The Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania have confirmed that they are “not on the verge of closure” and have ‘no plans’ to go anywhere after recent “misrepresented” reports.
Instead, the organisation has come forward to stress their reliance on the generosity of the dog-loving community and the ongoing challenges they face in securing funding, a struggle shared by many other not-for-profits.
“We find it necessary to address recent reports in The Mercury Newspaper that have stirred some concern,” The Dogs’ Homes wrote on their Facebook page on Monday.
“While it’s true we’ve been running at an operational loss each year and we’re actively seeking additional funding to sustain our mission, we have no plans to close.”
“Secondly, we need to correct the false statement [The front-page headline that read ‘Dogged by Debt’] that we are in debt. We are not in debt. We have been operating at a significant financial lost for several years. But we do not have any debt.”
“Unfortunately, recent news articles have sensationalised and misrepresented our financial situation.”
CEO Mark Wild, featured in the story originally headlined ‘Disastrous’: Tasmanian dog shelter on last legs online, told the paper that: “Many Tasmanians would not know that we operate at a loss every financial year.”
“This is unsustainable and in the longer term there’s a very real concern we might no longer be able to provide the wealth of services we currently do,” Wild said.
“Closure of the Dogs’ Homes would be disastrous for the welfare of the state’s lost and abandoned dogs. There’s no one to step in and take over if we close.”
In the statement shared on Facebook, Wild continued by saying they remain dedicated to caring for Tasmania’s lost and abandoned dogs as rises in the cost of living bite and an increase in older and sicker dogs are surrendered.
“Like many other Tasmanian not-for-profits, we are grappling with the challenges posed by the increased cost of living. However, we want to underscore that closure is not imminent.”
“That being said, our long-term future and sustainability are indeed constant challenges. We are reaching out to the public, asking for your support to ensure we can continue our operations well into the future.”
“We rely on the generosity of the dog-loving community, and your support is crucial in helping us overcome these financial challenges.”
The organisation, which has been helping dogs for 73 years, is hoping to raise at least $150,000 through its current Christmas Appeal to support its operations.
