Dog pound’s compliance questioned

The Palmerston North City Council has pledged to co-operate with a Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) investigation of conditions at its dog pound.

The council was contacted by the ministry after a media inquiry sparked by the council’s own release of a report showing the facility was not up to standard for animal welfare.

The pound will be visited by a compliance inspector in the near future, with the city council ‘‘comfortable’’ that what it has done to improve conditions for impounded dogs will pass muster.

The council on Wednesday approved a proposal to build a new $3 million facility, as the old pound could not be brought up to compliance standards.

The same day, MPI staff contacted the council to discuss whether the pound complied with the October 2018 code of welfare for temporary housing of companion animals.

Council chief customer officer Chris Dyhrberg said the council took its responsibilities for animal welfare seriously.

Its animal management staff were trained professionals who cared deeply about the animals, and went ‘‘the extra mile’’ to ensure they were happy and healthy.

Dyhrberg said the council told the ministry about the consultants’ report it had commissioned on the condition of the pound and the defects it found. It had also explained the temporary measures put in place for the safety of staff and animals until a new pound could be built.