{"id":764606,"date":"2021-08-22T08:15:04","date_gmt":"2021-08-22T12:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/animalrightswatch.us\/?p=764606"},"modified":"2021-08-22T08:46:13","modified_gmt":"2021-08-22T12:46:13","slug":"the-diabolical-dogs-shot-dead-in-nsw-to-prevent-rescue-efforts-due-to-covid-19-travel-restrictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/animalrightswatch.us\/?p=764606","title":{"rendered":"THE DIABOLICAL: Dogs shot dead in NSW to prevent rescue efforts due to COVID-19 travel restrictions"},"content":{"rendered":"\t
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Several impounded dogs due to be rescued by a shelter have instead been shot dead to prevent volunteers at an animal shelter from traveling to pick up the animals.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\n

ANGUS THOMPSON:<\/strong> Several impounded dogs due to be rescued by a shelter have instead been shot dead by a rural council in New South Wales (NSW) under its interpretation of COVID-19 restrictions, alarming animal activists and prompting a government probe. Bourke Shire Council, in the state\u2019s north-west, killed the dogs to prevent volunteers at a Cobar-based animal shelter from traveling to pick up the animals last week, according to council\u2019s watchdog, the Office of Local Government (OLG)… A source who is familiar with the arrangement said the shelter volunteers are distressed and had COVID-safe measures in place to handle the dogs, one of which was a new mother.<\/p>\n

According to NSW Health, there have been no recent locally acquired COVID-19 cases in Cobar, although fragments of the virus have been found in the area\u2019s sewerage system. The Office of Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock, who has previously faced questions in Parliament over the shooting of animals in council pounds, did not comment. However, animal liberation campaigner Lisa Ryan called for an urgent investigation. \u201cWe are deeply distressed and completely appalled by this callous dog shooting and we totally reject council\u2019s unacceptable justifications that this killing was apparently undertaken as part of a COVID- safe plan,\u201d Ms Ryan, Animal Liberation\u2019s regional campaign manager, said…<\/p>\n

\u201cOLG has been informed that the council decided to take this course of action to protect its employees and community, including vulnerable Aboriginal populations, from the risk of COVID-19 transmission,\u201d a spokesman from the government agency said. The spokesman said the agency was examining the circumstances of the incident to find out whether companion animal and cruelty prevention laws had been broken…<\/p>\n

Asked during budget estimates in March whether she knew about councils shooting animals to euthanize them, Ms Hancock said she didn\u2019t… Greens animal welfare spokeswoman Abigail Boyd said the government had undertaken no action since the issues had been raised with Ms Hancock during the parliamentary hearing. \u201cWhile the Liberal-National government twiddles its thumbs on animal welfare issues, more animals are being killed,\u201d she said. SOURCE…<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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