The ACT Government and the RSPCA are set on building the new RSPCA’s facility in Piallago, west of the airport.

The proposed location is located under the light aircraft flight path and within the emergency landing zone. It is just opposite of the Duntroon Royal Military College and ADFA, and right by the Duntroon Sport fields, frequently used by ADFA for training and parade practice, and for larger sport events.

The proposed location is prone to frequent firearm and canon noise, flypasts of military aircraft and fighter jets, daily noise from light aircraft taxing, and shooting from both the nearby pistol club and shooting range are audible most days. Lakeside military celebrations with canon shots, gun shot salutes and firework displays at the lake are all highly audible in that location. Given the hearing of those animals is much finer than ours chances are they will hear them even in the proposed insulated enclosures. 

Fireworks have been banned due to the RSPCA’s concern on domestic animal welfare yet they wish to build their new facility in a location prone to frequent military activities, where Canberra’s lakeside firework displays are highly audible.

While I strongly support an upgrade to the current RSPCA facilities and support the RSPCA’s push to move to a more suitable and larger location, as an animal and dog lover I don’t think this to be an acceptable location for their new facility. Rescued animals are already stressed and anxious in an animal shelter environment. Adding the additional stress of unknown frequent noise that is already audible to the human ear will add additional stress to them. Some might argue they will get used to the frequent noise but given the, often high, intake of new animals this is highly unlikely. It only takes one scared, nervous dog to scare others.

Apart from the constant noise of light aircraft taking off/landing it also seems risky to propose to build the new facility within the emergency landing zone for light aircrafts when there are safer locations available for the RSPCA to move to. The proposed site is directly under the light aircraft take-off/landing flight path, with one aircraft crash and one emergency landing having already occurred in that location. 

While the proposed location might be very convenient to RSPCA staff I feel they ignored the suitability of the site for their most vulnerable members - their animals. Therefore, I ask the ACT Government to look at alternative locations to build the new RSPCA facility. 

If you agree that the currently proposed site is not suitable for the new RSPCA facility please add your signature.