Return of RSPCA is top result

ANIMAL lovers in Townsville will be relieved to hear of plans by the RSPCA to return to Townsville.

The decision by RSPCA Queensland to end its operation at Bohle, after failing to negotiate a deal with Townsville City Council over funds for an upgrade of facilities and to cover costs, stirred up emotions in the community.

The RSPCA withdrew from providing animal management services in Townsville, with the council taking responsibility for pound and rehoming services. The RSPCA said it would continue to be responsible for the prosecution of animal cruelty cases, which it said was getting back to its “core duties”.

When news of the move broke in April, Mayor Jenny Hill said she was confident the council could provide a comparable service to the RSPCA by working with local animal welfare providers. The move saw Townsville City Council fall in line with the majority of Queensland’s local governments who run their own pounds.

Despite the council’s assurances, there was significant public reaction to the departure of the RSPCA, including a protest outside the council offices in the CBD by concerned animal lovers. Now the RSPCA has indicated it is looking for a more central site in the city to open an adoption centre, with a retail focus.

The RSPCA is expected to use some of the nearly $ 900,000 it received in the State Budget and the money it received from the council when they parted ways to fund the new project.

The big winners out of this saga will be the animals who might be lucky enough to find new homes if the proposal goes ahead.