Council pounces, stripping Lort Smith of its pound status
Victoria's largest animal hospital has been banned from finding new homes for cats and dogs lost in the City of Melbourne, as local pounds brace for a sharp increase in the number of pets dumped over Christmas.
After helping to rehouse abandoned pets for the past 75 years, Lort Smith Animal Hospital has suddenly been ordered by Melbourne City Council to transfer all seized animals to a North Melbourne pound.
A council spokesman said the respected animal hospital had no formal agreement with council and had breached Victoria's Domestic Animals Act.
"The Lort Smith Animal Hospital has now understood the requirements of the act.
"They are now reviewing the animals they had in custody and returning them to respective council pounds in accordance with their legal requirements," the spokesman said.
RSPCA president Hugh Wirth slammed the decision as ridiculous and unnecessarily bureaucratic. He said the situation could have been easily rectified, without the council's heavy-handed response.
Kae Norman, animal advocate and founder of Rescued with Love, criticised the timing of the council order.
"To remove a service that finds homes for lost dogs and cats before Christmas will place enormous strain on other groups attempting to fill the breach," Ms Norman said.
She said the Lort Smith shelter had worked closely with the Pets at Home program, which helped rehouse stray animals through pet shops and reduced reliance on puppy mills and backyard breeders.
Lort Smith director of development Cath Hoban said the animal hospital was unaware it could not house and rehome seized animals under its shelter licence.
"It has been brought to our attention that we can no longer provide pound services under our shelter licence," she said.
"Lost animals seized by council rangers or members of the public and brought to Lort Smith will be treated and cared for in the first instance and then transferred as soon as practicable to the appropriate facility," Ms Hoban said.
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Breaking News!
The Lort Smith Animal Shelter will be able to accept lost, abandoned and mistreated animals over the busy holiday period.
Melbourne City and the State Government have reached agreement with the Lort Smith Animal Hospital to grant interim pound status to the hospital during the Christmas and New Year period.
Lort Smith CEO, Ric Holland, announced “We are pleased that the City of Melbourne has acknowledged our significant contribution in the provision of animal welfare services and are confident we can work together towards securing a more permanent solution. This will enable us to continue to provide quality care for lost, abandoned, injured, sick and mistreated animals”
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