Charlotte Varcoe
MOUNT Gambier City Council has acquired a letter of warning and recommendation from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) after a council employee was reported euthanising a cat with a device.
Witnesses noticed a council officer hit a cat over the pinnacle with a device assumed to be a hammer after it was hit by a automobile earlier this month.
The council officer euthanised the cat on the nook of Boandik Terrace and Morgan Street with Mount Gambier/Berrin resident Shaun Schembri travelling down Morgan Street on the time.
“I came around the corner at the top of the road and as I came around I saw a council officer pretty much in the middle of the road where the cat was,” Mr Schembri stated.
“They swung one thing from the highest of their head and introduced it down on the cat.
“It was like whenever you catch a fish and it’s out of the water flopping round, that was what it seemed like.
“It could have been taken away and done more appropriately but to do it in the middle of a road in front of a school was not the best.”
He stated he believed the officer ought to have taken the cat to a veterinarian together with his foremost concern being that the incident occurred in entrance of a major college.
An RSPCA spokesperson stated they believed the council officer “acted in best interest” once they noticed the injured animal.
“The cat had shocking injuries and was believed to be dead,” the spokesperson stated.
“When the worker found out it was not dead they used the closest thing which was allegedly a hammer and euthanised it.”
The spokesperson stated that the officer needed to “euthanise the cat and put it out of its misery” after it was hit by a automobile and left on the facet of the street.
After being reported to council, an investigation was triggered with the RSPCA issuing council with a letter of warning and recommendation.
Council acknowledged it self-reported the incident to the RSPCA and the matter was investigated.
According to City Council, the RSPCA affirmed there was “no malicious intent” displayed by the council officer.
“It was a distressing and difficult situation for all involved due to the critical injuries the cat sustained as a result of being hit by a car,” council acknowledged.
“Council has taken appropriate action internally and the RSPCA’s professional advice will inform our Injured and Deceased Animals Procedure to safeguard against this happening again.”
According to council’s newly inducted animal administration coverage – which was formally signed off this month – “all humane euthanasia decisions are made in consultation with a registered veterinarian”.
The closest veterinarian was 1.6km away being Blue Lakes Veterinary Clinic.
Blue Lake Veterinary Clinic veterinarian Hannah O’Sullivan stated the most effective process for injured animals was to take them to a vet.
“If it is out of hours, people can call vets after hours and receive directions,” Ms O’Sullivan stated.
“During working hours individuals can take the animal straight to a vet and we will see if we will discover a microchip and proprietor.
“With stray cats we might do something we might inside funds however we might put the animal to sleep on occasion if there is no such thing as a proprietor.
“People are able to call us and give us a heads up if they are coming in with an injured animal and that is also easier for us because then we can see if we have people available.”
She stated on common the veterinary clinic companies about one to 2 stray cats per 30 days on common with some injured and others malnourished and unable to take care of themselves.
