Useful links – pounds & other rescue groups

Jul 17, 2011

Domestic Animal Services (DAS)

The DAS office and shelter facilities are located on Mugga Lane, Symonston and can be contacted by phone 13 22 81 during business hours between 9:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:30am to 4:30pm Saturday.

To check Public Access hours to the Shelter please ring 13 22 81.

GPO Box 158
Canberra City ACT 2601
Telephone: 13 22 81
Fax: (02) 6207 2252
Email: dogcontrol@act.gov.au

Website: http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/pets/das

Emergency after hours contact for dog attacks or injured dogs and cats – 13 22 81

Queanbeyan Pound

Queanbeyan City Council Animal Pound is located on Old Sydney Road, Queanbeyan. It is open between 8.30am and 10am, 4pm – 5pm Monday to Friday and 1pm – 5pm on Saturdays.

Corner of Ellerton Drive and Old Sydney Road, Queanbeyan
Phone: 6285 6269
Fax: 6298 4666
Email: pound@qcc.nsw.gov.au

Website: http://www.qcc.nsw.gov.au/Council-Services/Animals/The-Pound

RSPCA

Website: http://rspca-act.org.au/

 

Operation Toby

Website: http://www.operationtoby.com.au/

Pet Rescue

Website: http://www.petrescue.com.au/

Dog Ownership

Do you need to rehome your dog?

Jun 26, 2011

People need to rehome their dog(s) for many reasons – a change in family circumstances, change in accommodation, moving interstate/overseas or simply because they can’t afford to keep them anymore.

Deciding that you need to rehome your dog is a difficult decision and ARF understands that it can be an emotional time. While ARF will help out the best that we can, it is important to remember that our objects state that our focus is on dogs at immanent risk of euthanasia – this usually means dogs in the pounds. ARF foster carers have limited space and it is rare that a carer will be able to take your dog into their homes for rehoming.

There are a number of things you should do prior to contacting ARF:

  • If you got your dog from a breeder, try contacting the breeder to see if they will take the dog back and rehome him or her.
  • Contact a breed specific rescue group. There are a number of rescue groups that concentrate on specific breeds and often have waiting lists of people wanting that type of dog.
  • Desex your dog. Your dog can then not be used for backyard breeding and is more likely to be chosen by a responsible pet owner.
  • Make a start on trying to re-home the dog yourself. Advertise him or her in the paper, on noticeboards and forums – it is best not to advertise your dog as free to good home. Ask a small fee to discourage uncommitted and unscrupulous people from responding to your advertisement. You can always donate the money to your favourite charity if you feel uncomfortable about accepting money.

ARF can help in the following ways:

  • ARF has an extensive and very successful poster network. This network has rehomed hundreds, if not thousands of dogs. Send us a photo of your dog, details including the dog’s name, age, breed, size, whether he or she is desexed, microchipped and vaccinated, as well as if he or she is good with kids, needs a friend and exercise requirements, along with your contact details and we can have a poster distributed very quickly.
  • If you are able to keep the dog in your home, then an ARF carer may be able to assist you with rehoming him or her. You will need to sign papers to surrender the dog to ARF and the carer will come and meet you and your dog to assess their requirements for a new home. The dog will be advertised on the ARF website and the foster carer will accept enquiries and decide on the right home for the dog.

You can take your dog to the pound and surrender him or her. Both Domestic Animal Services (DAS) and Queanbeyan Pound have low euthanasia rates and excellent relationships with rescue groups. ARF temperament tests the dogs at DAS each week and we do everything we can to find them a place in a rescue group, either locally or interstate.

ARF has assisted in the rescue of thousands of dogs from these pounds. However, the pound is a scary place for most dogs and this can cause your dog to display behaviours which are not conducive to them being adopted. There are also times that we do not have the resources to rescue your dog and if the pound is full, your dog may be euthanased after seven days. All options should be considered before surrendering your dog to the pound.

Finally, be realistic. If you have explored every avenue and have had no success then it might be kinder to take your dog to the vet and have him or her put to sleep while you hold them. Please never abandon your pet – this is one of the cruellest fates any domestic pet could meet. The danger, fear,and suffering they will encounter is heartbreaking even if they manage to survive at all.

Please contact committee@fosterdogs.org if you need help with rehoming your dog.

Also see: Useful links – pounds & other rescue groups

Dog Ownership

Benefits of adopting an ARF dog

Jun 22, 2011

There are many benefits to adopting a dog from ARF:

Saving a dog’s life – you are not only saving the dog you adopt, but making space for another one in the foster carer’s home and therefore at the pound. On the whole, many dogs in the pounds get put down after the required legislative period (7 days) simply because there may not be enough room to keep them longer. Making space at a foster carer’s home means that another dog can be rescued from the pound.

Knowing what you are getting – the foster carer has looked after the dog in their own home, so you can ask about the dog’s personality, activity levels, likes and dislikes, behaviour, and training needs. You get to meet and interact with the dog in a ‘normal’ home environment, so you can get a better idea of how the dog will behave when you take him or her home.

Trial period – ARF offers a trial period to ensure you and your new dog are suited to each other. Your adoption fee will be refunded if you need to return the dog for any reason at all within three weeks, and the adoption agreement also specifies that the dog must be returned to ARF at any time in the future if for any reason at all the adoption doesn’t work out.

Companion ready – ARF re-homes dogs of all ages from puppies to senior citizens (who are usually a little cheaper to adopt).  All ARF dogs are microchipped, desexed, vaccinated, wormed and health-checked. Your adoption fee covers part of these costs and the rest are subsidized by ARF through fundraising and donations.

We love dogs and want to make it easy for the new owners and make sure the dogs get a head start with the best care possible. Donations to help us with costs are always very welcome and appreciated.

Setting a good example – adopting a rescue dog helps show your children, friends, and family that you care about dogs in need.

Help a volunteer organisation – all adoption fees and donations go directly to help ARF save more dogs.

Access to advice and help – you gain a contact (the foster carer) who knows your dog and other dogs well, who you can turn to for advice and who will also love receiving your ‘guess what my clever dog did today!’ emails.

Best interests at heart – foster carers are all volunteers and have no other motivation than to help save dogs and ensure that people are matched with dogs that are suitable.

A happy person with a happy dog is all we want!

Also see:

For general tips and hints see the About ARF page.

Please contact us if you would like any further information.

Dog Ownership

How much does an ARF dog cost?

Jun 22, 2011

ARF dogs are microchipped, desexed, vaccinated, wormed and health checked.

To help cover our costs, ARF asks an adoption fee of:

Puppies aged under 3mths (C3 vaccination) – $330 – includes puppy classes

Dogs aged 3mths to 8yrs (C5 vaccination) – $300

Dogs aged over 8yrs (C5 vaccination) – $150

The adoption fee contributes to veterinary and other standard rescue costs, although many of our dogs also require additional veterinary care for injuries or illnesses they have when we rescue them. This adds considerably to the vet costs associated with rescuing and re-homing each dog, and the rest of the money we need is made up from fundraising and donations.

Our foster carers also contribute large amounts of their own money to save and foster dogs. We are totally non-profit and all our members are volunteers.

Donations to help us with costs are always very welcome and appreciated.

Also see:

For general tips and hints see the About ARF page.

Please contact us if you would like any further information.

Dog Ownership

Veterinary hospitals that support ARF

Jun 9, 2011

ARF is grateful for the support of the following veterinary hospitals:

  • West Queanbeyan Vet Hospital Urriara Road, Queanbeyan (6297 5542)
  • Queanbeyan Veterinary Hospital, Yass Road, Queanbeyan (6299 2509)
  • Kambah Vet Hospital, Learmonth Drive, Kambah (6231 9918)
  • Small Friends Vet Hospital, Amaroo (6262 2233)
  • Peter Burgess, Limestone Avenue, Braddon (6247 8651)
  • Yass Vet Hospital, Laidlaw Street, Yass (6226 4444)
  • Wanniassa Hills Veterinary Clinic, Langdon Ave, Wanniassa (6231 5112) – only for foster carers in the Wanniassa area
  • Gables Veterinary Clinics:
    • Monash Clinic: 27 Barraclough Cres, Monash (6292 4569)
    • Karabar Clinic, Karabar Mall, Queanbeyan (6299 6808)
  • Canberra Vet Hospital, Lyneham (6241 3333)
  • Inner North Veterinary Hospital (6257 7577) 71 Ijong St Braddon

Also see:

For general tips and hints see the About ARF page.

 

Dog Ownership

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