Tamworth Regional Council searches for re-homing service as Heaven Can Wait Animal Shelter and Boarding Kennels to close

Currently, around 70 dogs are surrendered or handed into the Tamworth Regional Council Pound each month, and at least 30 per cent of those are rescued by the Heaven Can Wait Animal Shelter and Boarding Kennel, to give them a second lease on life.

But with the shelter closing in September, more dogs could end up euthanised.

TRC director liveable communities Gina Vereker said the reality of the situation "doesn't sit well" with her.

"Our issue is we try and keep them as long as we can until we can hopefully re-home them somehow, but we only have 15 pens," she said.

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"Once it [Heaven Can Wait] closes, we have nowhere to send them.

"We don't want to be forced into the position where we've got no option but to euthanise them."

Since the shelter announced it was closing via a statement online, Ms Vereker said council had been looking for other options and even grant funding to build more pens.

"We need to be able to source some other rescue organisations or foster carers ... there's lots of those in the major centres, but not so much out in the country."

The closure is just another layer of added pressure for the pound after an amendment to the Companion Animals Act (2022) required the pound to notify at least two agencies that the pet is up for adoption once their two-week holding time is up.

"No one wants a re-homeable, wonderful pet to be euthanised when it doesn't need to be," Ms Vereker said.

"So forcing councils to keep them longer is actually really positive.

"But you have to have a re-homing organisation or you've got to be able to hold them for an infinite amount of time."

Of the dogs that find themselves in the council operated facility each month, around half are returned to their owners.

Ms Vereker said that shows the community has a big part to play in freeing up space at the pound.

"If owners didn't let their dogs escape, or they had proper fencing, kept them interested with toys and walked them, we wouldn't be picking them up off the street," she said.

"We would have more space available for those dogs who really need to be rehomed, and are worthy of a home."

It's time for Tamworth to "step up", Ms Vereker said.

"If anyone wants to start up a rescue service that would be great," she said.

"There's lots of people out there who are very committed to pet rescue. Come and talk to us."

The Heaven Can Wait Animal Shelter and Boarding Kennel will close on September 19.

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