RSPCA’s dog days over

Feuding comes to an end as council takes control of animal services

A PROTRACTED feud between RSPCA Queensland and the Townsville City Council has been resolved as the animal charity confirms it will leave the region by the end of the month.

After years of disagreements the deteriorating relationship between the two parties was salvaged with a last- minute agreement announced yesterday.

In three weeks the RSPCA will withdraw from providing animal management services in Townsville. The organisation will continue to investigate animal cruelty cases in the region but the council will take over operating the pound.

Mayor Jenny Hill was confident council would be able to work with local animal welfare providers to provide a “comparable” service to the RSPCA.

“The facility will now be op- erated by council as a pound as what happens with more than 70 other councils in Queensland,” she said.

“We'll be working with local animal welfare groups in terms of rehoming. and council will also be providing a space for the RSPCA cruelty inspectors to remain.”

Cr Hill said council would now conduct a review of the service and facility and report back on April 24 regarding any recommended changes.

She said any decisions about funding for capital works on the pound would be determined after the review.

Cr Hill said the review would also assess the four- day limit used to determine when a lost animal is no longer classified a stray and is instead processed for adoption.

“We’re also looking at whether or not we have a socalled four- day limit,” she said.

Cr Hill said she could not guarantee all staff would retain their positions.

“We’ll be looking to see how we can transition the staff into council. There will be oppor- tunities there,” she said. Cr Hill said there were a number of local animal agencies “very keen” to help with adoption services the council could now support by providing kennels and office space.

“By ( having council) running the services, what we can do now is look to support those agencies in the current facility ... I think we can get an outcome comparable to what we see with the RSPCA,” she said.

RSPCA chief executive Mark Townend said the animal welfare organisation would be getting back to its “core duties”.

“This isn’t a breakup where we’re not going to work with each other,” he said.

Mr Townend said there are approximately 200 animals at the Townsville facility, which would be taken to southeast Queensland when the organisation leaves.

But he said the RSPCA’s departure from Townsville could be short- lived.

“I think what you’ll find in a very short distance, there will be an adoption service in this city,” he said.