Editorial: Issue 26, March-April 2006
RESPONSIBILITY for work you contract to achieve is something that is often lacking in many industries and trades. And lack of quality care is something that can not be tolerated when it comes to dealings with family pets.
K9 Perspective has heard that there is a boarding kennel in Auckland that did not supervise the small dogs in their communal time well enough, and as a consequence allowed a very loved pet, owned by a person overseas at the time, to be virtually eaten alive by a larger dog.
But that is not the end of the horror. The boarding kennel owners did not contact anyone - they panicked, put what was left of the body in the freezer for the weekend, and then sent it to be cremated at the pet funeral parlour on the Monday morning, obviously not wanting the owner to see how it died.
Luckily the pet's body was intercepted and the truth came out. But it did reveal that there is a great chasm of training that is currently lacking in this particular pet animal industry. It seems that no qualifications are required for either workers or owners, other than the money to build a kennel that passes building inspection.
This situation must change. That is obvious from the event in Auckland and from various other events over the years that have revealed the abysmal training many workers and owners in these establishments have, to equip them for such a job.
Now I am happy to say that the Sirius organisation has stepped in after the revelation of that awful happening, to put its recommendations to the government. It is lobbying to make it a requirement that all pet boarding kennels are licensed. The terms of license are of course yet to be worked out but I would hope that every boarding kennel is required to employ (or the owner to be) a person qualified in basic pet care, health, handling and training, and to have actions in place for the safety and health of every boarder.
So I am urging all readers in New Zealand to contact their MP or to email their Party HQ, or the Prime Minister's office, to register a vote for change. Imbecilic business practices are not to be tolerated and care of our precious pets by self-promoting amateurs is not what we pay for. When a business offers the service of care in return for money, we should be entitled to expect a good level of care by people qualified to give that care.
Please make sure your opinion is heard in the right places - imagine how you would feel if it was your own pet. - Elezabeth
