Animal shelter almost ready

Published on 30 January 2020

Council is a step closer to opening its new Companion Animal Shelter with all major construction now completed.

The new facility is located within the airport precinct and will serve as a base for the city's Rangers, and a holding and adoption facility for stray animals.

Mayor Darriea Turley said the Companion Animal Shelter would provide improved conditions for lost animals, and that was reflected in the change of names for the facility.

"We certainly don't want the service to still be known as an old-fashioned 'pound', it's a modern, indoor, air-conditioned facility to house lost animals," she said.

"Many people see their pets as an extension of their family, so I'm pleased we'll be providing a quality service to comfortably hold animals until they can be reunited with their owners."

The shelter's opening will also see the introduction of a new fee system that places greater onus on pet owners to commit to their animals.

"The biggest change is that there is now a fee of $100 if someone wants to surrender an animal they own," she said.

"Under the previous fee structure people could continually surrender dogs for free, and the costs associated with that were being covered by other ratepayers.

"That system wasn't promoting responsible pet ownership. Owning a pet is a commitment for the animal's lifetime."

Council expects the new shelter to be operational from February 21.

* Council’s ranger Siar’Ne Lovis is pictured with Henry the dog inside the city’s new Companion Animal Shelter.