COOTAMUNDRA’S shabby old dog pound will be a thing of the past when council opens its safer, more secure pound on May 2.
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Unlike the old pound, the new pound has been designed to meet animal housing standards being invoked by the state government.
Quality and compliance officer Glenn McAtear said the $140000 upgrade is long overdue.
“Our pound now is an embarrassment, where they stay now isn’t pleasant,” he said.
It’s also a security hazard; animals have escaped and people have broken into the old pound.
In contrast the state of the art pound is visible from Gundagai Road, and has been equipped with security cameras, security lighting and burglar proof coro mesh fencing.
There’s an office space for rangers, and a bench where animals can be microchipped.
Finally there will be room to house cats, as there will be cages build inside the facility.
Conditions will be far more humane. There are eight individual pens for dogs, each with an undercover section and an open-air section, a raised self-watering bowl, raised food bowl and a heavy-duty bed.
“We’re using a product on the walls and doors that resists any sort of disease, the pens will be washed out regularly and the concrete seal we’re going to use will keep it tidy and clean and sterile,” Mr McAtear said.
Cootamundra’s pound, built by local tradesmen and council staff, will be complete on time for its open day on May 2.
“We built it fairly frugally,” Mr McAtear said, adding that Parkes Council had spent triple what Cootamundra spent when it built a similar pound five years ago.
Open Day
Mr McAtear welcomes residents to see it for themselves, as he will be hosting a tour of the new facility on its open day.
Residents will be offered a number of free veterinary services on the open day, funded by a $15000 state government grant.
Vets from both Cooper Street and Murray Street clinics will be offering free dental checks and free micro-chipping for dogs and cats.
Cootamundra Kennel Club will provide grooming lessons, a tracking tutorial and obedience training workshops.
No Saturday event is complete without a barbecue and “hopefully” a coffee van and there will be jumping castles and face painting for the kids.
At a similar event council recently micro-chipped 200 animals and distributed $75 vouchers for residents to spend on de-sexing their pets. If there are funds remaining from open day council plans to distribute more de-sexing vouchers.
