19/01/2020
It’s time to talk.
The global support for our communities and animals during this bushfire crisis has been incredible. There is clear love and compassion for all those suffering, and millions have been donated specifically for saving wildlife.
The Victorian Government however has failed to match this care. They are refusing to do aerial food drops, despite being pressured by THE Australian Veterinary Association. Their excuse? They don’t want to make animals dependent on humans for food. Instead they are going to starve to death because of the immense coverage of the fires, making it physically impossible for the animals to disperse and find food, as they claim should be the case.
They have advertised setting up triage centres and saving wildlife in each affected region. Can you imagine this means sending one specialist vet to each one, who isn’t allowed to leave the building?
How do you suppose the injured animals are found and brought to them? When the department forbids anyone from going out, and tries to block any vets, including those under the wing of the AVA (who have accrued a huge list of vets willing and wanting to help), from travelling to these areas.
You understand now that kangaroos with burnt feet are still mobile enough to evade humans, and require darting for capture. You understand that koalas with life threatening injuries will still stay high in a tree, only accessible by professional climbers or cherry pickers.
Darters and arborists/climbers so far have all been volunteers. Our wildlife is being saved by volunteers who are going out and doing all the work you see on social media. Not the department, who if you search online state they are responsible for our wildlife protection.
Volunteer groups and experts have been battling this department for years. And now it’s time for the general public to be made aware of their neglect. There is help on offer from experienced vets, and they are rejecting it. If you call them and ask, they say everything is under control. If you call volunteers on the ground, you learn everything is not under control, and the response certainly isn’t being managed by the department.
The rescue of wildlife needs to be structured and managed by experts. Not a government body who is equally in charge of supplying culling and hunting licences.
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