By Tyler Redway
THE South East Animal Welfare League (SEAWL) has recently experienced a full house in the dog kennels for the first time in three years, which has prompted the temporary closure of the shelter’s public dog surrenders.
SEAWL volunteer Trina Twilley said it was a matter of 10 days that passed to fill the shelter to capacity of 14 dogs, while adding that the shelter would be closed until everything can get back to normal.
“We can’t even say when we’re going be open again for owner surrenders,” Ms Twilley said.
“It depends on our day to day basis, if we get another four or five council dogs in a row, we could easily fill up.”
Ms Twilley said that the surrender of cats would still be open, while asking about the urgency of surrenders to people who were looking to do so.
“If it’s not urgent then they’re quite welcome to go on a waiting list,” she said.
“I know that this time of year is usually fairly slow with adoptions because of the weather and everything.
“When you already have dogs sitting here a while, this doesn’t really help either.”
SEAWL volunteer Marina Perkovic said the dogs which were coming in weren’t limited to surrenders, but also applied to dogs in emergency care and dogs handed over by the council.
“The surrenders were because of housing and unable to find a house or a rental with a dog,” Ms Perkovic said.
“It was just all of a sudden with owner surrenders and then a whole bunch of council dogs.
“Everything has a massive paper trail with people having to transfer the microchip, their name and registration.”
Ms Perkovic added that the shelter advises people to use SEAWL as a last resort after looking for other options to rehome their pets such as friends, family and other shelter programs.
“If anyone is looking for a dog for a forever friend and family member, give us a call and come meet what we’ve got out here,” Ms Twilley said.
