A council in Australia killed the impounded animals to prevent volunteers at an animal shelter from travelling to pick them up and potentially spreading the virus.
Fifteen rescue dogs, including 10 puppies, have been shot dead by a rural Australian council under its interpretation of coronavirus restrictions.
Bourke Shire Council in New South Wales destroyed the canines, which had been at its pound, to prevent volunteers at an animal shelter from travelling to pick them up and potentially spreading the virus.
“The council decided to take this course of action to protect its employees and community, including vulnerable Aboriginal populations, from the risk of COVID-19 transmission,” the Office of Local Government, a government watchdog, told The Sydney Morning Herald.
The spokesman said officials were investigating whether any animal cruelty laws had been broken.
Five of the dogs had been housed at the pound since early August and one of the dogs then had 10 pups.
The council said staff became concerned for the welfare of the animals due to overcrowding at the pound and two of the dogs attacking one of the others.
A source said the shelter volunteers were distressed and already had COVID-safe measures in place to handle the dogs.
And comedian Ricky Gervais has expressed his disapproval of the killings on social media.
Bourke Shire Council told ABC News the dogs were euthanised because the rescue organisation was from another local government area and they had concerns about people from other communities entering Bourke.
All of regional New South Wales has “stay-at-home” orders in place due to COVID-19.
The council said it had contacted its usual dog rehomer, who is based in the same area, but they were unable to come to Bourke.
The shelter that was supposed to receive the dogs declined to comment.
Animal Liberation regional campaign manager Lisa Ryan has called for an urgent investigation.
“We are deeply distressed and completely appalled by this callous dog shooting and we totally reject [the] council’s unacceptable justifications that this killing was apparently undertaken as part of a COVID-safe plan,” she said.
Australia has recently seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, forcing the country’s largest city, Sydney, to extend its lockdown through September and impose tougher restrictions, such as a curfew and a mask mandate outdoors.
Staff are allowed to work at animal shelters even when lockdown measures are in place, according to the Office of Local Government spokesman.
“Councils are also encouraged to continue to work with re-homing organisations and volunteers to care for animals, where that can be undertaken consistent with NSW Health advice,” he added.
He waits for an owner who will never come back, rotting from sickness and starvation
A girl from pokhrofskoy richardalovsky ukraine submitted a facebook message to a local animal shelter she claimed that near her house an owner departed for a month, the owner of this house left two miserable dogs chained lately.
This girl poster’s name is xenia detected a rotten smell in this house of course she was ridiculed a lot xenia panics and deletes the post.
The rescuer team of that local shelter did not have any information, no address, no phone number, and after they viewed the sorrowful photographs, they were resolved to locate to save these two poor pets.
After almost three hours of travelling and questioning individuals they got to the house. After breaking the lock they get entry to the house a terrible rotten smell was rising up, tragically one baby did not survive.
The other was a labrador, he was just bones and terrible sick, he was starving for days, he wept a lot and his tears are still pouring. Maybe he was terribly sad. He was afraid and didn’t dare look at savior.
They named him Boss.
The weary baby was being transported in the vehicle to vet, Boss is being examined after the blood transfusion the baby will be cared for at the Vet for a bit.
Boss has a terrific appetite, he is eating well which is a wonderful, he is an exceptionally clever man.
Boss is evolving every day, he was released and welcomed at a temporary house, he is waiting for a joyful home.
Finally something fantastic occurred, Boss was adopted by a family in kiev, Boss’s magnificent adventure has started.
Now is the moment when we look forward to watching this angel’s joyful days. Boss is really gorgeous he loves everything he has a great family.
“We appreciate his new family so much we will always miss you Boss”
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