BATHURST Regional Council's plans to build a bigger animal pound have moved a step closer to reality thanks to a grant from the NSW Government.
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On Friday, member for Bathurst Paul Toole announced that council would receive $166,519 under the Stronger Country Communities Fund.
He said the money would go towards the project of building a new pound that's better suited to Bathurst's needs.
"What we're going to see is a brand new facility. It's going to be modern, it's going to be state-of-the-art and it's going to be able to cater for those dogs, and those cats and those horses, sheep and goats that all come through the doors throughout the year," Mr Toole said.
"When you look at this facility, it is quite old, it does need to be modernised and it's certainly going to have animal welfare at the forefront."
Council flagged its intention to build a new pound in its budget for the 2017-18 financial year, with then-mayor Graeme Hanger saying "the facility no longer meets the needs of our community and council in terms of capacity".
Later, it was confirmed that a site in Hampton Park Road, in the Kelso industrial area, would become the home for the pound and current mayor Bobby Bourke said that was still the plan.
The estimated cost of the project is $3.2 million.
"The development application hasn't come to council yet, but it is proposed that it will go out there," he said.
"We will lodge the DA as soon as practical.
"We're looking for other funding [for the project] and hopefully that will come very soon. I just want to thank the state government for their contribution."
Another reason behind council's plans to build a new pound was because, in 2017, the NSW Government was planning to introduce the Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Cats and Dogs in Council Pounds and Animal Shelters.
The current facility on Vale Road does not meet the new standards and it will be more cost-effective to build an entirely new facility, rather than retrofit the existing pound.
Cr Bourke said the new facility will ensure the best-possible care for animals while staff try to find them new homes.
"The home that [the pound] is now is like a dog kennel itself. We really need a home for these neglected animals," he said.
"... Animals are one of those things that are part of our society and they need better amenities than what they've got here.
"The injection of over $160,000 from the state government will go a long way in improving their health and care."
