habitat advocate

Letter from Australian Wildlife Protection Council to RSPCA: "We seek your help to insist that appropriate action be taken against the perpetrators of cruelty committed vs a Fraser Island Dingo. Freedom of Information reveals Dingo Necropsy Report of a cruel horrific death on a healthy male dingo. This cruelty has been dismissed. The tragedy was entirely preventable and is this not what the RSPCA is all about? Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?" Thanks to the Habitat Advocate for the photograph.

March 30 3012

Dear Ms Neil, Dr Hugh Wirth, Dr Ian Gunn, Shadow Environment Minister Greg Hunt and all others,

We seek your help to insist that appropriate action be taken against the perpetrators of cruelty committed vs a Fraser Island Dingo. Freedom of Information reveals Dingo Necropsy Report of a cruel horrific death on a healthy male dingo. This cruelty has been dismissed. The tragedy was entirely preventable and is this not what the RSPCA is all about? Prevention of Cruelty to Animals? My list is incomplete but will call on others.

This dingo was trapped causing it extreme stress and trauma and muzzled, preventing essential panting reflex.

* The dingo was further restrained by a tight loop and pole around his neck.
* The dingo was suffocated and panicked by a blanket over his head.
* These actions effectively strangled the poor dingo, causing its untimely, unnecessary death. The use of a muzzle on a restrained canid, in heat, is avoided for reasons shown – dingo cannot pant and dies.
* Do you know of any other research project that would such use an antiquated method in the year 2012
* Usually animals caught in a trap are sedated, then examined so their metabolism can be controlled.

This tragic incident should be widely reported to Animal Welfare /Ethics Committees, those that would sit in at DERM or at UQ depending on who was overseeing the research and they all should be further investigated.

This hapless dingo died in the care of DERM Rangers who say they have carried out the procedure a thousand times. But they failed to monitor the metabolism of the dingo, and caused its death in panic. Control by rangers from the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) and by manager [name withheld], and those involved in this dingo’s horrific death, epitomize a total lack of empathy and humane training.

DERM stated they have trapped 1,000 dingoes, but there are reported less than 100 dingoes on Fraser Island which means that these poorly managed Dingoes suffer multiple trappings. (FOI and RTI under the 2009 Act). The death of this poor dingo demonstrates unequivocally, animal negligence and blatant cruelty.

It is incomprehensible that [name withheld] / DERM failed to protect this genetically important dingo.

This is, on its’ own, a serious crime. Dr Ian Gunn. Veterinary Professor and Senior Research Fellow stated that in all his years of experience as a Vet, Researcher and Lecturer this was the worst case of cruelty he had seen. The research started before the proposal was approved; this alone, is a serious breach of the law and should be thoroughly investigated. We ask that you seek justice for this dingo who suffered the most terrible death.

Yours faithfully

Maryland Wilson President
Australian Wildlife Protection Council (AWPC)

CC to:
Philip Woolley UK AWPC Executive International; Dr Hugh Wirth RSPCA Australia
Dr Ian Gunn Veterinary Professor Senior Research Fellow
Shadow Environment Minister, the Hon Greg Hunt [email protected]