A high number of abandoned dogs is causing concern for Walgett Shire Council - and weighing heavily involved in those who work closely with the homeless animals. 

The council has to re-home approximately 300 dogs each year who are surrendered by their owners to the council. 

The Western Plains App asked Walgett Shire Council ranger Paul Flint what the main reason was when people surrendered their dogs. 

“To be totally honest with you, people say they just don’t want the dog anymore,” he said. “Sometimes they will say ‘just get rid of the bloody thing’ - its very difficult to hear this person say this about their dogs.” 

The council is about to embark on a promotional campaign to get people to consider dog ownership more seriously. 



“We need the community to understand a puppy is not a puppy for 15 years, and dogs are not disposable,” Mr. Flint explained. 

“People need to realize that when they get a puppy, they are cute for about the first two months. Then they become full-grown dogs, and people can start to find them annoying. They chew your thongs up; they chew your shoes up. You need to put love and attention and care into a dog. The reality is people are not putting in the time and effort with their dogs”. 

Image: Pixabay. 

He said that, for instance, the dogs people abandon to the council have never been walked because they don’t know what to do when placed on a lead. 

“The surrender of dogs make up probably 80% of the dogs that come through our (pets and animals) facility. It is very heartbreaking”. 

“We follow up on what happens with re-homed dogs, and with some love and care, they all become wonderful dogs.” 

Part of the campaign will also promote the desexing of animals. Walgett Shire council offers a voucher system which subsidises desexing of their animals and is hoping to promote this to the community further. 

“The desexing program works really well. We just want more people to be made aware of it”. 

The council is also running a campaign to educate the public on ensuring their dogs stay on their property.  

“People need to be more responsible with restraining their dogs,” Mr. Flint said. 

Image: Pixabay. 



“People are simply not shutting gates, and they are letting their dogs wander around.” 

“We see dogs getting into fights when they are not contained. We also see uncontained dogs matting when in season, and this contributes to the ongoing problems of dogs being abandoned”