Hunter animal watch inc.
President: Pam Hopkins, Tel: 02 49664344
Secretary: Olga Parkes Tel: 02 49521358
Treasurer: Pat Hinton Tel: 02 49641002
June 2010
Annual newsletter
No. 13
Hunter Animal Watch is a member society of Animals Australia.
The aims of Hunter Animal Watch are:
¨ To operate a subsidised pet spay/neuter programme to financially assist pensioners and the unemployed.
¨ To promote animal welfare
Hunter Animal Watch was established in 1998. Since then we have given financial help to spay/neuter over NINETEEN thousand animals belonging to pensioners and unemployed people in the Lower Hunter. one thousand FIVE hundred and NINETY of these were carried out in the last 12 months.
Despite the efforts of many animal groups throughout Australia, the fact remains that large numbers of cats and dogs are put down as they are unwanted. It is totally unacceptable that over 60,000 healthy but unwanted animals are killed every year in the pounds and shelters of New South Wales. Nationally this figure is around 250,000 animals. It is good to see that this tragic situation is increasingly highlighted in the media.
It was very disappointing that in 2009 the Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill, proposed by Clover Moore MP, to stop the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops and markets, was not passed in the NSW Parliament. Such a measure would have closed off a major outlet for animals possibly bred in “puppy farms” or backyards. Ms Moore will continue to pursue companion animal issues in Parliament.
We have a great group of volunteers who are rostered in the shop. Our shop is now well-known and it is an interesting place to work, so if you have a bit of spare time, perhaps a day a month, and would like to discuss offering some time to help animals, please call any of the numbers at the top of this Newsletter. Also, we are very grateful for donations of saleable items.
We were thrilled earlier this year to receive a donation raised by one of our supporters – Rhonda Murrey. Rhonda had had a serious accident in September 2009 requiring a long recuperation period. She decided to do something that would both pass the time for her and assist a cause dear to her heart. She decided to hold a Readathon, and for a donation to Hunter Animal Watch, participants were invited to guess how many books she would read from the date of her accident to Christmas 2009. Hunter Animal Watch was the grateful recipient of $1,000 from Rhonda’s Readathon. Great idea, wasn’t it?
A new development for Hunter Animal Watch
Two of our volunteers have recently undertaken training on microchipping. From August we will be offering this in our shop. If you are interested in getting your pet microchipped (which is required by law), please call any of the numbers at the top of this Newsletter.
Campaigning and lobbying are important features of our work, and on our shop counter are to be found, from time to time, petitions or information on various important animal issues. As well as our support for banning the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops, a few of these over the past 12 months have been:
· To ban live exports of sheep and cattle to the Middle East.
· A ban on single stalls for breeding sows.
· Abolition of battery farms – buy free range. We sell them in our shop.
In relation to the campaign to ban single sow stalls (something we have always supported), there is very good news. The Primary Industries Minister of Tasmania, the Hon. Bryan Green, has decided to adopt the advice of his Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and has announced that sow stalls are to be banned in Tasmania from 2017 and their use restricted from 2014. Thus Tasmania will be leading the nation on pig welfare and it is hoped that other states will follow.
A date for your diary
It is planned to hold the Blessing of the Animals service in Christ Church Cathedral on 26th September 2010. Details will be on our website nearer the time.
important news for animals
Two exciting developments aimed to significantly help in the battle to get a better deal for animals are:
Animal justice party
In response to cruelty to animals in Australia, a new political party has been formed to work for animals through the parliamentary system. This is the Animal Justice Party. Details can be found on the website - www.animaljusticeparty.org or email to info@animaljusticeparty.org
AND…..
Animal justice fund
Ms Jan Cameron, founder of the Kathmandu retail chain and owner of other national retail outlets, has established this Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to promote the cause of animal welfare through the prosecution of persons or businesses who commit crimes against animals used in intensive farming, or who abuse animals by commercial and/or recreational practices. For further information, visit www.animaljusticefund.org.
Hunter Animal Watch website
Our email address is ocp@idl.com.au
If you would like to help us with a donation, please send to
The Treasurer,
Hunter Animal Watch Shop,
139A Beaumont Street,
Hamilton, 2303.
Receipts will be supplied so please note your address.
Thank You
Once again, it is our great pleasure to acknowledge the contribution of everyone who helps Hunter Animal Watch – our volunteers, those who give us sale items for the shop, those who make handicraft for us to sell, and, of course, our customers. And to the vets and their staff, a very special thank you for your willingness to be part of our effort. And we should also mention our animal customers, who rush in for special treats and give us so much fun.
With very best wishes,
Hunter Animal Watch Inc.