COMMUNITY NEWS- HAWKESBURY COMPANION ANIMAL SHELTER
HAWKESBURY COMPANION ANIMAL SHELTER – REHOMING AND TEMPERAMENT TESTS
Located at Mulgrave, Hawkesbury Companion Animal Shelter covers 1030 square metres with 70 kennels and a large cattery area. It services the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Hawkesbury City Council, The Hills Shire Council, Hornsby Shire Council and Penrith City Council.
As part of this arrangement, Council staff from these LGAs bring roaming dogs to the Hawkesbury Companion Animal Shelter. Staff do their utmost to ensure that as many lost pets as possible are reunited with their owners or found suitable new homes.
The Hawkesbury Companion Animal Shelter has very good rehoming rates. The latest figures, using the 2016 calendar year, indicate that 1505 dogs were either returned to their owners or rehomed, which accounts for 94% of all dogs coming to the Shelter.
Prior to rehoming and where Council staff believe it is appropriate, a temperament assessment is carried out.
The focus of a temperament assessment is to determine a dog’s suitability for a family environment. The dog’s stability, shyness, friendliness, aggression, protectiveness and acceptance of other animals and people and its reaction to variables in the environment is assessed. As part of the assessment, the dog sits with a carer and the dog is assessed.
If a dog displays aggressive tendancies then the ability to rehome the dog is reduced.
REACHING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY – HAWKESBURY HELPING RESOURCES
If you find yourself in a difficult situation, be it homelessness, needing food assistance or you just need someone to talk to, there are plenty of people ready to help. A new leaflet with useful contact phone numbers is now being distributed to help you reach them easily. Community members are asked to keep a lookout for the leaflet so that households can keep the information in a handy place, such as on the fridge or by the phone, should they require any of these services or know someone who needs help.
Handy local and freecall phone numbers listed include the NSW Domestic Violence Line, Hawkesbury Community Kitchen, Platform Youth Services and contacts for food parcels and vouchers. There are also contacts for counselling services and a freecall number for specialist homelessness services.
The leaflet is an initiative of the Hawkesbury Housing Forum and Hawkesbury City Council. It is available at Council’s Administration Building at 366 George Street, Windsor and on Council’s website www. hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/services/ people (click on Hawkesbury Helping Resources).
Please note that local and freecall numbers may be charged at a higher rate depending on your mobile phone service provider, so please contact your service provider for details or use a landline or a public phone in your area.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR NEW WINDSOR BUSHCARE GROUP
Windsor residents now have the chance to form a new Bushcare Group, thanks to Bushcare volunteer John Jose, who is asking for people to join him.
John has been single-handedly planting, weeding and restoring the riverbank around the Windsor Wharf Reserve area next to Windsor Bridge, Windsor for the past three years.
Unfortunately, the vegetation he is planting along the riverbanks is regularly being dug up, possibly because people are searching for worms as fishing bait. The exposed riverbank leaves the area susceptible to erosion and weeds.
Ironically, native vegetation growing along riverbanks is proven to encourage higher fish populations in rivers. When people dig up the riverbank plants, the soil becomes exposed and can run into the river when it rains, creating murky water with very little oxygen, making it difficult for fish to flourish.
John would truly welcome a helping hand along the riverbank at Windsor Wharf to restore such a historic riverbank and for people to take ownership of this great location. To volunteer and help John restore this part of the riverbank, please contact Council’s Community Bushcare Officer, Martin Gauci on 4560 4525 or email mgauci@ hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au
GALSTON VIEW CLUB
The Galston VIEW Club which raises money to support The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program will hold its monthly luncheon meeting on Wednesday 26th July, 2017 at Dural Country Club at 11am.
The guest speaker will be Nerida Jackson, Community Hearing Advisor. Visitors are always welcome. Bookings Vivien 98941189.
THE SYDNEY HILLS BRANCH OF THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT RETIREES
The Sydney Hills Branch of the Association of Independent Retirees will commence their year with an interesting line up of speakers.
Our next meeting will be held on Friday 7th July, 2017. Beecroft Presbyterian Church Hall, Welham Street Beecroft. Meeting will commence at 10.45 am. The Speaker will be Dr. Roza Sage her topic is Diabetes Awareness.
We are very excited with our line up of guest speakers for 2017. COME ALONG & Make New Friends!
We welcome recently retired citizens and Baby Boomers, who are, looking for new interests.
Keep abreast of the changes which are likely to affect you and your income in the future. We need to work together for a better future in retirement. Contact 9634 1186.
WANDERERS BUSHWALKING & OUTDOOR CLUB
Wanderers Bushwalking & Outdoor Club meet every second Tuesday of each month at Crestwood Community Centre, Crestwood Drive, Baulkham Hills at 8 p.m. Details www.bushwalkingnsw.org. au/wanderers or 9639 9738.
