1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Now I do want to take you to a terrible situation. 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,079 Speaker 1: It is every parent or every parent a pet I 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: should say. I keep saying parent because I guess we 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: actually do. 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 2: For me. 6 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: I treat my animals like they are my children. But 7 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: it's every pet owner's worst nightmare, dropping a beloved animal 8 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: off to pet sitters and never seeing them again. Now, 9 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: it is unfortunately a situation that Dean and Anitra Jackson 10 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: have found themselves in, with the couple now pushing for 11 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: greater regulations in the animal boarding industry in the Northern Territory. 12 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:38,639 Speaker 1: Anitra joins me on the line right now. Good morning, Anitra, Hi, 13 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: Katie Helen, you're really good. Thank you so much for 14 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: your time this morning. Now, Anitra, can you tell me 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: what happened with your much love dog ev. 16 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: I apologize to listeners if I get a little bit upseck, 17 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 2: because it's still so very very raw. Yeah. What happened 18 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: was back in March last year, twenty twenty four, we 19 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 2: dropped out gorgeous girl Evie and our other dog, Waffy, 20 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: off at a pet boarding facility in the rural Girwene 21 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: area and to go to a family funeral. Now, we've 22 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 2: never used a boarding facility before, never even had to 23 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 2: use a pet sitter, as we've always had family come 24 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 2: up and organize. You know, when you go for travel, 25 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 2: you have plenty of time, but unfortunately, when there's a 26 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 2: family emergency or a funeral as such, we had no 27 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: time to book a pet book family. Sorry. And so 28 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: Evie was doing dog training with this particular business and 29 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 2: they had advertised that they had a boarding facility, and 30 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 2: we thought great. You know, she was a timid little 31 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 2: girl and we did not just want her to give 32 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 2: her to any stranger. They knew that, you know, what 33 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 2: she could and can't do, so we thought that she 34 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: would be safe. So we put her into this facility 35 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 2: only for a maximum of like three days, three four nights. 36 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: I think it was because we just wanted to get 37 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 2: down to the funeral, see the funeral, and come fly 38 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 2: back home to them, you know. And we knew that 39 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: she would be fretting for us and wouldn't eat anything, 40 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 2: because that was Evie. That she had her best friend 41 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: Waffi there, and my husband Dean said it's okay, it's 42 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 2: doning on to bee. For three days. I actually felt 43 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 2: like dropping a child up at family daycare. You know, 44 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 2: I was so worried. You know, we gave them Evie's 45 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 2: bedding and Waffi's bedding because Ebe was trained to go 46 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: back to her bed at a safe space. So on 47 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: the last day, we're on the tarmac and my husband 48 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 2: got a call from the pet the admin from the 49 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 2: pet boarding facility as emergency contact. I was initial contact contact. 50 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 2: And I thought, oh my gosh, I've missed a call. 51 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: I'm not very good with calls, so I thought, did 52 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 2: I miss a call? No, I don't miss a call. 53 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: And Dean was told that Ebe had been in an incident. 54 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 2: A dog had broken into her kennel. She had a 55 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: broken bone, broken legs and needed a blood transfusion. But 56 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 2: they had assessed it and it was all good. And 57 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 2: as you know, when you take off on the tarmac 58 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 2: you have to not being able to talk. So for 59 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 2: two hours flying to Sydney, whe were just beside ourselves 60 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 2: thinking what has happened? You know what, this is just ridiculous. 61 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: Worried about Waffi. Was she involved? You know? And so 62 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 2: we get to the tarmac in Sydney. Off the tarmac 63 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: in Sydney, ring instantly they said that it had it 64 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 2: all sorted and that she was at the vets. So 65 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 2: we assumed that she was at Humpty Doo Vets because 66 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: that was our nominated vet. But she wasn't taken there. 67 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 2: She was taken to growene Vete. Yeah, so another discrepancy there, 68 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 2: and so we rang instantly, rang Ulldean, rang the girrowene 69 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 2: Vets and they were just absolutely wonderful, kind, caring, beautiful 70 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 2: people and said that Edie was actually in critical condition, unresponsive. 71 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 2: She had been involved in a vicious moiling and she 72 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 2: was unstable that they couldn't actually do any X rays 73 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 2: on her. But she had multiple multiple puncho weens bruising, 74 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 2: she had a hernia in her abdominal wall. There was 75 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 2: no blood pressure, so there was no blood and yeah, 76 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 2: it was just she was wet. She had a temperature 77 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 2: at thirty five point four degrees, which is unsustainable for 78 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 2: a dog. And we were just like, what the what 79 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 2: is going on? It was just like a nightmare basically, 80 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 2: and so from that. 81 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: Point on, you know, look what happened next. I mean, 82 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: we know that your beautiful girl passed away or you 83 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: know what happened next. 84 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 2: So she passed away at six o'clock. Why at six 85 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 2: pm while we were stuck in Sydney Airport trying to 86 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,119 Speaker 2: you know, we're ringing the vats every fifteen minutes getting 87 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 2: updates and you know, but we made the decision that 88 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 2: you know, to euthanizer because we didn't want to suffer anymore. 89 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 2: But she actually passed away by herself that we picked with. 90 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 2: You know, we tried to talk to the business owner 91 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 2: and that's your animal attendant, dog trainer that was on 92 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 2: the premises at the time. They want to talk to us. 93 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: Only the admin, who lives into state and was into 94 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: State was the only one either speaking to us email. 95 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 2: I even got on Facebook messages saying I want you 96 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 2: to call me, and then it was the admin, and 97 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: you know, I said, I don't want to talk to you. 98 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 2: I've already talked to you. I want to know exactly 99 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: what's happened. So we demanded incident reports, as you do. 100 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 2: And the first incident report was just a disgraceful piece 101 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 2: of rubbish, so we demanded another one with I wanted photos. 102 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 2: I wanted timeline, I want it photo of the enclosure, 103 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 2: I want it wherey you was found? You know, anything 104 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 2: that you know, an incident report must have and it's 105 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 2: a legal document, you know, at the end of the day, 106 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 2: you know, it's an account of what has happened. So 107 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 2: we got an account from the animal attendant and business 108 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 2: owner and there is a huge discrepancy. So the incident 109 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 2: report it happened to be eleven twenty five eleven thirty 110 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 2: she was They changed their story from a dog breaking 111 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: into a kennel for her being pulled through offense and 112 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 2: the animal attendants removed Evie from the said dogs. And 113 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 2: then but from the initial the rent report and the 114 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: extensive rat report that we got from doctor Sue from 115 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 2: Geralin that indicated that she was actually presented at ten am, 116 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 2: not eleven twenty five. 117 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: So there's a lot of a lot of discrepancies there 118 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: by the sounds of it. Look, I can't begin to 119 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: imagine how heartbroken you guys must have felt, taking your dogs, 120 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: you know, somewhere where you thought they would be safe, 121 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: and then something like this happening. Now I know you 122 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: have launched a petition. It was recently tabled in Anti Parliament. 123 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: I'd heard the petition tabled and I thought, I wonder 124 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 1: what this is all about. Yeah, what exactly is the 125 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: is the petition calling for? Because anitra, I'm assuming that 126 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: you do not want anybody to have to go through 127 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: this game with one of their animals and you'd like 128 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: to see some serious change. 129 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, So we've opened up account of worms. So 130 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 2: when eating died, we rang everyone we possibly could. The 131 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 2: council they could in investigate because animal boarding isn't in 132 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 2: their bilaws and the incident happened on private property, so 133 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 2: we rang Animal Welfare. They were great, their hands were tied. 134 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 2: They can access the property within forty eight hours because 135 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 2: under the Act they have to notify and animal boarding 136 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 2: is not under the Animal Welfare Act. It's not even 137 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: in canceled by laws, so which means you know, what 138 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 2: does that mean. It means that the whole industry is unregulated. 139 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 2: So you yourself, Katie, could start up pet business tomorrow, 140 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: call yourself a great name. You know, operate in a 141 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 2: shipping container, don't have enough ventilation. 142 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: And you know you could be doing anything. 143 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 2: Whiz bang could be doing anything and there is no 144 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 2: no one to inspect or. 145 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: It seems unbelievable, like given the fact that if you 146 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: want to, you know, if you want to operate a 147 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: business that sells food, you know, you've got to have 148 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 1: somebody come around and inspect. I mean we're talking about 149 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: animals here. I would have thought that there would be 150 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: stronger regulations in place. 151 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 2: Absolutely, that's what we were. We hadn't used an animal 152 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 2: boarding facility or you know, pet boarding facility ever, and 153 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 2: we just assumed that, you know, they must be licensed, 154 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 2: they must have you know, insurance ABM. The only requirement 155 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 2: that you do have to have as an animal boarding 156 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 2: facility is to get a planning authority and the place 157 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: where ab was didn't even have that. So yeah, so. 158 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're too next because I am going to have 159 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: to get ready to wrap up. But we're too next. 160 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: In terms of the petition, it's been tabled in Parliament, 161 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 1: how many people have signed and what do you want 162 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: to see change? 163 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 2: So as there's no regulation at all in the NT 164 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 2: and actually across Australia there's done actually one one state 165 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 2: or two states that have got a little bit of regulation. 166 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 2: We're calling for the immediate action to protect companion animals. 167 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 2: So regulate the pet boarding in history, just not pet 168 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 2: boarding facilities, but also pet sitters that use commercial platforms 169 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:32,559 Speaker 2: like mad pause as well. Unfortunately, Ed you know, after 170 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 2: EV's death, there has also been a few other deaths 171 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 2: with pet sitters and in the suburbia as well. So 172 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: we're calling for regulation of boats and a mandatory licensing 173 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 2: and a code of practice. So code of practice is 174 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 2: to include housing, hygiene, your healthcare in CCT, surveillance, emergency protocols. 175 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 2: And the most important which we really are pushing for 176 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: is reporting and accountability because at the moment, there is 177 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 2: no no one doesn't have to report yeah death. Yeah, 178 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 2: and also yeah, you're right, you go. Yeah. And also 179 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 2: we're also advocating that animals sentient living beings. So at 180 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 2: the moment, Haney class as property and possession not a 181 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 2: living being, a living soul with emotions and feelings, which 182 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:30,200 Speaker 2: you know, it's twenty five. 183 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, tell me how many people have signed your petition. 184 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 2: Yes, So when it was tabled it was one four 185 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 2: hundred and ninety five. It's been tabled as petition number twelve, 186 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 2: which were very excited about it, and it's currently sitting 187 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 2: at one thousand, nine hundred and five. We're leaving the 188 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 2: petition open even those signatures can't be tabled officially tabled, 189 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 2: but which still show growing support tech guardians that there 190 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 2: does need to be changed, and. 191 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, absolutely, Look, I really appreciate your time this morning. 192 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: I know it's not an easy discussion to have, and 193 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: you know, I think it. I feel heartbroken for you 194 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: and Dean what happened to ev. I think it's you know, 195 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: I can't even imagine it dropping one of my babies 196 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: off to be looked after and then not having them 197 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: come home. So I really, I really appreciate you speaking 198 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: to us. I know that plenty of people listening this 199 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: morning as well will feel the same, so we will 200 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: please keep in contact with us and let us know 201 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: how things progress if you can. 202 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, so there will be a debate, hopefully an impending 203 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 2: debate in July, which we will be present at, so 204 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 2: I'm happy to give you an update of how that 205 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 2: went and how it's going. We're also trying to push 206 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: nationally as well, so we're at the early stages of that, 207 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: but it's looking very pleasant. 208 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, thank you, Anitra. I really appreciate you having 209 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: a chat to us, and we will talk to you 210 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: again soon. 211 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, thank 212 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: You, Thanks so much.