The Victorian Government is ensuring more pets get the loving homes they deserve with a new taskforce dedicated to rehoming animals.
Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas was at Lort Smith Animal Hospital to announce the Taskforce on Rehoming Pets, comprising Member for Western Victoria Andy Meddick (Chair), Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards and Member for Narre Warren South Gary Maas.
The taskforce will provide recommendations to the Victorian Government on how to improve and better support the rehoming of pets in Victoria, including research animals.
It will recommend regulatory options to improve the welfare and survival rates of dogs and cats that need rehoming, and establish ways to make the movement of animals between shelters, pounds and rescue groups more transparent.
Working with industry and community stakeholders, the taskforce will ensure a range of perspectives are considered and will provide its final report and recommendations to the Government by the end of this year.
The taskforce is just one way the Government is working to ensure that Victorian pets are well cared for on the journey to their forever homes.
Minister Thomas congratulated the Lort Smith Animal Hospital on being awarded a $50,000 Animal Welfare Fund grant to grow its services.
Lort Smith is one of 15 recipients of funding under the ninth round of the fund, with money to go towards the development of an animal adoption centre in a soon-to-be completed clinic in Campbellfield.
Round nine of the Animal Welfare Fund program supports not-for-profit animal shelters and foster care organisations to rehome animals, as well as community vet clinics to establish or expand their services in areas of need throughout Victoria. For more information, visit animalwelfare.vic.gov.au.
Source: Vic Government