At the Great Nundle Dog Races were reps from “Heaven Can Wait Animal Shelter”.
When the time comes to get a new dog/dogs I will be going to them.
They can be found on facebook or can be emailed at contact@heavencanwaitanimalshelter.com
The following is taken from Northern Daily Leader story:
DUMPED and homeless animals in Tamworth will have a second chance at life with a new animal rehoming organisation in Tamworth.
Tamworth woman Kate Davies is behind the newly announced Heaven Can Wait Animal Shelter, which has just announced a partnership with Society of Companion Animal Rescuers (SOCARES), an organisation currently affiliated with 12 rescue groups around the Hunter Valley and Central Coast.
With the long-term goal of a functioning animal shelter in Tamworth, the new organisation has 12 foster carers taking in dogs and cats that the Tamworth pound is no longer able to house.
Mrs Davies said she had been working for nearly eight months on the project and was excited and proud about being associated with SOCARES.
“A shelter is our long-term plan, but I’m happy for this at the moment. It now allows us to start saving these animals from the pound,” she said.
“It’s better than the alternative.”
The animal lover said microchipped animals had only 14 days to get reunited with their owners or rehomed at the Tamworth Regional Council facility, and un-microchipped animals got only seven days.
Mrs Davies said this is where her organisation would step in, taking the dogs and cats from the pound and delivering them to foster carers in the region.
“We are looking forward to having a good working relationship with the pound,” she said.
“No animal will be put down because we can’t find it a home.”
“Animals will only be put down if they suffer from serious health conditions.”
She said the pound would already have dealt with animals with behavioural problems or aggressive natures through their own entry procedures and did not expect to have to put these animals down through her organisation.
Mrs Davies said there was a huge hole left by Jean Medlock’s Tamworth Cat and Dog Refuge facility closure in June last year and she was working towards filling the gap.
Jean Medlock, who founded the Kootingal facility, said she supported the new organisation, but also believed the pound was doing all it could to rehome animals.
“I believe it’s a good idea as long as the foster carers are fully committed,” she said.
Saying she believed the council pound had “stepped up it’s game” since she had closed her doors, she spoke to them often and believed they were doing a huge amount to help rehome animals.
Mrs Medlock said she had always taken a “hands on approach” to rehoming animals, with up to 500 dogs and 250 cats given new homes through her facility each year.
“I used to get to know every dog and cat that came through my hands,” she said.
“Really it’s about the animals and their welfare, not about people.”
Mrs Medlock said pet owners needed to be more responsible, saying often dogs and cats were dumped at the pound in their later years, an act she said was irresponsible.
“These animals give you their life, to give you pleasure and guard you and that’s all they ask, for you to look after them in old age.”
Mrs Davies said the organisation’s aim was to address overflow issues at the pound by taking in healthy animals past their time limit that would otherwise be put down.
“We can only take as many as is responsible. We’re not going to overload our foster carers,” she said.
She said some carers were able to take more than others and depending on yard constraints could only accommodate cats or small dogs.
“If all of our carers are full, that means we have around 15 or 16 cats or dogs, maybe more.”
She said the animals would remain with their carers until a suitable home was found and was on the search for more people who wanted to open their homes to animals in need.
“We would love to hear from anyone that is able to foster for us. They need to be able to attend to the animal’s welfare, walk dogs and have a secure yard.”
Mrs Davies said the organisation would eventually provide food, but were asking carers to provide their own until a registered charity could be set up.
“It’s about four or six weeks away to be able to accept monetary donations. At the moment we’re accepting donations of food, blankets, bedding, worming treatments or collars through a donation point at Macawsome Pets in Tamworth.”
She said all pets available for adoption through Heaven Can Wait would be microchipped, vaccinated, wormed and desexed and the organisation would be using social media to advertise.
Please excuse washing reflected in background.
