Processfordecidingtominimizenegativeimpactsofsomething;
• Thorough,detailedstatisticsobtainedfromanindependentandexpert
body,regardingthenumbersofthe“invasive”species,togetherwithastudy
oftheirbreedinghabits.
• Thorough,detailedanalysisoftheimpactsoftheabove.
• Thoroughdetailedinvestigationofanyandallpossiblemeanstominimize
thenegativeimpacts.
• Thoroughdetailedinvestigationofthelongtermimpactsofeachofthose
means.
• Iffcontrolisneededasdecidedbyapanelofindependentexpertbodies
includinganimalwelfareexperts,adoptionofthemosthumanemethod,in
consultationwithexpertanimalwelfarebodies.(Ifthereisnotahumane
methodidentified,postponeanyactionuntilsuchtimeasthereis).*
• Administrationofthatmosthumanemethod,byanindependent,most
highlyskilledbody.
• Processcloselyoverseenbyanindependent,accreditedanimalwelfare
body.
• Severepenaltiesappliedtoanypersonorbodywhofailstofollowthe
process.
Figure1;TheProcess
*Weunderstandthatlackoffundingmayposeachallengeinbeingabletoresearch
humanemethodsofcontrol.Wesubmitthatthegovernmentconsiderredirecting
fundsawayfromshootersandhuntinggroups,towardsresearchintohumane
animalcontrolmeasuresasthemajorityofVictorianscaredeeplyforanimal
welfare.
Awordonconflictofinterest;
Weareacutelyawareofandaskthatyouconsider,thefactthatmanyofthebodies
involvedindecisionsregardinganimalcontrolorhunting,haveasevereconflictof
interest.Further,whilsttheycanbeloudandpoliticallysavvy,theyrepresentthe
minority.Itisourviewthatthereisnoplaceinmoralanimalwelfaredecisions,for
bodiessuchasSSAorGMAwhoarefocusedonpromotinghunting.
Submissionspecifics;
Weinterpretedthetermsofreferencefor“invasiveanimals”asbroad.Assuchwe
haveprovidedcommentonsomespecificspeciesknownandunderstoodbyusas
follows;
Rabbits
Whilstweunderstandtheneedtominimizethenegativeimpactsofrabbitsonthe
landandwedo,itissouldestroying.Fewifany,humanemethodsofcontrolare
available.Thisisunacceptable.
Anyonewhohashadanythingtodowitharabbit–domesticorwild–willknow
howloving,sensitive,playful,curious,inquisitiveandjoyfultheyare,eachwith
theirownpersonalityandveryclearlybondedtomatesandfamily.
Everyyearitisextremelydistressingtoseethemsufferinghorrendouslyfromthe
manmademyxamatosisvirus.Theviruscausesallopeningstoswell,renderingit
impossiblefortheanimalstoeat,drinkorsee.Theysufferfordays,evenweeks,
blindandstarvinguntiltheystarvetodeathoraregoredbyapredator.Thepain
fromtheirstingingeyes(wewitnesstheirshockiftheybumptheirweepingpussy
eyesonfencewire),fromslowlystarvingandbeingcompletelydisorientated
unabletofindtheirfamilies,isobvious.Thisisfarfromakinddeathanditis
unfathomablehumanshaveallowedit.
NotmuchbetterisRHDV(calicivirus).Despitewhatauthoritiesmaysay,thisisnot
apainlessorquickdeatheither.Theanimalsareabsolutelyconsciousrightuntil
theendwhenwehavewitnessedthepoorthingsterrifiedandconvulsing,wiping
awayafleafromtheireyesbeforegasping,panickedstrickenfortheirlastbreath.
Poisonsincluding1080orPindonearealsohorrificwaysforanyanimaltodie.
Thereisnoantidotefor1080.WeattachAgricultureVictoria’sarticleonthe
substancewhichoutlinesfartoomanynegativeramificationsforittobein
existence.
AlternativelyPindoneaffectsnumerousspeciesincludingbirds,catsandnative
macropods.Further,itaffectsevenmorespeciesthroughsecondarypoisoning
(eagles,hawks,dogs,owlsoranythingelsefeedingonapoisonedanimal).Itis
knowntocause“distressandpainfor10-14days”*andtobe“markedly
inhumane”*.Itishighlypossiblethatitfindsitswayintoourpaddocksand
waterways,tobecomefodderforourstockandultimatelyourselves.Itshould
simplynotbeallowedtobeused–notonlyforthecruelsufferingitinflictson
numerousanimals,butitsdangertootheranimalsandevenpeople.(*Refer
attachment“PindoneCruelandCareless”byNSWDepartmentofScience).
Rippingofburrowsinwhichrabbitsareburiedaliveand/ordismemberedis
anotherextremelyinhumanemethodofcontrolasisthefumigationofburrows
withpainfullytoxicgasseswhichdonotalwayskillandnotstraightaway.
Theuseofferretstocontrolrabbitsisalsoproblematic.Itisnotpossibletoensure
theferretdoesn’tmaulortotallytraumatise(crueltyasdefinedinthePrevention
ofCrueltytoAnimalsActsection6)rabbitspriortogettingthemtosurface.(Baby
rabbits,“kittens”willneversurfaceandalwaysbemauled)If/whentheydo
surface,itsnotpossibletobesuretheferreterhimselfhasthenecessaryskillto
inflictaquickandpainfreedeathtotherabbit.
WenotethatanimalwelfarebodiesincludingRSPCAdonotcondoneanyof
thesemeasuresandaskthegovernmentrenderalltheabovemethodsof
rabbitcontrolillegalongroundsofthembeinginhumane,immediately.
Itappearstheonlywaystohumanelycontrolrabbitstodate,are
• trappinginawirecageandthendisposingoftherabbitshumanely,
overseenbyveterinary/animalwelfareexpertsor
• shootingrabbits(inthehead)byhighlyskilledshootersatasclose
possiblerange,providedthisiscarriedoutbyindependent(not
recreationalshooter)andhighlyspecialistskilledshooterssuchas
themilitary,overseenbyveterinary/animalwelfareexperts.
CarbonMonoxideappearsthemosteffectiveandhumaneway.
StudiesinAustraliaandabroadshowthatfumigationofburrowswithcarbon
monoxideisthemosteffectiveandhumanemethodofcontrolandthattheonly
reasonthishasnotbeenadoptedhereasyetisthepotentialrisktohumansafety.
Wesubmitthereisnomoreriskintheuseofthismethod,thaninanyotherand
urgethegovernmenttoseekanimalwelfareexperts’viewsonthisformofcontrol
asamatterofurgency.
Deer.
Wehaveneverseendeerwhereweare.Ifitissaidthatacommunity
isbeingcriticallyendangeredbydeer,weask“theprocess”outlinedinour
introductionisfollowed.
Webelievehuntingwithhoundsorbymeansof“stalking”iscruelandinhumaneto
thedeerandtothehounds(accordingtovetswhohavehadtotreatthehounds)
andshouldnotbeallowed.
Pigs.
Wehaveneverseenwildpigswhereweare.Ifitissaidthatacommunityisbeing
criticallyendangeredbywildpigswesubmitthatthesameprocessaboveshould
befollowed.
Itisourstrongbeliefthathuntingwithknivesorbowsandarrowsisinhumaneand
barbaricandshouldnotbecondoned.Furtherwefeelstronglythatretailhunting
outletsshouldnotbesellingsuchweapons.
Kangaroos.
Wearehorrifiedtohaveheardtalkofhuntinggroupswantingtopromotethe
cullingofKangaroos.
NativeonlytoAustraliaandourlargestmammal,webelievethisanimalshouldbe
vehementlyprotected.
StudieshaveshownthatnumbersofRooshavenotexploded,butratherhumans
havemovedfurtherouttoregionalareas,thusencroachingontheirterritorymore
frequently.Webelievethatifhumanshavedecidedtoliveorfarminregional
areas,thatconstructingadequatefencingispartandparceloffarminfrastructure
expenditure.
Wewitnessroosaspeaceful,loving,caringandinquisitivebeings.Theykeepto
themselvesotherthanwhenajoeyissickandwehencehavethemcomingtoour
doorstepforhelp.
Ifitissaidthatacommunityisbeingcriticallyendangeredbykangaroosthenwe
submitthesameprocessbefollowedasperanydecisiontocontrolanyanimal,as
outlinedinourintroduction.
Mice/Rats.
Whilststeeltrapsarenolongerallowedinthefield,similardevicesarestill
availableinmostretailchainstobeusedonsmalleranimalslikeratsandmice.
Thisisinconsistentandweaskthatthegovernmentbanstheuseofcrueltraps
immediately.
Similarly,anypoisonswhichhavenotbeencertifiedbyavetorotheranimal
welfareexperttobehumane,shouldbebanned.
Onceagain,wesubmittheprocessasoutlinedinourintroduction,befollowed.
NativeWaterbirds.
Wenotenativewaterbirdsorducksarenotonanylistofpestorinvasiveanimals
andrightlynot.Thefactistheyeatinvertibrateswhichare.Ducksareused
overseastohelpkeepricecropshealthy.Peoplegenerallyloveducksandknow
themtobesensitive,loving,playful,familyinclinedcreatures.
HowevereveryyearinVictoria,shootersgroupshavehadtheirwayinbeingable
tohaveaduckshootingseasonforsomereason.Worse,theyhavehadlawspassed
whichenablethemtoshootfrom7amuntilduskwhereasanyoneelse;themedia
orrescuegroups,muststayawayuntil10amandconcludeactivitiestwohours
beforedusk.
Oneofthewetlandsuponwhichthismassacreoccurs,isonourbackdoorstep.
Unfortunatelywewitnessgroupsofshooterscampingillegally,drinkingand
shootingatallhours.Wehavewitnessedcorellasbeingwoundedwithleadshot
(onewaslatertakentoavet)andpelicans.
Theshootingisnotmonitoredbyauthorities.Wearetoldtherearenotenough
authoritiestomonitorallthewetlands.
Inagreementwithseniorpoliceandpsychologists,Itisourstrongbeliefthat
encouragingkidsasyoungastwelvetokillanimalsinthenameofrecreationisnot
goodforsociety.Thereisnoreasonfortheretobeaduckshootingseasonand
otherstateshavebanneditonanimalcrueltygrounds.WeaskthattheVictorian
governmentdosame.Localsbelievethatthewetlandswouldbefarmorelucrative
asyearroundsanctuaries,leveragingthemanyuniqueandendangeredspecies
whichresidehere.
Inconclusion;
Weunderstandnumerousanimalscouldbedefinedas“invasive”.Noneofthemare
aggressiveordeliberatelyouttoharm,butmindingtheirownbusiness,doingtheir
besttosurviveinanenvironmenttheywereeitherinlongbeforeus,orputinto
becauseofus.
Ifwecannotfindawaytoutilisethemforourbenefit(forinstancegoatscanbe
weedeaters,rabbitspoopcanbefertilizer),ifwecannotcontrolourenvironment
throughplantingtrees,stoppingstockover-grazingpaddocks,preventingstockor
campersfromadverselyaffectingourcatchmentareas,ifthereisnoalternativebut
tohavetocontrolother“invasiveanimals”,itmustbedonehumanelyandweask
theprocessoutlinedinourintroductionisadheredto.
Itisafact,thatananimalisananimalandcrueltyiscruelty.Thereshouldbeno
exceptionstothePreventionofCrueltytoAnimalsAct.
Thisisanopportunityforourgovernmenttotaketheleadandbeseenas
progressiveonanimalwelfare,anissueofimportancetothemajorityofVictorians;
tomakeandupholdregulationwhichpreventscrueltytoanyanimal.
Thankyouagain.