A protest this week will be held outside the Central Coast Council’s Wyong chambers this Friday, October 14 at 1.30pm.
Community members and animal protection advocates will demand urgent action over a planning proposal for a commercial dog breeding facility in the Palm Grove area.
Anyone wishing to attend is invited to bring their animal companions.
In December 2020, the Local Planning Panel (LPP) approved a 15 month trial for the so-called “puppy farm” after the business first operated without permission.
Animal Liberation’s Regional Campaigns Manager, Lisa Ryan said that due to the lack of genuine and meaningful response by Central Coast Council, members of the public have no other option than to come together and demand immediate action.
She said the applicant had been able to find shelter behind the “woeful planning system” which protected his rights but ignored the rights of neighbours and the welfare of the dogs.
“Council has not only failed to enforce their own enforcement orders, they’ve failed to monitor the welfare of dogs and puppies who are at the crux of this ongoing saga,” Ms Ryan said.
“While council and the LPP may consider these dogs and puppies to be expendable planning commodities and distractions, neither Animal Liberation or the broad animal-loving public share their views.“
She said the ‘administration’ status of council had only further exacerbated the issues, increasing public frustration because of the lack of councillor representation and advocacy, with aggrieved locals being shunted between council staff.
Abigail Boyd, Greens NSW MP and member of the NSW Legislative Council’s committee inquiring into puppy farms, will speak at the event.
She said: “The Parliamentary Inquiry into Puppy Farming has shown clearly that the people of NSW do not want to see dogs and puppies intensively farmed for profit, and no one wants these cruel facilities in their community.”
Ms Ryan said a List of Demands will be presented to administrator Rik Hart at the conclusion of the public gathering outlining the public’s expectations.
Background
In December 2020 the Local Planning Panel allowed the business, which wanted to breed French Bulldogs, to operate legally for 15 months as a trial.
Earlier this year the business’s application for ongoing approval was open for public comment.
At the time, Council Watch wrote about issues with residents trying to gain information on the development application on council’s planning portal.
As late as this week’s council meeting, the administrator, Mr Hart, talked about issues with the portal that began with the amalgamation in 2016 of the former Gosford and Wyong councils and with current issues in filling staffing positions within the planning department.
Back in September 2020, the issue went to the planning panel with a council staff recommendation to refuse the development application for the kennels which had been operating without approval.
The report to the panel said four to six properties were affected by the barking dogs from the kennels at 604 Ourimbah Creek Road, Palm Grove.
The council report said the dog breeding business had continued to operate during the assessment of the development application despite an Order being issued by Council’s Compliance Unit and Council’s written advice to the applicant to cease.
The panel deferred a decision until it received a supplementary report.
It approved the application on December 9 for a fifteen month period only.
Any extension of the approved use beyond fifteen months will require the prior submission and approval of an application, the panel said at the time.
No to Puppy Farms. There are soooo many dogs in Rescue Organisations now. Many dogs being dumped in Council Pounds.