Mount Isa City Council has reduced adoption fees to assist non-for-profit organisations to relocate stray and surrendered animals.
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Council adopted the new fees during the July 24 ordinary council meeting, after animal rescue groups pleaded for more affordable pricing.
MICC manager of compliance and utilities services Stephen Wagner said following a consultation with animal rescue groups, council decided to introduce a new animal-friendly fee structure for the sale of dogs and cats at the Animal Management Facility and to assist with re-homing rates.
"Council believes the new animal-friendly fee structure will better align with the operations of animal rescue groups, to ensure they are able to continue providing their services in our community," Mr Wagner said.
"The new animal-friendly fee structure assists with the long-term wellbeing of animals in our care.
"This promotes animal rescue groups to have first choice of these animals, with many animals being re-homed throughout Australia, not just Mount Isa."
Mr Wagner said pricing has not only "reduced dramatically" but also allowed a degree of choice of services that council offer.
"It is important that each animal is microchipped before leaving our facility so that if an animal is lost it can be returned to its owner in a timely manner," he said.
For animal welfare organisations the sale of an entire non-microchipped dog (price includes a desexing voucher, microchip voucher and free registration) was $469.00 but is now reduced to $400. Meanwhile the sale of an entire non-microchipped cat (price includes a desexing voucher, microchip voucher and free registration) was $254.00 is now $192.
Mount Isa animal welfare organisation, Paws, Hoofs and Claws were very pleased with the change. President Sue Carson said this was the first year where council had offered a discount option.
"Before these changes when we went through the avenue of getting a dog desexed through council, it would cost us more because we wanted to choose a vet of our choice but now we have the option of not doing that and organising our own desexing and simply pay for microchip and registration," Ms Carson said.
"This will be better for us in the long run, as any reduction in costs is a win for us. Being given a discount is a big move forward.
"There is new personnel at the pound and they are working very hard with us, then we have seen in the past."
Of the 500 animals PHC rescue each year, about 160 of them came from the MICC Animal Management Facility.
"We try to save as many animals as we can," Ms Carson said.
"The good thing is that there is a massive network of rescue groups hooked into the Mount Isa pound, who will also receive this discount.
"Their vision is to save as many animals from high-kill pounds as possible and now we are seeing lost of animal travel from Mount Isa to this multitude of rescue groups."
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Samantha Campbell
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
