![Tamworth council's director of liveable communities Gina Vereker with Sadie, who has recently been adopted from the pound. Picture by Peter Hardin Tamworth council's director of liveable communities Gina Vereker with Sadie, who has recently been adopted from the pound. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/caitlin.reid%40fairfaxmedia.com./f47290e4-52ef-4f75-8a69-dcbb6f355d57.jpg/r0_0_7163_4775_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
UNWANTED animals are being turned away from Tamworth pound daily, with the facility stretched to its limits following the closure of the city's only rescue shelter.
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Hoping to ease the demand, Tamworth Regional Council will lease and operate the old Heaven Can Wait Animal Shelter and Boarding Kennels for a 12-month period, after it shut its doors last month.
Two new paid positions will be advertised to work at the shelter, but that won't be enough to keep it running, according to council's director of liveable communities Gina Vereker.
She is urging people to "step up" and volunteer their time to save animal's lives.
"It's time for the community to step up and help us deal with this problem," she said.
"It's a problem, but it should have a good outcome. We're really trying to make it a good outcome for all those dogs that need a home."
Demand has gone through the roof since Heaven Can Wait shut its doors, and with the pound receiving 950 dogs every year, the need far exceeds available space.
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The problem has been heightened due to council's responsibilities under the Companion Animals Act, which require animals be held for twice as long before the rehoming process can begin, and contact be made with at least two rehoming organisations.
"Yesterday the pound was overfull, we just didn't have any more space," Ms Vereker said.
"We've got nowhere to put the dogs, we are turning them away and we are looking for volunteers to help run the shelter. Please help us."
The lease of the facility is unable to be extended beyond a 12-month period, but council hopes a long-term operator will take over before it ends.
"While council is committed to running the facility, we would welcome other operators or someone who has really got that commitment and wants to run the facility basically on a volunteer basis, which was how it was run previously," Ms Vereker said.
Volunteer duties would include taking dogs for a walk, grooming and feeding and anyone who's interested can apply through https://www.ruvolunteering.org.au/
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