Northern Victoria Region
Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:56): (1051) My constituency question is for the Minister for Agriculture. Recently the Campaspe Shire Council announced their decision to stop providing animal adoption services at the Campaspe Animal Shelter, a decision that will no doubt impact animals, workers and the community within my electorate. In the last six months of 2023, 255 cats were admitted to the shelter but only five were reclaimed by an existing owner. Due to their rehoming capabilities the shelter found new homes for 120 of them, plus 58 dogs, but under this new plan this will no longer be possible. In the midst of a rehoming crisis and with council-operated shelters at Bendigo and Shepparton at capacity, it is volunteer foster care networks and rescue organisations that will be forced to pick up the slack, and if they cannot, euthanasia rates are bound to soar. My constituents want to know if the minister will urgently intervene to overturn this decision.