New animal welfare facility for Tweed

TWEED Shire Council has opened Tweed’s new flood-free Animal Management Facility at a ceremony in Murwillumbah South last week.

The new $9,173,600 centre replaces the council’s former pound at Stotts Creek, which closed in 2019 and will house up to 80 companion animals (40 dogs and 40 cats) as well as facilities for stockyard animals.

The centre consolidates impounding, sheltering, rehoming and veterinary care in one location, a new hub for Friends of the Pound (Tweed) Inc, and the council’s rangers’ unit office.

Friends of the Pound president, Sonia Trichter, said the centre would provide modern, compassionate care for lost and surrendered animals.

“It marks a new era for animal welfare in our region and gives us the opportunity to help even more animals find their forever homes,” Trichter said.

 

Tweed Shire Mayor Chris Cherry said it was a major step forward for animal welfare.

“Today we’ve delivered a modern, flood-free facility that allows our rangers, volunteers and animal carers the right spaces to do their best work and gives our community confidence that lost or surrendered pets are well cared for and have a good chance of finding a new home,” Cr Cherry said.

The project was funded by three tiers of government and delivered a key community priority to improve outcomes for lost and surrendered pets.

Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said her $1 million election commitment followed a further $1.76 million already federally funded.

“I’d like to acknowledge the dedication and the long-standing involvement of Friends of the Pound, the not-for-profit animal rescue charity, in this project,” Elliot said.

“Friends of the Pound work closely with council and the community to ensure our precious animals are cared for and rehomed.”

NSW Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, said pets were important and part of our families.

“We see this clearly during disasters now when rescuers know that people need to bring their animals with them,” Saffin said.

“Whether lost, surrendered or abandoned, the animals who come into animal shelters deserve to be cared for in a safe environment, and it is great to see all levels of government, federal, state and local, coming together to support animal welfare with this new flood-free facility.”

The new facility opens in early January.

For information, visit tweed.nsw.gov.au