Doglovers@DAS – October 2014
Letter from the Editor
Dear readers
With increasing numbers of older pet owners, our feature article highlights a community organisation helping keep older pet owners and their pets together. Do take a look at its resource-rich website and pass the article to anyone who is interested.
We have an item on a rescue group that cares for senior dogs who are often hard to re-home. We also have an alert about a current community consultation about pets on public transport. And don’t miss important information in DASNEWS about new legislation for dogs in the ACT.
Finally, with 2015 just around the corner, why not get prepared now - and buy the ARF calendar.
Happy volunteering!
Di Johnstone
DAS Volunteer and Editor
Good news for inner north dog owners!!
Inner north families and their furry four-legged friends – big and small – now have access to a new off-leash dog park! On Saturday 12 July, Shane Rattenbury, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, launched the newest fenced dog park for the ACT, off Fairfax Street in O’Connor.
The park is within walking distance to surrounding residential areas and provides an interesting terrain for dogs. It has seating and a bubbler for dog owners, along with a water source for dogs. Designated off-leash fenced parks provide a safe space where dogs can play with each other. They also give dog owners the chance to meet like-minded people who share a love of, and interest in, dogs.
O’Connor is the sixth off-leash dog park in the ACT. Other dog parks are located in Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Yarralumla, Casey and Forde. Since it opened, the O’Connor dog park has proven popular with residents both in the inner north and surrounding areas.
Pets on public transport
The ACT government is undertaking a community consultation on allowing pets on public transport as already happens in many places, including Sydney (www.sydneybuses.info/travelling-with-us/travelling-with-pets/travelling-with-animals.htm) and Melbourne(http://ptv.vic.gov.au/getting-around/luggage-bikes-and-animals/animals-on-public-transport/). To provide your feedback on the draft Carriage of Animals on Buses policy visit www.timetotalk.act.gov.au. This issue is especially important for pet owners who can no longer drive or those that don’t own or can’t afford a car and need to take a pet to the vet or want to access dog parks, public areas, clubs and events that allow pets. Help make it possible for Canberra’s pet owners to take (appropriate) pets on public transport. Consultation closes Friday 5 December 2014
Cherished Treasures: Senior and Special Needs Retirement
By Anna Faulkner, SSR
Seniors and Silky Rescue (SSR) has, over time, developed a retirement program especially dedicated to the more complicated and fragile dogs who have entered our rescue. They remain in permanent foster care as Cherished Treasures. And we are happy to be able to give them the best in comfort, diet, health and geriatric veterinary care.
Cherished Treasures evolved from a need to have a safety net for the most senior of our rescued dogs, all are considered 'unadoptable' either due to ongoing complex health issues, temperament or simply the expense of care that adopters may be reluctant to take on.
The Cherished Treasures stay in care with their SSR carers, for the quality time we can give them. They have found their forever home under our umbrella. All of them have a name and a story and a rescue team who loves them.
Three of the Cherished Treasures are in the photos. Please visit http://www.seniorsandsilkies.org.au/link to read about SSR, to meet the Treasures and to read theirs – and others’ - stories.
Diabetes Alert Dogs
Provided by Dr Tim Adams, Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation
Following reports that some pet dogs spontaneously alert their diabetic owners to approaching hypoglycaemic episodes by responding to subtle changes in the owner’s scent, charitable groups worldwide began training dogs to show alerting behaviours when blood glucose levels fall outside a target range.
However, the dogs were extremely variable in how consistently they responded. Providing a diabetic client with a dog that performs inconsistently may place his or her life at risk. Hence, there is a pressing need to develop innovative training and assessment approaches for these alert dogs.
In April 2014, the Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation received a generous donation from the Phyllis Connor Memorial Trust for $36,000 to start a project to design and evaluate a training program to help regular pet dogs prevent their diabetic owners from falling seriously ill, and possibly saving their owner’s life. For more information on this important project see: www.anthrozoologyfoundation.org.
Dogs that make a difference
by Saskia Adams, Published by Penguin books
This book has many lovingly-told stories from Delta Society volunteers about these wonderfully dedicated people and their dogs who every day help brighten and change countless lives. There are especially moving stories about the joy that doggy visitors bring to people in institutional settings such as hospitals, schools and nursing homes. The highly personal accounts are vivid and inspiring. Do buy this special book, enjoy the stories and help support the Delta Society.
ARF Calendar
ARF's beautiful 2015 calendar will be available online, at stalls and at pick up and pay points in Canberra following its launch on 11 October. It remains at the bargain price of $10 and features some of the stunning dogs rescued this year. Check ARF’s website and Facebook for details.
Keeping older pet owners and their pets together
By Jan Phillips, President, Pets and Positive Ageing Inc
If you live with a pet you know the joy and companionship your pet brings to your life. For many older people, especially those living alone, a pet is their only daily companion. Caring for a pet can be a reason for facing each day, and living with a pet can bring many health and social benefits. For those who are socially isolated, without family or friends, their pet can be absolutely central to their wellbeing.
As the number of older Australians is growing rapidly so are the numbers of older pet owners. Some 14% of Australians are aged 65 years and over and by 2061, around 25% of Australians will be in that age bracket – projected to be 9-11 million people. Although pet ownership dwindles as people get older, the number of older people with pets will be significant.
Many older Australians want to continue living with their pets, and to take their pets when they move into retirement villages and other aged accommodation. A small number of enlightened providers offer pet-friendly options but the demand is growing rapidly. This presents a commercial opportunity as many pet owners would move into more appropriate accommodation if they could take their pets.
When an older owner can no longer live with their pet, and there is no other option, a beloved pet may turn up in a shelter or pound, bringing heartbreak for the traumatised owner and an uncertain fate for the bewildered pet. Or simply be taken to the local vet and euthansed. This is a bad outcome for all: the owner, the pet and the community.
A community conversation in Canberra in 2012 looked at how to keep older pet owners and pets together, where it was appropriate to do so. That conversation led to the formation of Pets and Positive Ageing Inc. We are a voluntary group and our Committee includes a major aged care operator, rescue groups, RSPCA and a DAS volunteer and two local vets are consulting members.
Our focus is on practical support for change. We have produced a flyer about pet-friendly ACT aged care organisations for older pet owners considering moving from their home to forms of aged accommodation (for details see our website). We organised a workshop on planning and designing (or re-designing) aged accommodation to make this pet-friendly and have provided resources for aged care organisations, designers and architects of retirement villages, independent living units, hostels and nursing homes looking to make this change. The workshop was presented by Virginia Jackson, an Australian and international expert in designing pet-friendly buildings and cities and the papers are available on http://more-like-home-workshop.com/).
We encourage and support other communities in finding better solutions for older pet owners and their pets. A successful public forum held in Cairns led to the formation of an active group in that area and a new in-home pet support program.
There are particular hardships for older pet owners on low incomes, who are frail and ageing at home, when they face medical crises or emergencies. These pet owners may put off their own essential treatment, walk out of hospitals or refuse to go for important operations if there is no care for their pets. This is something I know from first- hand experience, having run PAWS, an in home program, for 12 years. (See: http://www.smallanimaltalk.com/2013/09/interview-with-jan-phillips-animals-in.html )
A session in Canberra in March about in-home pet support saw wide community interest and offers from many willing volunteers. An ACT community organisation will shortly run a pilot for older pet owners on low incomes.
In 2015, we will hold a session in Canberra on supporting older owners through pet bereavement. The main speaker will be Dr David Foote, veterinarian, lecturer and pet bereavement counsellor and Program Director, Intern Mentoring Program, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney. It will be hosted by our Patron, Mary Porter AM MLA. Information about attending and the date will be on our website soon.
For further information about us and these issues, do take a look at our website at www.petsandpositiveaging.com. We warmly welcome new members!
Some other useful websites are
• www.awla.com.au/awla-in-action/campaigns/aged-care/
• www.rspcansw.org.au/our-work/programs-community-services/pets-for-older-persons;
• www.anthrozoologyfoundation.org/latest-news/pets-in-aged-care-making-the-case-to-keep-people-and-pets-together/
Jan Phillips can be contacted on 0412 411 424
Editor’s Note: the Editor is Secretary/Treasurer of Pets and Positive Ageing Inc
DASNEWS
Domestic Animal Services – Keeping Canberra Safe
New legislation
On 1 October 2014, amendments to the Domestic Animals Act 2000 relating to serious dog attacks were passed by the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The new legislation separates laws for owners or carers of dogs that harass and those that cause more serious injury. It provides clearer guidelines to determine the severity of an attack.
A person does not necessarily need to be the owner of the dog to be penalised. If the person in charge of the dog at the time of the attack or harassment is not the owner they can still be held responsible as they are the carer of the dog – the dog is in their care and control.
The new legislation sees the existing infringement, or penalty, for an harass or minor attack, rise from $200 to $350. A more serious attack where a person or animal is injured will result in court action where the owner of the dog could face up to one year imprisonment. If a dangerous dog is involved in an attack that causes a serious injury, the penalty is even more severe and the keeper of the dog could face up to five years imprisonment.
These laws hold dog owners responsible for taking measures to control their dogs. Responsible dog ownership includes maintaining adequate fencing. Poorly kept fences are a significant contributing factor in many, if not most, dog attacks. Please check your fences regularly.
Domestic Animal Services is committed to promoting responsible pet ownership and it is important for dog owners to understand that there are serious ramifications if their dog attacks or harasses another person or animal.
Update for DAS volunteers
DAS has recently hired two new Rangers, Daniel and Rhys, who are both training and keen to learn more. Feel free to say hi and introduce yourself to them next time you are walking a dog.
DAS is currently looking at paving an area under the trees and installing a bench seat for volunteers to have a rest with their dog when the office area is busy and members of the public have dogs inside. We are also making the office area more inviting with a new security screen and some plants to freshen the place up.
Snakes Alive!
With the weather warning up, DAS urges owners to keep their dogs on lead around bushland and wetlands as the first snakes of the season are already emerging. Snakes have also been seen on the DAS walking track, so if DAS volunteers see a snake, please keep clear and pass the information onto the Rangers.