PAWS and Claws President Michael Kerr believes ‘people power’ can help save the animal shelter following the blocking of its new site by the State Government.

And the Douglas Shire Councilor has wasted no time rallying community support with the creation of Save Paws and Claws. The website offers direct email access to each minister of the Queensland Government including Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk.

There has been a strong backlash following the Department of Natural Mines and Resources’ decision to reject a new site at Yule Point for fear it would upset the dwindling cassowary population.

Douglas locals took to social media to laugh at the suggestion yesterday, with one Facebook user even claiming she’d ‘never seen a single cassowary’ after more than 15 years living next to the proposed site.

Mayor Julia Leu also strongly opposed the ruling, saying it failed the 'sniff test' and defied logic.

“To use cassowaries is a feeble excuse,” Kerr said.

“No one has even sighted a cassowary down there; it’s not cassowary terrain. The type of vegetation does not suit those animals at all.

“To us it’s the complete wrong decision. It’s a bureaucratic decision that has been made by someone in an office that has no idea what the vegetation is out there.

“This is going to be a people power thing from our behalf. We want everyone to contact the ministers directly and say ‘hey, this isn’t on’.”

Kerr said the animal shelter, which has been operating for almost 17 years, could survive ‘maybe another six months’ without securing a new location. It has been homeless since being forced to vacate its old premises on the Captain Cook Highway in September.

Without a viable refuge for unwanted or mistreated dogs and cats, Kerr fears they will be ‘dumped’ in surrounding bushland.

“We take in over 200 animals a year, that’s a lot of animals to be dumped in the wild that will cause a great deal of issues,” he said.

“So you’re going to have an increase in wild dogs and cats roaming around national parks which will cause even further disasters as far as the environment is concerned.

“It’s a very precarious situation, we need to know we have something to go to and that’s what we have been relying on. After everything we’ve been through to try and secure a block, this one (Yule Point) had the best hope.

“And right up until three weeks ago we were getting positive feedback from the Department and, suddenly, it went quiet.

“It’s a mess.”

A street demonstration is being planned on December 3 in protest of the Department’s decision, with more information to come. Until then, Kerr is encouraging as many people as possible to personally write to the ministers.

WHAT YOU CAN DO...

Save Paws and Claws wants as many people as possible to contact the ministers to have maximum influence on them. Whilst Douglas Shire Council will be heading at them through the internal chains, people power is what will make the difference.

What to do:

• Email the Ministers on the Dear Ministers….. page
• Tell your friends about the situation and ask them to email the ministers on the Dear Minister….. page
• Share this story with your friends on Facebook, direct them to this website www.savepawsandclaws.com
• Write letters to the media, if you have friends in the industry let them know.
• Join us for March on Macrossan December 3rd. Meeting at Julan Park, (path to look out) and marching with our fur friends to Anzac Park. Bring a friend!

Visit the Save Paws and Claws website for more information.