Animal Welfare Centre: next stages

The first stage of the kennel redevelopment at Hastings District Council’s pound is all but finished.

The final coat of resin was applied to the floor today (July 2), and the painters will be back to finish next week. The kennel doors will go on in the same week.

The next priorities are to start on the rebuild of the other half of the kennelling facility and set up an animal welfare advisory committee.

Animal Welfare Centre manager John Payne said all elements of the development project are on budget and on time.

“We have had to prioritise work, and among the first jobs had to be upgrading the facilities the dogs have to stay in if they land up in our care.”

Within the next month he will be calling for interested parties to nominate suitably qualified members to sit on the welfare committee. The total membership will be made up of two Hastings councillors, one council staff member, a Ministry of Primary Industries representative and three representatives from animal welfare charities.

Mr Payne said the sorts of things that committee might consider could be the philosophy of dog control - education versus enforcement, the welfare of impounded animals in the areas of adoption, exercise and feeding, the content of education programmes, and disaster planning.

The details will be finalised once the committee membership has been established.

The new review panel that hears objections to owner and dog classifications was ratified by council last week and, as required by legislation, is made up of members of the council’s hearings committee.

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