The Australian Government wants to help five remote Indigenous communities develop Dog Management Plans that include dog de-sexing, eradicating dangerous dogs and dog ownership education and training.
1.4 million dollars is available over two years (2010-12) for the implementation of Dog Management Programs in at least five priority Remote Service Delivery (RSD) communities (one each in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, and two in the Northern Territory).
Funding of $376,000 will be provided to the Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC) to continue in its ongoing role and to assist the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to implement the Dog Management Program across priority RSD communities.
Sustainable dog management
Over the next two years, the Australian Government would like to support five RSD communities to work with government and non-government organisations to develop Dog Management Plans which identify tangible results and establish Base Level Standards.
The Base Level Standards may vary in each jurisdiction but will comprise of:
- partnerships between state and territory governments, shire councils and non-government organisations
- community ownership of the plan through sustainable commitments to the outcomes
- Culturally appropriate Dog Management plans.
Implementation Update
- Nine communities in the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia have Dog Management Programs. Baseline data collection has commenced in each of these 9 communities and will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Program.
- Animal Management Workers are in place in Maningrida and Hermannsburg in the Northern Territory, and Mornington Island and Doomadgee in Queensland.
- The Nganampa Health Council is managing the Dog Management Service Provider in Amata and Mimili in South Australia.
- In Western Australia a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Broome Shire, Council of One Arm Point (Ardyaloon) Aboriginal Community, Lombadina Aboriginal Community, the Nirrumbuk Aboriginal Corporation and the Western Australian Police Department.