Shocked at how Australia is so anti-pets

Izabarack · Guru

RE: Shocked at how Australia is so anti-pets

HiAce98 · Veteran Member

Hewy54 wrote:
So many people are unaware of why pets are not allowed in National Parks. It has nothing to do with our pets killing any native wildlife. Any pet let into a National Park will leave a scent and may leave disease. This scent is then detected by our native fauna and they will then stay away from these areas. We have such a small area of national parks, so lets all be responsible pet owners and keep them out of these areas.
As to being anti pets, we have been dog owners for many years. We lived in a semi rural area and were appalled when we first moved in at the number of feral and domestic cats on our property. We were fortunate that our dog hated cats, but was comfortable around the lizards, possums and birds. She managed to eradicate our property of all cats so that the native wildlife flourished.
I am not anti pets, just anti those other peoples pets that encroach upon my space.

If the scent of dog is so repellent to native wildlife, then why is it that my property is still infested with kangaroos, wallabies, scrub turkeys, possums, goannas and a myriad of other bird and reptile wildlife in spite of the fact that 4 dogs and 2 cats live on my 40 acres? I can tell you from experience that the feral pigs do a lot more damage than the dogs.

-- Edited by HiAce98 on Sunday 3rd of April 2016 10:32:29 PM

madaboutled · Guru

HiAce98 wrote:
Hewy54 wrote:
So many people are unaware of why pets are not allowed in National Parks. It has nothing to do with our pets killing any native wildlife. Any pet let into a National Park will leave a scent and may leave disease. This scent is then detected by our native fauna and they will then stay away from these areas. We have such a small area of national parks, so lets all be responsible pet owners and keep them out of these areas.
As to being anti pets, we have been dog owners for many years. We lived in a semi rural area and were appalled when we first moved in at the number of feral and domestic cats on our property. We were fortunate that our dog hated cats, but was comfortable around the lizards, possums and birds. She managed to eradicate our property of all cats so that the native wildlife flourished.
I am not anti pets, just anti those other peoples pets that encroach upon my space.
If the scent of dog is so repellent to native wildlife, then why is it that my property is still infested with kangaroos, wallabies, scrub turkeys, possums, goannas and a myriad of other bird and reptile wildlife in spite of the fact that 4 dogs and 2 cats live on my 40 acres? I can tell you from experience that the feral pigs do a lot more damage than the dogs.

-- Edited by HiAce98 on Sunday 3rd of April 2016 10:32:29 PM

That's easy.... the wildlife in national parks are dumber than the wildlife in the rest of the country in that just like some humans who are obviously anti pets, will believe any BS that the "National Parks" feed them. In contrast, State Forests on the otherhand don't try to baffle you with BS and welcome you and your pets on leads. Amazingly though, companion and guide dogs are allowed in National Parks, seems that the "National Parks" do an incredible job in training the native wildlife to recognise that companion and guide dogs are not a threat.

All jokes aside, what I fail to understand is why are the National Parks always screaming for funds, when at the same time they are turning away in droves countless potential customers who like us travel with a pet?.

Izabarack · Guru

HiAce98 wrote:
If the scent of dog is so repellent to native wildlife,

Our last dog time expired about five years ago. We did see the occasional roo and koala before the last of the dogs went. Now, typically see roos feeding within a couple of metres of the house, have a koala in the tree beside the house most days, and I lose more fruit off the trees in the mini orchard than I get to pick. Coincidence? I don't think so because the neighbours have joined the movement and since all domestic animals have gone, lots of native wildlife.

Iza

pawsoz · Senior Member

Di Di, I have been on the road non stop since very early January (this time) with my two Whippets with no problems at all, sorry to hear of your troubles finding camps. I am in roughly the same situation as yourself, said it before...a few of us should club together and buy a cheapie in a country town and share...most of us like being on the road most of the time so we would not be under each others feet!!

RosieW · Guru

hokianga wrote:
We have had guests come in relate stories to us of parks that advertise as pet friendly but when they have arrived have been told only between certain times of the year. I think that is wrong, you are either pet friendly or you are not, in my humble opinion.

We've struck that. Another thing is the 'Pets Allowed' but then the pet is 1 dog under 10kg.....

RosieW · Guru

Hewy54 wrote:
Totally agree that many parts of Australia are anti pets, and rightly so. We have national parks to help preserve our native wildlife. If you must take your pet with you, stay out of national parks. We have always had pets but do not take them on the road with us.
Unfortunately there are too many irresponsible pet owners out there. I do not want to visit a free stay or caravan park where I have to put up with barking dogs and the mess left. I know so many of you will espouse the good behaviour of you own pets, but I have experienced poorly behaved pets too often and do not want this to impinge on my holiday.

Neither do we! We are pet owners (2 kelpies) and I can safely say that the majority of full-timers control their dogs, it's the 'holiday makers' who don't. Or town residents who don't care (yes, Tin Can Bay, I am looking at you). Ours are caravan-park raised, always on lead, and we pick up after them religiously, evn now, when they have their own little yard. It's the few who ruin it for the rest of us.

Rest assured, no-one likes a dog that barks non-stop, or walking around avoiding 'bombs'.

banjo · Senior Member

We encounter anti dog attitudes every day, we travel full time with two spaniels, not through choice i might add, but I could not just get rid of my dog just to travel, and to travel full time was my dream after a life changing illness.

Our daughter then had a relationship breakup, no kids thank god but a cavalier spaniel, so mum and dad became carers of two dogs now, again not through choice.

We are very meticulous in doing the right thing with our dogs, as we rely on dog friendly CP's (we do little free camping), but daily we see others that think they don't have to, they don't need a lead in the park, their pooch only does a tiny poo so no need to pick it up, and so forth !

As we walk round in a morning with our two companions, we see poo from the lazy early walkers, left for some dog hater to see and report, then people wonder why parks are becoming less dog friendly.

We only yesterday said that when our dogs are gone, we would never travel with another due to inconsiderate pet owners spoiling it for the genuine pet carers, and annoying other park residents.

I love my Springer spaniel, she is a joy to be with, she gives me unconditional love and keeps me fit and active, but I can see why some hate dogs, and yes hate is not too strong a word, they are dog haters out there and they look down their noses and ignore us because we have dogs !

Give me dogs any day though, to some of the uncontrolled brats we have come across, but that's an argument for another day.

Westcoast · Member

I agree have found Australia is fairly pet unfriendly there are numerous reasonings behind this as you can see from some of the comments on this subject, makes me wonder what all the fuss is about when there are all those highly intelligent native animals out there who automatically know what the scent of a domestic animal means, does that mean that all the native's that are killed are the dumb ones that didn't know to run away?
I can remember travelling this country with my working dogs camping on the side of the road, now i travel with my companion animals and always take care mainly due to the insatiable baiting programs that obviously work so well that we just have to keep doing them. Spare a thought for the poor old dingo here before white settlement now referred to as a wild dog so it is easier to excuse the current rabid extermination program.
Will continue to travel this wide brown land with my pets why because i can just as it is ok for those that travel without pets, it is a personal choice. I do not make assumptions about the lives of those that travel without pets, nor do i make unproven claims as to why it is better to travel with or without, whether it benefits the native wildlife or not.
I do note however that when economic times are tough a lot of previously pet unfriendly places now welcome them with open arms, it is also been my experience that as property prices fall so do rents, and the pet rules also start to relax.

Spook · Senior Member

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
We live on a bush block close to the Adelaide CBD.
We loose a native Adelaide Rosella to a cat about once a week or 2. We have also lost blue tongue lizards to dogs. Last week we lost a possum. No cat or dog is worth that.
There is open season for cats and dogs on our property.
Visitors may bring them, if they ask, provided they either remain inside the vehicle or are never off the lead.

Cheers,
Peter

Post deleted

-- Edited by Spook on Saturday 16th of July 2016 07:58:38 PM