New Exotic Bird record keeping scheme to combat illegal trade and protect native birds from disease
A new exotic bird keeping scheme will allow better tracking of exotic birds to help fight illegal trade and introduction of foreign diseases which threaten Australia's native species, the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull said today. .......more
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CELEBRITY PET EXPERT CHOSEN AS AMBASSADOR FOR THE KRAMAR PET COMPANY
Renowned celebrity pet expert and dog trainer, Steve Austin has been chosen as brand ambassador for The KraMar Pet Company.
Recognised as Australia’s premier dog trainer, Steve is as well-known expert in the field of understanding and reforming doggy behaviour and was a resident judge on Channel Ten’s series, ‘Celebrity Dog School.’
“As spokesman for The KraMar Pet Company, Steve Austin will help us engage and interact with our customers, many of whom know and love our products and are looking for guidance and advice on product usage and pet ownership,” said Mr Harris.
Steve Austin’s biography is a litany of success. He was a director of the (PIAA). Steve has been reelected as president of the Pet Industry Association of Australia (PIAA) from 5th October 2007 and a director of Assistance Dogs Australia which helps disabled people with trained companion dogs.
One of his Key talents is in detection work with Quarantine agencies, having placed more than 50 teams in roles for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Steve is a much sought after presenter. Audiences are left highly motivated and inspired by his entertaining and educational presentations. His unequalled practical experience combined with sound theory knowledge enables him to speak effectively to a wide range of groups, making him an ideal spokesman for The KraMar Pet Company.
Steve Austin will play an active role in The KraMar Pet Company’s public relations, marketing and advertising program. Steve will also work closely with their product development team. With the development of Steve’s new Pet Resorts it really is a match made in heaven.
“I am thrilled that The KraMar Pet Company has chosen me to represent the company. They have some fabulous products and are very well respected within the industry. I look forward to working with their experienced team of professionals to raise their consumer profile in Australia,” said Steve Austin.
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Australian Natives as Pets
The NSW Government is encouraging animal lovers to consider owning native animals rather than their more destructive exotic counterpart.
The average cat can devour an average of eight birds, 16 mammals and eight reptiles a year, while dogs regularly attack native wildlife, such as possums, wallabies, kangaroos and southern brown bandicoots, the last being a critically endangered species.
"Cats really do cause absolute devastation to native animals," Verity Firth, the Minister Assisting Environment Minister Phil Koperberg, said. "If you are wanting to get a pet, think about getting a pet that is environmentally sensitive."
People are increasingly starting to absorb this message. Three years ago, 13,000 Australian households had licences to keep native pets. Since then, the number has grown to more than 18,000.
Despite this, the laws in NSW are yet to keep up with the people. In Victoria most mammals, including the possum, can be kept as pets. This is not the case in NSW, and animal experts have called for relaxation of the stringent laws in the state restricting ownership.
Christopher Cheng, author of Locally Wild, believes that people should hold licences to own native animals, but that the laws should be softened to allow people to keep them as pets.
Previously a teacher at Taronga Zoo, Cheng encourages people to think about owning quolls instead of cats, as they have many similar traits and are affectionate with humans. He also considers possums, bats, bandicoots and wombats as great pets.
Working as a wildlife rescuer, Peter Buckley is also well aware of the damage domestic pets like dogs and cats can wreak. He now has a menagerie at his home in the inner-west of Sydney, including dragons and pythons, two of which are named after his own children.
In NSW, native pets that can be kept as pets include the eastern snake-necked turtle, sulphur-crested cockatoo, galah, eastern water dragon, eastern bearded dragon, green tree frog, red-eyed tree frog, common blue-tongue lizard, children's python, carpet python. People who wish to own these native animals must apply for a licence.
Source: Hannah Edwards, Sun Herald Sept 2007 & Sydney Morning Herald Oct 2007
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Want to know more about the PIAA in WA -
Mr Chris Droz-Dit-Busset of Essentially Pets has put his hand up for the role of WA State Coordinator, Chris owns and operates Essentially Pets retail store in Seville Grove. Chris can be contacted on 08 9497 5229.
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