REGULAR promotion of Bathurst’s Small Animal Pound appears to be improving the outcomes for the animals that have found themselves there.
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Bathurst Regional Council has been increasing the promotion of animals at the pound for around 12 months, but stepped up its efforts in July with the help of additional information on its website, through images on notice boards in the civic centre foyer and through social media.
Mayor Graeme Hanger said online audiences were really taking notice and engaging with the posts.
“Council's social media posts on pet adoptions are now some of the most engaging topics,” he said.
“Since July social media posts on pet adoptions have had a reach of over 105,300.
“The intention of the campaign was to achieve greater public awareness to the availability of animals for adoption through the Small Animal Pound.”
The number of inquiries about animals have also increased since July, with prospective pet owners and the owners of lost animals both getting in touch.
Cr Hanger said adoption rates were looking “promising” already.
“It is difficult to say conclusively, but figures from August and September are promising,” he said.
“In July we had six animals sold, while in August that increased to 11 and in September we have had 16 going to new homes.”
He said it was important to council to re-home animals whenever possible, it being a primary goal of the Companion Animal Management Plan, and staff explore a range of options to do so.
In an average year, the pound takes in more than 300 cats and 500 dogs.
Numbers often spike around Christmas time and New Year’s Eve, with a number of factors contributing to this.
“This is usually as a result of people going away for a few days and not securing their backyard fences,” Cr Hanger said.
“Then there are those animals that are terrified of the New Years Eve fireworks.
“These animals escape their yards and in their frightened state quickly get lost and sometimes are injured running across roads as a result.
“We urge people to check their fences to ensure their dogs cannot escape and on New Year’s Eve to consider bringing their dogs inside if they are frightened of fireworks.”
