Report in response to the SPCA AWS 130 Instruction to Prevent or Mitigate Suffering
Pursuant to section 130(1)(b) – Animal Welfare Act 1999
On the 31 October 2017 the Far North District Councils Northern Dog Withholding Facility
(Pound) located in Bonnetts Road; Kaitaia was subject to a random inspection by a Certified
Inspector of the SPCA .
This inspection was a follow up to an earlier inspection carried out by the SPCA in
September of 2016.
The subsequent report received from the SPCA outlined five (5) areas or points that are
required to be addressed but is not limited to those points.
The Five points outlined for consideration
(paraphrased ) are:
1) Record keeping on entry that provides for:
a. identification of the dog and any injuries through a photograph
b. Weight and or body score
c. Vet assessment notes
(if applicable)
2) Process for recording on-going welfare and/or care including:
a. Daily recording noting observations and care
3) Process for response protocols in the event of:
a. Disease outbreak; injury; dog fight/attack in the facility; fire – in relation to the
health and safety of the impounded dogs
4) Process that outlines a daily exercise regime for each impounded dog that meets
health and behaviour needs.
5) Kennel construction that addresses a visual barrier or separator between kennels
which will assist in negating aggressive behaviour and distress
6) The report also required the Far North District Council (FNDC) to provide a response
within 72 hours from the time of inspection that would show how the FNDC would
address the points noted in the report and provided guidance in terms of the
response with reference to the Dog Control Act 1996 section 67 along with the NZ
Animal Welfare Codes of Conduct.
A meeting with the SPCA representative for the Far North District was held on 20 February
to address the areas of the Councils response to the report that the SPCA felt required
further explanation as to how FNDC planned to implement any required improvements.
This report addresses that requirement.
Report Response
SPCA
Point 1: Record keeping on entry that provides for:
a. identification of the dog and any injuries through a photograph
b. Weight and or body score
c. Vet assessment notes
(if applicable)
FNDC
The FNDC currently record the entry of all dogs into its pound facility.
The record includes the dog’s description, identification (if known), ownership (if
known), entry details, reason for impounding and dog condition on entry.
The current system of recording also provides for any Vet treatment that may be
applicable.
A photograph of the dog is also taken on entry to the facility and this accompanies
the Impound Record. This information is also stored digitally.
To improve this record the FNDC will refer to the Nestle Purina Body Condition
System (attached) which is also used in other Territorial Authority Dog Pounds
(Auckland is one example) as a guide to condition and will be recorded as such
against the dog.
SPCA
Point 2: Process for recording on-going welfare and/or care including:
a. Daily recording noting observations and care
FNDC
The FNDC currently seek registered veterinarian advice for sick or injured animals both on
entry and during confinement.
The FNDC have improved this by way of making provision to record the individual dog’s
daily welfare and/or care by way of noting some observations.
A Template for this recording is attached and will be connected to the Impound Record
Sheet.
The Impounding SOP will be amended to reflect this updated requirement
SPCA
Point 3: Process for response protocols in the event of:
a. Disease outbreak; injury; dog fight/attack in the facility; fire – in relation to the
health and safety of the impounded dogs
FNDC
Disease Outbreak:
The Impounding SOP will be amended to reflect protocols for Disease Outbreak.
In the absence of the SPCA report providing guidelines as to what is a “disease
outbreak” one of the Ministry of Health’s definition of a disease outbreak is “The
occurrence of a disease or health event in excess of the expected number of cases
for a given place and time”.
To place this definition into a dog Pound situation the FNDC will be able to – through
the daily observation of dogs – identify cases where a disease such as Parvovirus
occurs in excess of the expectation for a Pound which could be benchmarked by way
of other Territorial Authority dog pound incidences.
Any such observations will result in a Registered Veterinarian being consulted to
provide an official assessment in the first instance.
Should that assessment result in the situation be categorised as a “Disease
Outbreak” FNDC wil test all dogs and organise for unaffected dogs to be transferred
to an approved facility. Affected dogs will be under the authority of a Registered
Veterinarian who has practises and protocols for dealing with “disease outbreaks” in
animals and for FNDC will be guided by.
Injury:
All dogs will be assessed for physical injury
prior to being impounded or as soon as
practicable after being impounded by an Animal Management Officer and if found
applicable a Registered Veterinarian will be consulted.
All dogs will be assessed for physical injury
after being impounded and a record will
be kept of any injury that may be sustained. As soon as practicable after an Animal
Management Officer has observed any such injury, and if found applicable, a
Registered Veterinarian will be consulted.
A daily record sheet is attached.
Dog Fight/Attack within Facility
The opportunity for this to occur has been addressed by way of solid partitions
between the dogs Pens. In the case of the Southern Pound free standing kennels
there is a distance between the kennels to prevent any such contact.
All dogs handled within the facility will be on a dog pole thereby eliminating
opportunities of contact with other dogs.
In the unlikely event a dog escapes its own compound and does get into a dog fight
with another dog the Officers will seek immediate veterinarian attention and record
the incident. As the facility is unmanned any such incident will be addressed upon
Officers attendance and the method of “escape” wil be identified and rectified.
Fire
The facility is unmanned however a fire extinguisher will be located within the facility.
The kennels themselves are not individually locked which allows for easier re-
location of the dogs should this be necessary.
SPCA
Point 4: Process that outlines a daily exercise regime for each impounded dog that meets
health and behaviour needs.
FNDC
At this point there is no process to address daily exercise for each impounded dog
however it is intended that the Northern facility will remain open with 12 internal
kennels and that the fenced off compound will be used for exercising dogs that are
required to be held for longer periods than the mandatory 7 seven days e.g.
prosecution and adoption.
The FNDC is committed to providing a dog withholding facility that satisfies all requirements
for dog’s safety and wellbeing whilst kept in the charge of the FNDC.
The FNDC is also committed to working collaboratively with the SPCA to achieve this result.
