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Who Created Death Row?
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Death Row Pets

Editorial: Response to ‘Death Row Pets' - Ch9 SUNDAY show

There’s been a lot of national media coverage this week (Sun 15 June 2008) on Ch9 and in the Sunday papers on the issue of dogs in pounds and shelters across the country. Basically the issue is about why so many animals continue to be dumped then killed.

We thought we’d give you our thoughts on the whole issue.
It’s certainly not the first time we’ve talked about this.  

Back in 2001 when we first tried to get concrete data on the number of dogs being euthanased – and couldn’t – because not all shelters keep data – we were horrified by what stats were available.  

They showed back then that the equivalent of many jumbo jet loads of former pets were being killed every year.

And they still are – despite the efforts of a lot of very caring people.

But there’s been a shift in the debate as a result of a very organised campaign by supporters of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s proposed legislation to ban the sale of animals in pet shops. 

The bill was due to be debated in Parliament last week but Ms Moore delayed it, so that it would occur AFTER a lengthy ‘cover story’ on Death Row pets on the well-respected ‘Sunday’ current affairs program on Channel 9. 

The Sunday team obviously went to a lot of trouble to try to include views from as many people as possible, including the RSPCA, Animal rescuers, the pet industry association, Vet groups, pet shop owners and even a ‘professional puppy farmer’.  All of whom agreed that there are some bad puppy breeders who should be identified and put out of business.

But they couldn’t agree on how those bad breeders should be stopped.  Clover Moore believes taking puppies out of shop windows is the answer.   But we don’t think it’s that simple because it does nothing to change the attitude of those in our society who think it’s ok to dump pets.

We’ve actually looked at all the available data and done some number crunching and compiled the info in a document entitled – Who Created Death Row?

And the facts are that the animals reaching shelters come from a tiny proportion of the population - just 1.2% who are 100% responsible for needless deaths.

So what will change those people’s opinion about pets being disposable?    We’ve put our thoughts in the document which is on our website – and we’d love it if you’d read it – then comment in our forum.

You don’t have to agree with us that’s absolutely fine. That’s what our forum is all about – free speech.

We are all on the same side – wanting the best for pets - it’s just that some people think their way of saving animals is better than say another group.

And we should point out that we’ve been inundated with messages of support from listeners who’ve already read our report.  Thank you – and we hope more people will read those messages too as there are some great suggestions how groups might compromise and work together.

One listener wrote – “Brilliant article about who is responsible for death row, now I have to re-think my support for Clover Moore

So – in a nutshell;  Let’s think about how and where animals are bred, think about how and where animals are sold and think very hard about what makes a person think it’s ok to dump an animal and how that thinking can be changed.

People aren’t perfect – but we can – if we work together be very, very smart.

Listen to this commentary here:


More Reading:
Who Created Death Row?

Discuss in our Forum
Death Row Pets

Drawing:' Doggy Death Dive' (c) 2001 info-tv.com & Matthew Colrain