HELP SAVE RESCUE FROM CLOSING - 45K COUNCIL BILL
Deathrow Unchained Animal Rescue is an organisation whose primary goal is the rescuing and saving the lives of unwanted animals and the prevention of animal cruelty.
We have for some years occupied a 34 acre property in the Brisbane city Council area which has allowed us to save over 3800 animals lives. We have progressively introduced a range of initiatives including education and school programs, domestic violence programs and veteran mental health days with the Australian army etc, etc. These initiatives have significantly benefited the local community (and many animals) and additionally provided an educational facility for multiple organisations, both local and national.
The Council have now chosen to challenge this established and beneficial Community Organisation and threaten to throw us and our residents on the street, in the way of an enforcement order.
Their assertion is that the activity represents a “Change of Use”, as the premises were previously, in the distant past, a plant nursery and the council are now demanding well upwards of $45,000 to simply to apply (Not guaranteed approval) for ‘Change of Use” for the operation to continue. In addition they have indicated ongoing substantial demands that would render the situation financially unviable and force the organisation’s inevitable closure.
The benefits to the communities served and animals saved on this basis would be would be totally lost.
We believe this is a draconian, unnecessary and unrealistic proposal that does not take account of the interests of Deathrow Unchained, our volunteers, the local and wider communities we support, the businesses we purchase from, together with the range of educational establishments and organisations that appreciate and have benefited from the rescue not to mention the mental health of so many people who visit our animals every week.
We believe the Council should permit the activity for the benefits provided to all parties and take a kindly and realistic view of the established practice and allow our organisation to continue as it has in the past – BENEFITING THE WIDER COMMUNITY!
THE IMMEDIATE COSTS
Nearly overnight we are facing unfathomable costs (listed below)
- $45, 000 application fee which we have been advised could increase
- Town planner -$15-$20,000
- Barrister for legal representation
- Maintaining Feed and medical costs and rent payments while navigating this scary situation and our usual fundraising teams time dedicated to trying to keep us open.
Please help us in anyway you can – this is an emergency for the community and these animals lives
Please note: if for any reason these costs change money raised will go towards assisting with animal feed through the difficult winter months, medical bills and rescue missions to save more lives - we are 100% volunteer run!
