Animal lovers form group to save lives

Animal lovers have banded together in the Bay of Islands to rescue and rehome unwanted pets following concerns of a high rate of euthanised dogs at council pounds.

Summer Johnson, of Never Ending Story, Josie Rogers of Paws Potential, and Nicki Cherrington of Last Chance Equine, have formed BOI Animal Rescue to help dogs, goats, pigs, cats, birds and horses.

Since forming the group around six weeks ago, donations have poured in, including 1.5 tonnes of free dog food, blankets, and kennels.

Johnson says the group are hoping people learn to take unwanted or lost dogs to them instead of the pound to give canines the best chance. Rogers says their concerns with the pounds include the amount of food supplied to dogs, that they are closed to the public, and that dogs are not openly displayed for adoption.

‘‘In Auckland you can walk into the council pounds, there are no secrets,’’ Johnson says. ’’You can walk through the adoption and in-pound areas and see dogs getting exercised.’’

In the past year, 374 dogs have been euthanised in the Far North area by council staff and 93 have been rehomed. The Far North Dis- trict Council had operated two pounds until Sue Dennis, who ran the Southern Pound in Okaihau resigned in May.

Since then the Northern Pound in Kaitaia, which is closed to the public, has been the only one in operation until a temporary Southern Pound is completed on private property. The council says negotiations are ongoing into building a permanent pound at Ngawha.

Council district services manager Dr Dean Myburgh says staff take no pleasure in destroying dogs and only do so if the dog remains unclaimed for nine days.

‘‘In the past, people could visit the Southern Pound at Okaihau because Sue Dennis was in attendance all day. A staff member must accompany visitors to a pound, but the council does not have the resources for animal management staff to remain available and also attend callouts.’’

Johnson estimates over the past year she has had more than 100 dogs through her property to be rehomed. Currently the group has more than 30 dogs in training, with the aim of rehoming them too.

Contact BOI Animal Rescue on Facebook.

BOI Animal Rescue’s Josie Rogers, Nicki Cherrington, Summer Johnson, Jordan Cherrington, and Kaila Browne with rescued dogs, Chance, Aeshai and Maiden.