Mayor's Message - Thursday 12 May

The past week has seen some major events that celebrate family. Last Sunday’s Mother’s Day at the Garden of the Grieving Mother as well as the Sri Lankan New Year Festival were both timely reminders of how important the family unit is to us.  

Part of that family unit and something we can never underestimate the importance of, is our pets, particularly when it comes to our social, physical and mental wellbeing.  

The City of Ballarat last week welcomed the announcement that the Victorian Government will provide $11.5 million towards the construction of a new purpose-built regional animal facility in Ballarat as part of its 2022/23 State Budget.  

The City of Ballarat has identified a site for the new facility and committed $200,000 towards its planning in the 2021/22 budget, with planning for the new shelter commencing in late 2021.   

A community survey last year saw more than 94 per cent of responses seeing a new regional animal shelter as a high priority.  

This is a project we have been advocating for since the middle of the last decade and it is a credit to the team at the City of Ballarat as well as the community for providing their support and input. 

Annually, the Ballarat Animal Shelter cares for more than 2000 lost, surrendered, abandoned, or mistreated domestic animals and livestock from across our region. It offers care for pets displaced by bushfires, floods and other emergencies. It is also a refuge for the loved animals of people fleeing family violence and for those experiencing severe ill-health issues who need help caring for their best friends.   

It is an exciting time, not only for our community, but particularly for our hard-working animal shelter officers, the vets and volunteers who give so much love and care to the work they do.  

Community input is critical in influencing such City of Ballarat decision-making and I encourage everyone to review the 2022/23 Draft Budget, which is now up for consultation through https://mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au/