, Cessnock, Newcastle, Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie.
Newcastle City Council has worked hard to make the Companion Animals Act an effective tool for animal management and has been very supportive of the hard work and dedication that the Hunter Animal Watch has put into its desexing scheme. Working in collaboration with Hunter Animal Watch, Newcastle City Council has recently implemented a voucher system for pet owners identified by Council officers on a "needs" basis. Owners will be referred to Hunter Animal Watch, and in addition to the assistance they give, a proportion of the desex costs for these animals will be paid by Council. Hunter Animal Watch is very pleased to work in partnership with Council to help owners and their animals and hope that this initiative will continue beyond the 12 month review period.
As well as all the good work that Hunter Animal Watch has been doing through the desexing program, they also have been lobbying for a number of other causes.
In the Hunter
- Lobbying local councils for flexibility with opening hours for their dog pounds.
Nationally
- Against the export of live food animals. This trade involves extreme cruelty, although this fact is never denied by the government, nor is a great deal done to change to a carcass trade.
- Against the battery system of egg production. It is unfortunate that the State Ministers of Agriculture did not take the opportunity to move in the direction of phasing out this system when they met to discuss it late last year. The only concession was that from next year cartons will be labelled (in very small size letters) to indicate the production method.
- Against the use of wild animals in circuses.
Internationally
Hunter Animal Watch helps to campaign against the cruelty of animals world wide through the use of petitions signed in the shop.
Some of the causes have been the terrible treatment of dogs in Asia, bears being kept in cages in China to be milked of their bile, Apes in Africa who are shot, trapped, or simply have their habitats destroyed. Hunter Animal Watch are committed to continuing their support of animal welfare and their fight against animal cruelty.
During the last twelve months, some of the activities that the Hunter Animal Watch has been involved in have included; Attending Microchip days run by Newcastle City Council, running a Christmas Appeal for pet food which was distributed to local charities. They were also involved with organisational assistance and attendance at the RSPCA Million Paws Walk.
Nearly all the funds used to operate the desexing program come from the running of the op shop, which is staffed by volunteer workers. Without these volunteers Hunter Animal Watch would be unable to offer the services it provides. A $500 grant was received from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, which Hunter Animal Watch would like to gratefully acknowledge. As a small group working on a mostly local scale, it was great to receive support from one of the most respected international organisations working for animals. Hunter Animal watch is now able to help a greater number of people in the Maitland area thanks to a $2000 grant from the Maitland City Council.
The costs are rising because Hunter Animal Watch is helping more and more owners desex their pets. Please direct enquiries to
Hunter Animal Watch Shop
139A Beaumont Street
Hamilton 2303
Hunter Animal watch is always willing to help pensioners, the unemployed and holders of a current Health Care Card with the cost of desexing their pet. Anyone needing help is invited to phone 49664344 or 49641823 on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays between the hours of 1pm and 3pm. They also have a website up and running, why not take a look at www.hunteranimalwatch.networksmm.com.au
Photo courtesy of Angela Scales
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