New Whanganui dog pound passes next hurdle, councillors approve more funding

Margarette Marshall and Ross Fallen ask Whanganui district councillor Murray Cleveland (centre) to support the new Whanganui dog pound ahead of Tuesday's council meeting. Photo/Bevan Conley

A new Whanganui dog pound at Airport Rd will now go out for tender with councillors provisionally approving further funding for it.

A further $550,000 will be put into the Whanganui District Council's 10-year plan which goes out for public consultation this year with $450,000 already set aside for the $1 million project.

The decision by councillors overturns last week's one by council's property and services committee which approved the location of the new pound but not the money to complete it.

Ross Fallen and Margarette Marshall held a small protest in support of the pound, greeting councillors as they walked into Tuesday's meeting.

Jenny Duncan was one councillor who changed her mind after speaking with staff and she held hope that the final cost could be under $1m.

"I voted against this last week and I make no apologies for that because I felt that the $1m was too much for the new pound," she said.

"I would really like to see every endeavour to reduce the cost of the pound without compromising the wellbeing of the animals that are going to be housed there."

Councillor Helen Craig said it was important councillors voted for it.

"Even if you're not sure about what we're doing by putting this in the 10-year plan it gives a clear opportunity for our citizens to make comment."

One councillor to vote against the funding was Murray Cleveland who said many were unhappy with the cost of the proposed facility.

"I would be imploring large numbers of people to submit on this [in the long-term plan] and that we listen to it," he said.

"It's just unacceptable to a large number of people."

Mayor Hamish McDouall said council was required to have a pound.

"We don't want to operate a bunch of wire that's too difficult for our staff to get into, that allows attacks either side from neighbouring dogs ...

"Parvovirus could go through that tomorrow and we'd be front page of every newspaper in the country and deservedly so.

"We don't want to build an over-spec'ed pound but building a pound is vital."

Meanwhile, the council will also get an opinion from a vet on the effect of the proximity of shooting ranges at the new site on dogs after a motion raised by councillor Charlie Anderson was passed.

Rob Vinsen also found support that a formal approach is made to Rangitikei District Council for a suitable contribution. "There is an increasing reliance on this facility that's being provided by the ratepayers of Whanganui, and I know there'll be a charge for it, but they're getting the capital use for this facility and I don't think its unreasonable to ask the RDC for a reasonable share of this."