Significant development is occurring in Goulburn Mulwaree, Upper Lachlan, the Southern Highlands and surrounding region but, heartbreakingly, there is no dedicated Native Animal Veterinary facility.  The region is located along high-traffic arteries like the Hume Highway stretching from Sydney to Canberra, where native animal injuries and deaths occur daily.

The lack of a Native Animal Veterinary and Care facility means many of our beautiful animals suffer and die without essential 24-hour veterinary care. Local veterinarians help during opening hours but it should not be up to veterinarians who are busy caring for our domestic animals and stock to respond to the increasing demand for specialised wildlife emergency care. 

Importantly, this facility could be built from allocations from developers for projects like mines and solar/wind/batteries and more. These developers are bringing many more vehicles to our roads and should be responsible for helping native wildlife. Community benefit allocations are in addition to developer contributions for upgrading local roads and infrastructure - the proposal would not negatively impact on the financial positions of local councils or communities. The Native Animal Veterinary and Care facility would also support existing wildlife rescue and care networks.

This facility would assist the preservation of biodiversity that makes our region so unique, and provide training and employment opportunities in fields as diverse as veterinary science, veterinary nursing, conservation, management, maintenance and more.

Background

Each journey down our roads can become a devastating scene. With the abundant native wildlife to be found in our beautiful area, there is, heartbreakingly, no dedicated Native Animal Veterinary facility. As a result, numerous incidents involving wildlife occur, leading to uncountable injuries and deaths.

The absence of a specialised animal hospital not only means that injured animals are often left without the care they need. With each passing day, the lack of proper medical facilities exacerbates the plight of injured native animals who suffer extensive trauma due to vehicle collisions and other injuries.

We propose the establishment of a community-led Native Animal Hospital and Care Centre at an accessible location in or near to the Goulburn Mulwaree Local Government Area, funded through community benefits and contributions from proponents involved in large projects in our region. 

Investing in such a facility would align with the broader commitments to environmental conservation and community responsibility. Similar initiatives have proven successful in regions with comparable issues, leading to improved animal welfare and heightened community engagement with local conservation efforts.

We call upon local authorities, community leaders, and stakeholders to recognise the urgency of this situation and to take immediate action. Funding from large-scale projects should be allocated as a priority to support this much-needed initiative, ensuring that wildlife conservation becomes an integral part of our community development.

Please join us in urging Goulburn Mulwaree Council, surrounding Local Government Areas, developers and regional leaders to make this vision a reality. Sign this petition and lend your voice to save and protect our native wildlife in their time of greatest need. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our precious native animals.