Doglovers@DAS – June 2015
Letter from the Editor
Dear readers,
In this issue we report on a productive meeting of DAS volunteers and ACT Rescue and Foster Inc with
TAMS Minister Shane Rattenbury.
Our volunteer profile is of two close friends, Jacky Fogerty and Kim Wight, both very committed
volunteers. You will also learn about a rescue group for Koolies. It is a breed which is surprisingly little
known.
Our feature article reminds us that other countries take a more open-minded approach to pets in public
places and encourages a change of attitude in Australia.
Happy volunteering!
Di Johnstone AM
DAS Volunteer and Editor
Meeting with Minister Rattenbury
A number of DAS volunteers and President of ACT Rescue and Foster Inc, Wendy Parsons, met with
Territory and Municipal Services Minister Shane Rattenbury in late May to discuss issues of current
concern. Chief among these was the essential role of the kennelmaster. The Minister said he was very
aware of the importance of the kennelmaster and gave a welcome assurance the position would continue.
It is expected the position will be filled in July.
Volunteers also raised issues relating to dog welfare, especially in Canberra’s winter, including more
protective blinds for the kennel area.
The meeting was good and productive and the Minister listened to concerns. He also thanked the
volunteers for their work at DAS and said the ACT Government greatly valued their contribution.
Feature article: Oh why can’t Australian dogs enjoy the European way of life?
By Jan Phillips, Scottie Rescue Australia, President of Pets and Positive Ageing Inc, Founder of the PAWS
Dog Café for charity, Canberra and PAWS “Pets are Wonderful Support” for the sick and elderly, Canberra
from 1991-2004
Just recently I was lucky enough to visit Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and the UK over Christmas
and New Year.
Everywhere people took their dogs – shopping in a Munich department store, sitting inside cafes with
their owners, on trains and buses without being crated!!!
Even at Zurich airport dogs were inside the terminal with their owners waiting to get on planes, for the
holidays owners were taking with their dogs.
When I first arrived in Australia in 1969 I was shocked at how lowly animals were considered here and it
took me many years to want to own a dog again because of very restrictive attitudes to dogs in Australia.
Happily things have changed greatly over the years and now we have become a nation of pet owners. In
fact 63 per cent of the population own a pet. So now we are in the majority, should we not ask for the
same rights for Australian pet owners and their pets already enjoyed by pet owners in many countries, but
not, of course, here?
I know the argument is people will allow pets to foul everywhere. But this is not the case overseas. In fact
I saw no evidence of this because people who own dogs there clear up after them.
I saw no aggression from dogs to people or other dogs because dogs are socialised from puppies to escort
their owners everywhere.
Healthwise…. well just what do we catch from our pets except the odd flea? And really this cleansing of
everything around us leads to far more disease by trying to avoid it.
I was brought up with dogs in my life from birth. In fact in the 1940s my mother transported myself and
her aged wire-haired terrier Fluffy in the same pram. If I got up Fluffy’s end of the pram my mother would
say “leave her alone and get back your end”.
If you love your pets and would like to share more of the things you do with them, you can start making it
happen.
I now take my dogs into places that no dogs go - and see what happens. If they say “take your dogs out of
here” I say “oh, so sorry” and leave.
Remember ‘forgiveness is easier to get than permission’ - so help start a pet owners movement to change
outdated attitudes to pets, so that our Australian pets, like those in Europe will be allowed to be with us in
public places.
For more information contact: jancelebrations@grapevine.com.au or 0412 411 424.
Message from Darrell Gascoyne, Manager Operations
First of all I am delighted to be here at DAS and very impressed with the relationship we have with the
many volunteers that commit their time to exercising dogs. It is a delight to both meet the people
concerned and see what a great job they are doing.
One of the things that I think needs raising is that at all times we here at DAS see our role as not just
managing our canine friends but we must always be mindful of the safety of our volunteers as well, and
for this reason it may be worth reminding all volunteers to be ever watchful about their own safety. The
rain over a few days in June has highlighted some of the issues that we must consider when volunteers
attend to walk dogs. The tracks can be slippery and the weather itself lends to a reduction in volunteers,
so not as many eyes watching for each other on the track. For this reason I still encourage volunteers to
attend DAS on these wet days. However I suggest volunteers exercise the dogs in the exercise yards rather
than the walking track. I am sure everybody will understand.
Thanks for this opportunity and I will endeavour to make myself known to all volunteers over time.
Koolie Rescue
Provided by Australian Koolie Rescue
Australian Koolie Rescue (AKR) began in 2002 as Koolie Rescue and was instigated by Kerrie
Challenger who has extensive knowledge of the breed. It actively seeks dogs at risk, ensures
their safety and finds them forever homes. All dogs that come through AKR are inoculated,
micro-chipped and desexed before they are rehomed. AKR seeks a donation of $300 to cover vet
costs. AKR consists of a haven in country Victoria with small nodes in QLD, ACT and NSW and
fosters in most states.
Koolies are a distinctive breed but they are often confused with a kelpie. A Koolie often has red,
blue and tricolor merels but sometimes comes in solid colours. They may have blue or green
colour in their eyes. They were originally a drover’s dog and make a wonderful companion. They
are a working breed but can happily be a ‘lounge lizard’. They excel at sports and some are
service dogs. They also excel at herding. They are best suited to someone who wants a ‘mate’
and is prepared to invest time and energy to sharing time with their ‘mate’.
Someone who works from home or can take their dog to work, works part-time or a family where
there is someone home most of the time is ideal.
For more information about AKR see http://koolierescue.org.au/
Volunteer profile: Jacky Fogerty and Kim Wight
Jacky started walking dogs at DAS in 2011 and found it so rewarding that her friend Kim also volunteered
in 2013.
We first became friends while working in the Department of Health and Ageing in 2001. Jacky walks dogs
on Thursdays and Kim on Fridays. We have made good friends while walking at DAS, but volunteering is
really about the dogs.
If dogs could talk, they could teach Mindfulness classes - they are always totally in the moment, full of
enthusiasm for the sunshine and rolling in the grass and smelling each new smell. Dogs take you out of
yourself: sometimes seeing dogs who have lost their owners makes you sad and angry, but the joy felt by
the dogs having their walk or a run in the yards is infectious and they always make you laugh. Walking
dogs at the pound certainly puts your own life in perspective.
Among other activities, Kim also fosters kittens for the RSPCA and Jacky teaches English as a Migrant and
Refugee Settlement Services volunteer. Jacky adopted Moth from DAS in 2008 and later adopted another
border collie cross, Lou. They are best friends, curling up together at night and often rolling about playing
during the day.
Book Review: Animal wisdom
By Dr Michael Archinal BVSc
Published by Pan McMillan Australia
Well-known Canberra vet, Dr Archinal, has written this heart-warming and insightful book about what
animals can teach us about love, health and happiness. With many years as a vet and as a guest on ABC
talkback radio, TV presenter and media commentator, Dr Archinal had a wealth of experience and stories
to draw from. The chapters are diverse, from the more upbeat, ‘being social’, ‘altruism’, ‘exercise’ and
‘friendship’, to the more sobering ‘helping children in need’, ‘loyalty’ and ‘death’.
My favourite was ‘taking care of the elderly’ with a delightful story of ‘Karen’ who took her schnauzers to
visit an elderly be-whiskered Maurice. Maurice buried his face in the schnauzers’ whiskers, in a veritable
meeting of whiskers!
There is, too, a poignant story of a woman who contemplated suicide but didn’t go ahead as it would
mean leaving a beloved pet.
In sickness and in health, pets are our loving companions. Do buy and enjoy the book. You will take away
life affirming, thoughtful and very tellable stories.
PAWS success
Northside Community Service has been running a highly successful pilot of its Pet Assistance and
Wellbeing Service (PAWS) – an in-home pet support program providing support for the pet companions of
frail and isolated older people to keep them together at home. The pilot was over-subscribed and its
success has underlined the critical need for PAWS. The pilot has now been extended for a further period.
For more information about this wonderful program or to make a donation check out the Northside
website at http://northside.asn.au/?post_type=service&p=2204/ You can also contact Joshua Koske
on 6257 2255 or Joshua.Koske@northside.asn.au. Please remember to note on a donation that it is for
PAWS.
DASNEWS
Breeding Legislation
The Domestic Animals (Breeding) Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 has been passed by the Legislative
Assembly and will commence in the second half of 2015. This Bill creates a new offence of intensively
breeding a female dog or cat, with the aim of avoiding the animal welfare issues caused by puppy and
kitten farming. The Bill also creates a licensing scheme for dog and cat breeders which will be linked to
existing permits to keep sexually-entire female dogs and cats. It will be administered by staff at Domestic
Animal Services.
The legislation has been designed to ensure that pet breeding in the ACT is undertaken with the best
interests of the animal in mind and that legal action can be taken against irresponsible breeders.
Thank you
A big thank you to all of you who donate coats, towels and blankets to the dogs at DAS. These are much
appreciated especially by the dogs in this ‘delightfully’ cold weather.
A new face at DAS
We welcome Darrell Gascoyne to our team at DAS! Darrell comes to us from Victoria and brings vast
experience in governance, compliance and management fields. He is the new Manager of Operations at
DAS so you will see him around. Do say hello!