RSPCA states, “You can help RSPCA NSW create a world where animals can enjoy a life safeguarded by five important freedoms.”

We matched up RSPCA’s five important freedoms with outcomes from the NSW Animal Welfare Code of Practice, which states that Council Pounds “must comply with the standards of this code”.

RSPCA: 5. Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering." 

Code of Practice: “Dogs must have the opportunity to exercise. Exercise can be provided by allowing dogs access to an exercise yard for at least 10 minutes twice daily or walking dogs on a lead for at least 10 minutes twice daily.”

There is one completed dog exercise yard at Wagga Pound. For many months before this exercise yard was completed, many of the dogs were in their cages 24/7, with the floor left wet. Both RSPCA's Freedom No. 5 and the Code of Practice were not met.

We would very much like to see some more exercise yards being built that are practical in design and easy to clean. The current yard is grass which is difficult to sanitise – we would like all yards to be concrete for hygiene reasons, especially to avoid the spread of parvovirus. Dr Michelsen recommends, “One to three dog exercise areas in line with the recommendations of the POCTA draft act (Part 4, 18, 2) would allow improved exercise possibilities for dogs and reduce the staffing required to exercise dogs.”

Until all of Dr Michelsen’s recommendations are implemented we do not consider that the past has been properly addressed. In his Review Dr Michelsen made these suggestions in regards to Wagga Pound and the future:

“Ideally a plan should be developed to ensure the recommended improvements and changes are implemented and resourced appropriately over the next 1-2 years.”

“Ideally a formal plan will be drafted with targeted goals and time lines.”

We have repeatedly asked Wagga Council for their “work plan” and budget for the financial years 2017/18 and 2018/19. We have as yet to receive these “work plans”. When we went to media in 2016 Wagga Council placed on its website the proposed improvements and budget for Wagga Pound. It also placed on its website the completed improvements. We think this is a good idea. This should continue as it would show Council’s ongoing commitment to Wagga Pound. We think it would also hold Wagga Council accountable as to how ratepayers’ money is being spent. We have seen the money that has been spent at Wagga Pound by Council fixing issues that should not have occurred, e.g. fixing the drainage in the brand new dog kennels, installing automatic water drinkers, fixing the in-floor heating, etc. Why is there no separate quarantine area? Why are the drains next to the public walkway, meaning the walkway has to be manually dried daily? These all should have been considered in the original design.

Wagga Council also listed a “Facility Masterplan” as one of its improvements in 2016 and provided a $3000 budget for this to be developed. It is over 2 years since this was proposed. We inquired again about the “Facility Masterplan” in early September 2018. We have not received a reply. We consider the “Masterplan” important as it would show Wagga Council’s commitment for future plans, targeted goals and a time frame for improvements to be implemented at Wagga Pound. If there is a “Masterplan”, we think then Council’s “work plans” could easily be developed from this. We find it very disappointing that it is nearly 2 and ½ years since Wagga Council proposed this “Masterplan”, yet we have not seen this or the “work plans” for Wagga Pound. We do question Council’s commitment to Wagga Pound.

We would like to see all of Dr Michelsen’s recommendations implemented at Wagga Pound. After the inappropriate treatment some of the animals received for so many years at Wagga Pound, we think Wagga Council needs to show commitment, transparency and accountability. This includes Council’s plans for Wagga Pound.

We will never accept that when the RSPCA Inspector visited Wagga Pound on more than one occasion, that Council stated, " … an inspector from the RSPCA has visited the animal shelter… the inspector identified no issues relative to the condition the animals are in during their time at the shelter." We cannot understand how this is possible given practices that we witnessed at the pound, the requirements of the NSW Animal Welfare Code of Practice and POCTA.

We are aware that Wagga Pound has improved and that there have been some staff changes. However we find the following concerning:

- That Wagga Council allowed the inappropriate treatment of some animals to continue for so many years and that it took media exposure to bring about changes.

- That no one appears to be held accountable for the inappropriate treatment of some of the animals at Wagga Pound or that legislation was not adhered to.

- That many incidents, e.g. the frozen cat, have not been thoroughly investigated by Council.

- That Council has given so many conflicting and misleading statements.   

- That so many of our questions remain unanswered.

- That the holiday period of 2016/17 had no new animals entered on the Impound Register. This is an anomaly. From the Impound Registers that we obtained under GIPA, new animals have always been entered during the holiday period. What happened in 2016/17?

- That Wagga Council has given inaccurate information to the public and to the media, e.g. that a volunteer took a photo of an animal and placed it on social media. This lie has never been addressed.

- That the RSPCA has not replied to our correspondence.

- That the RSPCA was asked by Wagga Council on more than one occasion for a written report on its investigations/conclusions, but this report has not been given to Wagga Council. When the RSPCA carries out an investigation into a Council pound it should be held accountable by supplying a written report. Otherwise what record is there of RSPCA’s investigations, findings, conclusions and recommendations. We are aware of the incorrect information the RSPCA gave to the DPI that a volunteer placed Saviour into the freezer. How is such a mistake even possible if a thorough investigation had been carried out by the RSPCA?

- That as the RSPCA is a charity and GIPA is not applicable, there should be an independent government body that monitors Council pounds and investigates animal welfare issues. We think as a community we should not have to rely on a charity to investigate animal welfare issues.

We have been informed by Wagga Council several times they do not wish to discuss the past. We do not agree with this. Just because something happened in the past does not preclude it from being properly investigated. Unless the past is properly addressed the issues remain. Otherwise where is the justice for what occurred?