NEWS DESK
Lessons from Jack’s death Diaries to record
Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au
THE plight of a dog named Jack and his would-be rescuer, Pam, of Mornington, touched many people when aired on social media over the holidays. Posted by Save Mornington Pound Pets, which advocates for improve outcomes at the shire’s shelter in Watt Rd, it received 21,000 hits in 24 hours. The story was about an old dog called Jack who often visited Pam’s home. After regularly “hanging around”, Jack was invited inside and they grew fond of each other’s company. “Jack was 16, with cataracts and deaf, and just loved to sit with me and the cat and be cuddled,” Pam said. She would return him to his owners after each visit. The owners unexpectedly shifted away, abandoning Jack to the pound without Pam knowing where he had gone – until she saw his picture on Mornington Peninsula Shire pound’s website. “I called and asked if I could register an interest in him as it broke my heart to know this poor old boy spending time in a cage alone,” she said. Pam says she pleaded with the pound to have Jack released to her. “I felt such a close connection to him and it seemed unfair for him to be deprived of love at this time in his life. “It made sense for him to be released to me and not given to a rescue group which would have to start from scratch looking for a new home.”
Happier times: Jack was looking spritely before his passing. Picture: Supplied
Despite calling and writing to the council many times Pam says she didn’t get a reply. “I have no idea where Jack is and what has happened to him,” she said at the time. After Save Mornington Pound Pets published the story online a reader recognised Jack. He had gone to a rescue group. Without realising a loving home awaited him, the charity arranged transport, found a carer, took Jack to the vet for dental treatment and generally looked after him. Jack passed away weeks later without being reunited with Pam. “This sad story touched the hearts of animal lovers around Australia who wanted to show their support for Pam and sorrow at the loss of jack,” Save Mornington Pound Pets member Melanie Nelson, said. “The question is: Why wouldn’t [the council] let Pam adopt him so he could have spent his final weeks with her? “The rescue group would have had to arrange transport to Mornington, find him a foster carer – which is very hard - take him to a vet, pay for
treatment out of donations and then care for him as he recovered. They would have been heartbroken when he passed away.” After months of online parrying, the pound asked to meet with Pam. She says they apologised and agreed there were learnings to be had. “From the tale of little Jack, there certainly seems to be room for improvement in the way the pound operates,” Pam said. “Staff should be trained in how to explain adoption and rescue procedures to potential owners, there should be transparency in communication, and quick responses to customer emails.” The shire’s environment protection manager John Rankine said shelter staff made “many phone calls and emails attempting to track down Jack’s owners as we had a number of concerns about [his] care to address with them”. “A photo went up on our website immediately alerting the community and beyond.” He said the shire received an inquiry from Pam wishing to “adopt” Jack, and another from a rescue groups wishing to “rescue” him. “It was decided it was best for Jack to go to a rescue group as direct adoption would have required [him] to be vaccinated and serve a further eight days in quarantine. We believe this was not the best option for Jack at the time,” he said. “The shire explained this decision to [Pam] … and provided [her] with a photo of Jack in the care of the rescue group. [He] was well cared for to the end.”
barking nuisance NOISE diaries are part of the investigations undertaken by Mornington Peninsula Shire rangers when investigating complaints about barking dogs. At Hastings, “barking dog diaries” have been sent to four signatories of a petition complaining about a dog “at a specific address”. The report to councillors attending their first meeting for 2018 on Tuesday 31 January by ranger Alarna DeAraugo said residents “advise that the dog barks continuously when the owner leaves the property and continues until the owner returns”. “The problem has been addressed multiple times with the owner directly to no avail,” Ms DeAraugo said. There was “bad history” between the petitioners and the dog’s owner, who had fitted the dog with a barking dog collar, which appeared to have reduced the barking “from nuisance to annoying”. Across the peninsula at Mt Eliza, seven people signed a letter about another barking dog which had been previously reported to council and “dealt with by shire officers”. “The situation has again deteriorated and despite contact with the owner of the animal, the situation has not improved,” senior shire ranger Sharlene Stacey-Penrod said. The rangers are continuing to investigate both cases.
Place for a village MCCRAE shopping centre has been transformed into a village. The transformation resulted from a petition containing “approximately” 157 signatures asking Mornington Peninsula Shire to change road signs from alerting motorists to their imminent arrival at McCrae Shopping Centre to McCrae Village. Traffic and road safety officer Digby Smith said the new signs had been agreed to after the traffic and transport team “had discussions with the lead petitioner”. As a result the shire arranged for the new “corporate signage” for “McCrae Village” on Point Nepean Rd at the intersections of Coburn Av and at Eddystone St.
Red Cross meets THE Sorrento/Portsea/Rye Red Cross Unit will hold its next meeting at 1.30pm Thursday 8 February at Sorrento Community Centre, Morce Av, Sorrento. A two-course summer lunch at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron at midday Friday 23 February will cost $50. Lindy Wong, of Eden Gardens, Mt Eliza, will speak about the Mornington Peninsula’s climate and its effects on gardens. Call Lynda Mercer 0427 887 072. New members welcome. Call Marilyn Cunnington on 0414 991 186.
Community update: The Pillars Thank you to all who attended a community meeting regarding The Pillars last week with Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Briars Ward Councillors Rosie Clark, Bev Colomb, and Sam Hearn alongside key stakeholders from DELWP, Victoria Police, VicRoads, Parks Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, Mt Martha CFA and Mt Martha Life Saving Club. In January 2017 Mornington Peninsula Shire resolved to write to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change requesting permission for the installation of a temporary fence as a short-term measure to curb inappropriate behaviour at The Pillars and surrounding areas. Following receipt of a letter from the Minister refusing the fence and requesting council monitor the situation this summer, the Shire instigated a number of immediate measures throughout the year such as parking restrictions, safety warning signs and introducing permanent alcohol bans.
For more information
1300 850 600 mornpen.vic.gov.au/thepillars customerservice@mornpen.vic.gov.au
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Mornington News 6 February 2018
What we’re doing From 1 December 2017 to 31 January 2018, Council has implemented additional strategies to control and protect the area during the busy summer period. These include: • Parking officers patrolling the area three times per day – seven days a week
• 168 parking infringements issued this summer
• Weekly litter collection in surrounding streets and additional scheduled litter collection on weekends of forecast hot weather
• 16 parked vehicle counts in surrounding streets and 8 onsite pedestrian, boat and jet skis counts
Stay tuned
If you would like to stay up-to-date on actions regarding The Pillars, register online at: mornpen.vic.gov.au/thepillars
Long-term management plan A workshop will be held on Wednesday 28 February. The aim of the workshop is to work through the long-term management options that have come out of the community and stakeholder sessions to develop the options further and test their feasibility. Your input will assist us in getting further detailed insight from those living near the site. To express your interest in joining the working group, please email: jeska.dee@mornpen.vic.gov.au Help us, report it To report an issue at The Pillars, and to help Council assess the effectiveness of measures in place this summer, please visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/thepillars