“Misuse” of public money

The purchase of Utopia Pet Lodge was a misuse of public funds that delayed a new pound, an angry community member told Baw Baw Shire last week.

Four people addressed Wednesday’s council meeting, urging councillors to speed up the process of delivering a new pound.

The speakers described current pound conditions for dogs and cats as deplorable and shameful.

Debra Wayman said Utopia should cease operating as a business and should become a pound as soon as possible.

“Do what you have to do to get it up to scratch and get our animals out of that pound.

“This has been a misuse of public money and an absolute waste of time.

“We don’t appreciate being told the reports are commercial in confidence – it’s our money. What is your priority, to make money or animal management,” she said.

Ms Wayman said dog owners would not pay to board their dogs on the same site as an animal pound. “Council is looking pretty bad at the moment for misusing our public money and housing animals in such bad conditions,” she said.

Ms Wayman suggested council could also consider establishing a rescue shelter on the site where local volunteers could assist with animals to be rehoused.

Shea Bernout said the current pound was nothing more than a concrete toilet block.

She said there was no ventilation, little human contact and the dogs were lying in their own faeces and urine. “It’s shameful.”

Liz Berendorf said she wanted to see the Galloway St pound closed immediately and the pound moved to Utopia.

She said the current conditions were animal cruelty with animals sleeping in their faecal matter and losing nutrition.

She said they were supposed to receive 15 minutes of human contact each day, which was not occurring.

Jenni Creen said she had adopted two dogs from the pound. “That is a deplorable way to treat animals,” she said.