On March 5th, 2022 we submitted an Excess Animal Permit to Bass Coast Council which had to be resubmitted as it was lost in transit internally.

Having been resubmitted to a Community Safety Officer on the 8th of March, 2022, the same officer came out to do a property inspection. Having informed us of what their requirements were to obtain a permit. We have spent thousands of dollars rectifying the property. The same day we were also informed that a barking dog complaint had been submitted. It should be noted that we had only moved into the property a month earlier.

Fast forward to the end of July. A phone call was received stating that the permit had been declined and written instruction would be received in the coming week. Having sat in shock for some time we then received a notice stating that our animals had to be reduced to 2 cats and 2 dogs AND that we had not followed the request to stop our dogs barking.

Gobsmacked at this we sought legal advice and have subsequently sent correspondence to the Council stating that due process had not been followed and that the matter be reconsidered.

We have been made aware of who put in the complaint. The same individuals have stated our dogs are aggressive, that they could kill someone and that once they're gone we should not replace them. These are the same dogs whose progeny have gone to special needs children, families, healthcare workers, FIFO workers, servicemen and veterans. Our children sleep and lay with these dogs, play with them and strangers greet them at our shop. The irony of all of this is that the entire time we have lived on Phillip Island, this is the only time it has been denied AND it has taken nearly 5 months to decline it.

Two of our dogs are kept for microbreeding and every other animal on the property is either speyed or neutered. Two of the other dogs - a Taco Terrier and Shollie - are therapy dogs, and the final Shepherd was bought because we were unable to have children together and we wanted someone to be with Sam whilst recovering from her chronic illness. The cats we have are rescue from the Lort Smith Animal Hospital and others that needed to go to good homes. Two are ours and two are our older daughters.

Should we be unsuccessful in our review we would have to reduce the number of our animals and it would be our breeding pair and not only would we be unable to breed Shollies - we are the ONLY registered breeders in Australia - but we would also have to get rid of our son's dog and our daughters' cats. The entire blended fur family would be torn apart with no consideration for their wellbeing and mental health nor ours.

We are asking people to sign our petition in the hope of convincing the Bass Coast Council in allowing us to keep our animals and our family together.