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Domestic Animal Services Dogs ... Deserve Daily Walks November 2010
Domestic Animal Services Dogs ... Deserve Daily Walks November 2010
New Coordinator for DAS Volunteers
I have the privilege to have been appointed as the new
DAS Volunteer Coordinator. The new role will work in
well with existing duties in animal welfare policy advice
and administration of the Animal Welfare Act 1992.
Over the last couple of weeks I have been working
behind the scenes examining a number of issues and
talking with many of you about problems experienced
volunteering with DAS. I would like to take this
opportunity to wholeheartedly thank Di Johnstone
for all her efforts in keeping the volunteer program
operating at DAS. I know I can rely on Di to continue her
good work in assisting both dogs and humans involved
with DAS.
Some of you may remember me from the years I spent
with RSPCA as their Executive Officer and will know I
am no stranger to the world of dogs or to volunteering.
While the environment at DAS is more regulatory in
nature many of the issues remain the same. In particular,
dogs that are locked up in enclosures with no exercise
and little stimulation run the risk of suffering mental
anxiety and, at its worst, this can result in dogs going
‘kennel crazy’, often resulting in both mental and physical damage. Volunteers with DAS are there to prevent this from happening and
more.
DAS has probably the best re-homing rate of any government operated pound in Australia. With the help of staff, volunteers and rescue
organisations such as ARF, just over 96% of dogs received by DAS were returned to their homes or found new homes, last year. A truly
amazing result that you can all be proud of !
My role is to coordinate volunteer services and to be available to discuss issues as they may arise. I am not based at DAS but will be on
site early Monday mornings, Wednesday mornings and as required at other times.
I can be contacted by phone on 6207 2249 mornings only, or by email – simon.tadd@act.gov.au any time.
Current volunteers should have received a letter inviting them to a meeting held on 8 November, and an email concerning the new
roster. If you are currently volunteering at DAS (or would like to join us in the future!) and have not received any communication, please
send me a quick email so you can be included in the future.
In the accompanying picture you can see my two lovely dogs, Ellie (Elk Hound X) and Bonnie (anyone’s guess really). Unfortunately, I
failed to get all my animals in the one photo. I managed to get both dogs, both cats and most of my chooks on or next to me – even
though they all get on extremely well, this lasted for about a second before chooks flapped and made a mess of me, startling the cats
and disturbing the dogs – well at least I tried….
I look forward to meeting you all on the trail or at this year’s Christmas party (details soon).
— Simon Tadd
Letter from the Editor In this issue we feature ARF’s temperament
testing of DAS dogs. ARF assessments are
We remind dog owners of their
responsibilities during holiday periods and
In very welcome news, our new Volunteer important for the public who adopt dogs advise of a great book about taking your dog
Coordinator, Simon Tadd has started and direct from DAS and for volunteers. with you!
has already met with some volunteers. You Volunteers and rescue groups are keen to And there are the regular items with an
can read about Simon and his plans for the ensure that the Canberra community knows important message from DAS about the
volunteer program. there are many lovely dogs at DAS that need ongoing problem of Parvo.
to be re-homed to caring homes. We feature
We were also encouraged that senior TAMS a calendar with photos of some of the dogs
officers met with volunteers on 8 November
and expressed strong support for the
rescued by ARF from DAS. Dogs at DAS
available for re-homing are, as volunteers
Di Johnstone
volunteer program. know, beautiful friendly dogs. DAS Volunteer and Editor
DAS dogs star in
ARF calendar
Leo and Sally
As volunteers know there are lots of lovely dogs at DAS that need
With the holiday season approaching, responsible new homes. Some are adopted directly by the public from DAS;
dog owners will be worrying about arrangements others are re-homed through rescue groups. One of the thousands
for the care of their dogs while they are away. of dogs that ARF has re-homed is Bobby, ARF’s 2011 calendar cover
But leaving dogs in good care is only one solution. boy. ARF’s 2011 calendar features photos of beautiful rescued dogs
Another is to take our beloved pooches with us. This of all shapes and sizes. Do buy the calendar and help support ARF
wonderful book is a guide to how you can do this. and its important work. It’s available via ARF’s website
www.fosterdogs.org
There was a time when taking a dog with you on
holiday was practically impossible. But now there
are an extraordinary number and range of places Volunteer Supplies
across Australia that allow, and in some cases
actively encourage, you to take your pets. The following volunteer supplies have been purchased from the
$500 provided to DAS volunteers by the Chief Minister. There are 9
Now in a newly published 11th edition (for
new collars, 16 good quality woven leads (with thanks to the RSPCA
2011/12), this enormously popular guide takes
for providing these at cost), 20 new Doglovers printed heavy duty
you to the places in Australia, over 2000 of these,
T-shirts and several bags of liver pieces as training aids.
where you can take your dog, whether it is beaches,
In addition Paul Mlakar of Mlakar Signs has very generously donated
forests, farms, holiday cottages, caravan parks or
over 200 beautiful new magnetized ‘day’ signs for the kennels.
motels.
DAS will keep the first aid kit up to date—this is an OHS issue—and
There is a bit of planning involved, and you always provide antiseptic wash for volunteers.
need to check about the requirements of the
accommodation before you set off. ‘Holidaying with
Dogs’ also gives you helpful advice on how to travel Ask the Registrar
safely and responsibly with pets.
Where can DAS volunteers find the new leads and collars?
If you really can’t take your dog, there are also The leads and collars are in a bag in the drawer at the front counter of
names of many potential pet sitters. DAS reception.
No dog owner should be without this book. Ask for Can volunteers give dogs treats?
it at your favourite book store or check out No, treats—especially bones can block the waste disposal system in
www.holidayingwithdogs.com.au the kennels and cause hygiene problems.
(Editor’s note: I have taken a dog on holiday to Pub What will be the arrangements for volunteers over the Christmas/
Hill Farm, Narooma and to Mogendoura Farm, near New Year period?
Moruya, both featured in this book. They were both These arrangements will be made by the Volunteer Coordinator
great places for dogs. Pub Hill Farm gets a ‘five paw’ Simon Tadd.
rating.)
The major Canberra-based dog rescue organisations working cooperatively with DAS are:
RSPCA ACT Canberra Pooch Rescue
www.rspca-act.org.au www.canberrapoochrescue.org.au
ACT Rescue and Foster Inc. CARA
www.fosterdogs.org www.companionrescue.org.au
A number of breed-specific organisations also rescue dogs from DAS.
Feature Article
Temperament Testing
By Beverley Margosis: ARF/DAS Liaison Officer, ARF Temperament Tester and ARF Foster Carer
Every Saturday a dedicated team of ARF (ACT Rescue and Foster Inc) testers turns up at DAS to test the next group of dogs
that have made the dreaded euthanasia list. In all weathers the team will test each dog in exactly the same way. This test is
designed not to ‘fail’ the dogs but to give the rescuers the best information we can gather regarding the dog’s temperament.
Obviously we are completely aware that DAS is not the most perfect testing environment but we do what we can. Generally
each test takes about 10 minutes to perform and it will give us information which we then use when we write up a paper
profile sheet for the dog’s cage; we also put the temperament test results up onto our own rescue forum and then on to
Dogzonline in the hope that the lovely needies receive rescue or a forever home directly from the pound.
The test enables us to see many different but important sides of the hound in need. For example we test for food aggression.
We perform this test by firstly putting a bowl of dry food down to see if the dog engages and begins to eat. If it does we
approach with a hand on a stick and put the
hand in the bowl. Then we run it over the dog’s
head and along the body. We finish by trying
to push the dog’s head out of the bowl. This is
not done forcefully but it is done firmly. In an
ideal world the dog would move away from the
bowl completely. The most common response
we see is that they just continue to eat and
seem unfazed by the hand being there. In more
unusual circumstances we have had a dog snap
quite aggressively at the hand. Again this does
not mean that the dog has not passed that part
of the test but what it does do is arm a foster
carer with more information about behaviours
that will need to be modified prior to the dog’s
rehoming back into the community. We also test
for dog to dog introductions. This is done as I
believe it is probably the most important part
of the test. Most rescuers have their own dogs
and potential forever homes would desire a
social dog that they did not have to worry about
bad behaviour in public or at home. Another
important factor is our trainability section. We
assess how responsive the dog is to toys, food
and pats; we check to see if there is any basic
training present. By checking for trainability we
are able to learn what motivates the dog and
also how receptive it is so we can iron out any
issues with training. These and other tests will be
explained further in future newsletters.
Every Saturday when we have received our list
we place an ARF magnet on the dogs’ cages so
that DAS Volunteer Walkers know that we need
to test the dog. This is because we need to test
the dogs before they have a walk.
Every ARF tester has dog experience. We use
a format for our testing that was devised
by Underdog Training and we do extensive
Beverley Margosis with Tai who has been rehomed to a beautiful home through ARF weekend workshops with them on a regular
basis so that we are up to date and informed.
Most temperament testers are also foster carers who all own dogs and have done for quite some time. We all use our
experience to help us bond with and test each dog that we have out.
ARF’s main objective in performing these tests is to ensure that our carers and other rescue groups in Canberra are rehoming
dogs that are safe to be housed back out into the community. Our ARF testing notices on the cage for each tested dog help
the public to know a little bit about each dog’s personality and needs. This helps them make the right decision when having a
new canine companion join their family.
For further information about ARF visit: www.fosterdogs.org
An important me
ss age from DAS
From 2 Novembe
r 2010, DAS has be
staffed with its au en fully
thorised strength
and negotiations of Rangers,
are underway with
DASNEWS
proactive joint op the AFP for
erations in the ne
Despite recent qu ar future.
arantine periods du
DAS operations in e to parvovirus,
DASNEWS
the field have cont
normal. Between inued as
19 June 2010 and
a total of 596 dogs 31 October 2010
were impounded
DASNEWS
From 13 Septembe at the facility.
r 2010 all dogs en
facility are being C3 tering the
vaccinated agains
t parvovirus.
DASNEWS
Vets advise that th
e parvovirus is pa
virulent at the mom rticularly
ent and is difficult
DASNEWS
from the commun to remove
ity if vaccination le
fall below 70%. Va vels of dogs
ccination is the be
to protect dogs ag st insurance
ainst the virus. Pu
extremely suscep ppies are
tible to the virus an
full course of vacc d need the
inations at 6, 12 an
to ensure adequa d 16 weeks
te protection. If th
action is not follow is course of
ed, vaccination of
be unsuccessful, du puppies can
e to antibodies in
milk. A single vacc their mother’s
ination at 6 weeks
neutralised by the can be fully
for the DAS antibodies, and if
For public access hours of vaccinations is
not followed, a pu
the full course
ristmas
office and shelter over Ch unprotected. ppy can be
t the DAS
and New Year, check ou
ct.gov.au/ It is important for
website on www.tams.a a dog’s protection
al_services vaccination regim that its
live/pets/domestic_anim e is kept current.
are
At holiday times, far too many dogs
ay
found straying. If you plan to go aw
during the holidays, you should ensure
you make reliable arrangements for
your dog with a responsible carer.
To become a volunteer
Telephone 6207 2249
Domestic Animal Services (DAS) works to ensure the welfare of domestic For more information
animals in the Territory. The DAS facilities at Mugga Lane, Symonston cater Telephone: 13 22 81
for dogs found roaming, straying or lost in the ACT. Fax: (02) 6207 2252
Email: dogcontrol@act.gov.au
detach here
Comments—please tear off and leave at DAS reception with any views, suggestions, or questions for the editor.
