Allow the Bundaberg Council Contractor to euthanise animals on roads owned by TMR.
The issue
Bundaberg Regional Council have a fantastic service for mortally injured wildlife in their region. They have a contractor who will attend and euthanise injured wildlife as required. Currently any injured kangaroos on Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) owned roads in the Bundaberg region, must be euthanised by wildlife carers in possession of a bolt gun, private individuals, or the Queensland Police. This is due to the Council Contractor not being allowed to attend those animals on TMR roads. He used to be able to attend them but this was stopped by, we believe, budget constraints. TMR owned roads include Childers Road, Elliott Heads Road and Burnett Heads Road, just to name a few. He is permitted to attend injured animals on council owned roads only.
The police cannot be depended on as they are often busy and unable to attend for hours, if at all. This leaves animals in distress and in pain on the roadside. Animal carers and rescuers bear the brunt of this and are often abused and accused of not caring of the injured wildlife. Not all carers carry bolt guns and not all carers are able to deal with often, large, defensive and dangerous, injured animals.
Attending to injured kangaroos can be very dangerous. Large bucks and does can bite, scratch and kick out and this can cause injuries to whomever attends. The public and licensed animals rescuers and carers cannot use firearms by the road side. Licensed carers may be in possession of a bolt gun but to use one means that the gun must be pressed right up against the head of the injured animal before it can be fired. This can present the dangers mentioned above. The council contractor uses a rifle which is a far safer method. It also reduces the stress on the injured animal as the animal can be euthanised from several metres away and does not have to be held down as is needed with the use of a bolt gun.
The Council Contractor is happy to attend animals on TMR roads but needs to have the permission of TMR to do so.
We call on TMR to immediately allow the Bundaberg Regional Council Contractor to again be able to euthanise animals on TMR owned roads so as to reduce the suffering of these injured animals and to stop the chances of someone being injured while assisting these animals.
Linda Karlsen President
Bundy Wildlife Rescue
and the concerned residents of Bundaberg.
368
The issue
Bundaberg Regional Council have a fantastic service for mortally injured wildlife in their region. They have a contractor who will attend and euthanise injured wildlife as required. Currently any injured kangaroos on Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) owned roads in the Bundaberg region, must be euthanised by wildlife carers in possession of a bolt gun, private individuals, or the Queensland Police. This is due to the Council Contractor not being allowed to attend those animals on TMR roads. He used to be able to attend them but this was stopped by, we believe, budget constraints. TMR owned roads include Childers Road, Elliott Heads Road and Burnett Heads Road, just to name a few. He is permitted to attend injured animals on council owned roads only.
The police cannot be depended on as they are often busy and unable to attend for hours, if at all. This leaves animals in distress and in pain on the roadside. Animal carers and rescuers bear the brunt of this and are often abused and accused of not caring of the injured wildlife. Not all carers carry bolt guns and not all carers are able to deal with often, large, defensive and dangerous, injured animals.
Attending to injured kangaroos can be very dangerous. Large bucks and does can bite, scratch and kick out and this can cause injuries to whomever attends. The public and licensed animals rescuers and carers cannot use firearms by the road side. Licensed carers may be in possession of a bolt gun but to use one means that the gun must be pressed right up against the head of the injured animal before it can be fired. This can present the dangers mentioned above. The council contractor uses a rifle which is a far safer method. It also reduces the stress on the injured animal as the animal can be euthanised from several metres away and does not have to be held down as is needed with the use of a bolt gun.
The Council Contractor is happy to attend animals on TMR roads but needs to have the permission of TMR to do so.
We call on TMR to immediately allow the Bundaberg Regional Council Contractor to again be able to euthanise animals on TMR owned roads so as to reduce the suffering of these injured animals and to stop the chances of someone being injured while assisting these animals.
Linda Karlsen President
Bundy Wildlife Rescue
and the concerned residents of Bundaberg.
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Petition created on 4 October 2024