Mount Alexander Animal Welfare president Tania Butterworth and secretary Brian Heydon
We write in response to the letter from Rosey Skinner (‘Not correct’, Opinions, January 15).
Mount Alexander Animal Welfare is the only animal welfare organisation in the Mount Alexander Shire currently providing the region with pound and animal shelter services.
We are well-respected for the services we provide as well as our advocacy for sheltered pet adoption and the rehoming networks we have within our community and beyond.
And we have a no kill policy. This means we ‘do not kill’ adoptable, healthy or treatable animals even when the animal shelter is at full capacity. Instead, reserving euthanasia for extreme cases like animals considered dangerous to public safety or those that are terminally ill with very little chance of survival. The decision to euthanase any animal in our care is never taken lightly and is only done by suitably experienced vets from Castlemaine Veterinary Clinic.
As an organisation we have chosen to adopt a no kill policy to give every unclaimed animal brought into the shelter the benefit of time to settle down after the stress of being captured and caged. Many strays brought in are vet assessed and respond extremely well to human contact and kindness and can be rehomed to caring families wanting a new pet to love.
Every adoptable animal remains with us until an appropriate home is found. This can take months in some cases but there is no time limit on their length of stay at the shelter. We are in the business of providing compassion and a high standard of care for the animals who come to our shelter. Members of the public are invited to visit the shelter and see what lengths our staff and volunteers will go to for every animal brought in.
