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Three of the county’s Highland councillors added their voices to the rising issues round animal welfare with the upcoming closure of the Scottish SPCA rescue centre at Balmore.
Campaigners are demanding a rethink by the SSPCA and a Save Balmore Facebook group has attracted almost 1600 members, whereas a petition to save lots of the centre has gathered over 3700 signatures.
Wick and East Caithness councillor and city provost Jan McEwan stated: “I’m very dissatisfied within the resolution to shut this centre and likewise the response I acquired from the CEO on how they had been going to enhance their providers to the welfare of the animals within the space by fostering.
“They solely have 200 foster carers registered in the entire of Scotland and offering Pet Aid luggage and pet meals banks after we have already got meals banks within the space that present pet meals. In my opinion, this isn’t a practical enchancment.
Cllr McEwan stated the animals cared for at Balmore are there as a result of they’re “in excessive disaster and need assistance” and eradicating them from the county just isn’t going to enhance animal care however is simply going to place “extra strain” on the animal centres in Inverness and different areas. “I might request that councillors be given the chance to talk to the board immediately relating to this resolution,” she added.
Thurso and Northwest Caithness councillor Matthew Reiss stated: “We’ve beforehand requested the chief government to permit us to talk to the board. She refused saying that the closure was an operational resolution. This is nonsense.
“I feel the way in which the SSPCA chief government has dealt with that is deplorable and I can’t consider the board members are absolutely conscious of the native circumstances. Animals will undergo unnecessarily.”
Wick and East Caithness councillor Willie Mackay stated that the SSPCA’s resolution to shut the Balmore animal rescue and rehoming centre was “an enormous disappointment to find out about”.
“I keep in mind nicely in 1994 when the centre opened after changing buildings into workplace, kennels, cattery small animal room and a veterinary space. This facility has been very nicely used and revered by the general public all through Caithness and Sutherland,” he stated.
“The SSPCA say they intend to increase their providers in Caithness and do much more than ever by including to key providers reminiscent of fostering, rehoming and neighborhood engagement reassuring us that animal welfare stays their primary precedence however on the similar time saying they intend to shut Balmore.
“Well I’m afraid I don’t agree” stated councillor Mackay. “If animal welfare was their precedence then they need to be going again to the drafting board as they state their closure resolution just isn’t a monetary one.
“I urge them to seek out and focus on methods to prioritise the continuation of this implausible facility at Balmore which has been the hub of animal welfare domestically for almost 30 years. It is fairly apparent that there’s a lot of concern within the county and it’s a concern the SSPCA ought to hearken to.”
