By Belinda Nolan
ANIMAL rescuers are so traumatised by the cruelty of Brimbank pet owners, they are being forced to seek counselling, local activists claim.
The Brimbank Pet Neighbourhood Watch group has begun recruiting volunteer social workers in a desperate bid to help troubled rescuers recover after witnessing horrific acts of brutality.
BPNW president Liliana Iuri told Star her volunteers had been left distressed after rescuing animals that had been tortured, mistreated and maimed by their callous owners.
In some cases, animals have even been killed.
The group recently involved police after a volunteer witnessed two young animals cruelly killed.
The owner, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was charged and will later appear in court.
Other alarming cases include the bodies of dead dogs left to rot in a resident’s backyard and dogs and birds used to stage cruel fights.
Ms Iuri said animal abuse was rife in Brimbank, with violent aggressors taking out their frustrations on their silent victims and unwanted pets being abandoned to die on the city’s streets.
In April Star reported that Brimbank was the worst hotspot for animal abuse, with the highest number of cruelty complaints in the state.
The RSPCA investigated a staggering 881 animal cruelty complaints in Brimbank last financial year, a 30 per cent rise on the previous year.
Common complaints involved allegations of neglect, aggravated cruelty and improper housing.
The brutality is taking a heavy emotional toll on volunteers, who are not trained to deal with the fallout of their horrific experiences.
“Brimbank is notorious for animal cruelty,” Ms Iuri said.
“It’s extremely distressing for volunteers because they are witnessing first hand these shocking cases that other people are only reading about.
“Some of the things that are going on are absolutely appalling.
“It’s extremely disturbing.”
Ms Iuri said the small organisation was struggling to provide emotional support for its members and called on local social workers to volunteer their services to help address the crisis.
The group is also calling for extra donations and volunteers to keep up with demand.
“We get called out on a daily basis and we need as much help as we can get,” Ms Iuri said.
Anyone wishing to volunteer, or to report a stray or injured animal can call the group on 0422 378 515 or 0400 988 931.
