04/01/2025
God bless you Roy!! 🙏💗
You, and everyone like you, should be applauded and encouraged for doing what pen pushing bureaucrats won't, don't and can't do.
We unfortunately live in a country where the authorities that are supposed to protect our wildlife actually endorse the deaths of more native animals than they do in supporting their rescue, rehabilitation, protection and conservation. It is ony through the individual efforts and commitment of self funded people like Roy and other volunteers, small charities, NFP groups and sanctuaries, that our wildlife have a hope of surviving into the future.
Governing authorities and wildlife agencies in all states use calculated tactics to maintain their control within the sector. Instead of leading with support and encouragement, they raise concerns around potential or suspected welfare issues and cruelty to animals. While these situations sometimes exist, many times their involvement is unjustified where they act on suspicion, rumours or even hypothetical conjecture. It is simply a way to maintain their overbearing and intimidating control within the sector. These particular issues are the only ones where they can confidently use the law to intervene and/or shut down the activities of people like Roy who have a genuine concern about our wildlife and are proactive in their conservation.
These bureaucrats are more worried about losing their control and being exposed for their contemptible role in the demise of our wildlife than they are in actually encouraging their preservation. It seems that there is nothing more damaging to the ego and existence of a govt dept than to watch their job being done more effectively, with passion, knowledge and commitment, by an everyday, down to earth, self funded Aussie.
This is Roy's private land and he has not acted outside the scope of his wildlife licence in Victoria. The welfare concern that was raised has not actually happened. It is a hypothesis of potential risk. The real problem currently faced by Roy and operation of the sanctuary is possibly giving away their power over the situation by engaging with these entities and any so called experts that they may employ. They have a knack of turning what appears to be harmless enquiries and concerns into more serious matters of investigation, accusation and even prosecution, sometimes resulting in confiscation of animals and their euthanasia. This is why they strategically use welfare concerns as a way of initiating their involvement and to justify any decisions they impose.
While it is reported that David Limbrick MP - Libertarian has taken this particular matter to task, it needs to be recognised that this kind of threat within the wildlife sector is happening all over Australia. Rescuers and carers are at the mercy of authorities that can choose to play the insidious game of persecution and prosecution lotto simply to maintain control. This is but one of the toxic traits eroding the sector along with other issues such as bullying, defamation and withholding of funds.
An inquiry into the way wildlife rescue and care are managed is long overdue. Unpaid volunteers have been crying out for years to have endemic problems and their causes independently reviewed. The bodies that currently dominate and govern have been a major contributor to destroying the sector and need to be completely overhauled or replaced, including those run by govt departments. The heart and purpose of wildlife conservation in Australia only exists because of the selfless volunteers and 'Roys' out there that give their all for our native animals and rarely get recognised. They don't want the pats on the back, the salary packages and pensions. They just love our wildlife, know their national and ecological value, and truly want to make a difference.
You can help to make a difference too by showing your support for Roy and commenting on the A Current Affair post, or emailing David Limbrick at [email protected]
● REGISTER YOUR STORY WITH US ●
Rehabilitation and conservation of our wildlife has suffered for many years because of incompetent and out of touch govt agencies/depts, a perpetual hierarchy of control freaks heading wildlife groups/organisations/councils, blurred and distorted laws. Rescuers and carers have been affected at an individual or organisational level by egos, nepotism, bullying, and withholding of funds. And wildlife has ultimately suffered, with many animals dying or being euthanased because of all these things and more.
Time was up a long time ago to put an end to all of this. We need to make a collective stand for the sake of our wildlife and fellow volunteers. Today it is Roy that is in the spotlight, tomorrow it could be YOU.
If you, or someone you know, have had a bad or negative experience as a wildlife rescuer/carer/group/sanctuary because of any authoritive body or organisation, were targeted/investigated/dismissed/defamed/prosecuted or had animals confiscated from care/euthanased, then this is your opportunity to tell your story.
Email us at [email protected] and let us know what has happened. Please include your name and the organisation involved. All stories will remain strictly confidential and will not be shared without your written permission. Your full name will never be used but must be retained for authenticity of your email.
We are helping to collate information from around Australia which may help to initiate an inquiry into the wildlife sector, identify repeated behaviour and who the primary offenders are in each state.
You are a valuable part of the wildlife community and so is your story. Any contribution to this project will be very appreciated. Thank you
Long-time conservationist Roy Pails lives and breathes his wildlife sanctuary in old gold mining territory ...
