After seven days, dogs left in the Dunedin City Council pound are destroyed, regardless of their temperament or suitability for adoption. Dog Rescue Dunedin was established in December last year to save these condemned creatures. Ellie Constantine finds out how the organisation is faring.
When Luke was found by a stranger on the Pineapple Track, he was underweight and suffering from conjunctivitis, but his foster parents soon saw through his poor exterior.
The 10-month-old curly coated retriever ridgeback is one of 28 dogs Dog Rescue Dunedin (DRD) has rehomed since it was established in December.
Joe and Colleen Callahan first met Luke when he occupied kennel three at the Dunedin City Council pound.
They contacted DRD to foster him, but after just one month, they will adopt him officially on Tuesday.
"We ended up adopting him because we fell for him," Mrs Callahan said.
Their foster story began after their Labrador retriever, Chocolate, died in October last year, and they saw a newspaper advertisement for DRD.
They contacted the organisation and were soon fostering a fox terrier called George. When he found a home in Reefton, they took on Luke, and just this week have started fostering a Jack Russell Labrador called Aztec.
"They are going to have a lot of fun," Mr Callahan said.
The dog lovers said the animals "filled a big gap" left by Chocolate, and they enjoyed lavishing attention on their pets, including leaving the television and lights on when they went to bed, or, in Mr Callahan's case, abandoning his spot in bed because Luke stretched out so much.
Mrs Callahan encouraged others to consider fostering dogs, especially as they had a choice of which animals they would take.
"No dog should be put to sleep because someone does not want them," she said.
DRD co-ordinator Jo Pollard said the Callahans were among 248 volunteers helping the organisation, and one of 30 foster homes.
The organisation was established in December last year when it signed a memorandum of understanding with the council to provide foster care, training, supervision and permanent homes for stray dogs which would otherwise be put down.
Earlier last year, SPCA Otago told the council it no longer wanted to be associated with euthanising dogs and would no longer accept dogs from the pound.
"The SPCA's attitude was that someone could set up a dog rescue, and I thought, 'Well, I guess that's going to be me because no-one else is going to do it.'
"I'm just really sad I didn't do it sooner because I think of all the terrible stories, and when you see them in the pound, you think, 'What a dreadful end for a family pet'," Dr Pollard said.
There was a "steady stream" of "good household dogs" going to the pound which were at risk of being put down if they were not claimed or adopted after seven days.
The council now informed DRD of animals suitable for rehoming, as dogs with breed or behavioural issues were still destroyed, and the organisation advertised their availability.
Dogs could be adopted directly from the pound for $100, which covered all costs including vaccination, desexing and microchipping, but if that did not happen, DRD took them.
They were "thoroughly assessed" and vet-checked before being matched with a suitable foster home.
The dogs were advertised on the internet and through public displays every weekend.
Along with fundraising, the displays allowed the dogs to be shown to the public, and each dog was on a roster to join the display.
Before adoption, there was an in-home trial to ensure the dog and owners suited each other.
However, foster care was resource-intensive and the group had plans to build a sanctuary for rescued dogs.
It planned to make a submission to the Dunedin City Council annual plan next week, seeking council land to build one.
Certain sites had already been identified, and Dr Pollard was hopeful the sanctuary could be built by the end of the year.
"We are not keen on the traditional kennel environment because the dogs can become institutionalised.
"We are thinking more of a home-based sanctuary where the dogs are allowed to behave as normal house-hold pets.
"[But] we would still have the capacity to foster care as needed."
Not only would the sanctuary be good for the dogs, but it would allow the public a central location to view dogs for adoption, rather than driving between foster homes.
She expected a "doggy daycare" facility and boarding facility would be included in the sanctuary to "provide some income".
The organisation was "fundraising continuously", including a street appeal last week which raised $8500, but with vet bills as big as $960 not uncommon, and $300 petrol bills to maintain the foster network, money was tight.
Several supporters, including Malcam Charitable Trust, and the Otago Polytechnic, were backing DRD's work, but with a charitable trust registration pending, funding grants would be sought.
Along with saving dogs and building a sanctuary for them, DRD's other main mission was to promote desexing of dogs.
"There are far too many sexed dogs in Dunedin. We are the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff at the moment," Dr Pollard said.
It was hoped the organisation could provide "cheap desexing" at some point in the future, to go alongside programmes the council and the Royal Humane Society offered.
Despite the many challenges DRD faced, Dr Pollard, along with her fellow co-ordinator and dog handler Michelle Hagar, was committed to continue making an "enormous difference" to condemned dogs.
"The generosity and support that dog rescue has had since I've been involved has been overwhelming. The support is amazing.
"We have rehomed at least 28 dogs so there is a need: people want dogs in Dunedin," Ms Hagar said.
For more information visit www.dogrescuedunedin.co.nz
Wishlist
Dog Rescue Dunedin's donation wishlist:
- Vehicle.
- Sanctuary.
- Fridge/freezer.
- Table for their stall.
- Collars and leads.
- Lockable donation containers.
- Donations for desexing.
- Good-quality dog and puppy food.
