Thank you to those that have contacted me regarding your concern surrounding the Lost Dogs’ Home. The case of Murphy and Milly have rightly prompted calls for greater transparency, accountability, and compassion in how we care for vulnerable animals.
As your Councillor, I am actively working to ensure:
- Councillors are briefed on the draft Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP), which governs our approach to animal welfare and partnerships with shelters. This was scheduled for October but has not yet occurred. I am seeking clarity on the delay and requesting that the briefing include specific reforms in response to recent events.
- stronger advocacy for oversight of behavioural euthanasia decisions
- greater transparency of outcomes and that Council and its contracted provider (LDH) meets the community expectations for ethical care
For reference, below has been supplied by our executive team regarding The Lost Dogs’ Home operations:
Auditing & Compliance
The Lost Dogs’ Home (LDH) operates in line with the Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds – Revision 1 and is registered as a Domestic Animal Business (DAB) with the City of Melbourne and City of Casey for its North Melbourne and Cranbourne shelters, respectively.
Each council conducts annual audits, with additional audits as required, to ensure LDH maintains compliance with the Code and retains its DAB registration.
LDH also provides:
- Monthly reports to partner councils on animal outcomes via the council pathway.
- Quarterly data submissions to the Victorian Government, which are published publicly.
Euthanasia
All euthanasia procedures are carried out exclusively by registered veterinarians, in accordance with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria.
As an open-intake shelter, which is required as LDH supports councils, LDH accepts all animals, regardless of health, age, behaviour, or space availability. This inclusive model means LDH often cares for animals with complex medical or behavioural needs, some of whom may not be suitable for rehoming. In contrast, limited-admission shelters can select animals with higher adoption potential, which typically results in lower euthanasia figures.
As noted by DEECA, facilities like LDH may report higher numbers across data categories due to their partnerships with multiple councils; LDH currently works with 16 councils.
Behaviour Assessments
Behaviour assessments are legally required by the Code of Practice for all animals to assess suitability for rehoming. LDH conducts these using evidence-based best practices, although councils do not currently prescribe specific methods.
For stray dogs with unknown histories, assessments help staff build a behavioural profile. Observations from all staff; vets, inspectors, trainers, and behaviourists are reviewed by the behaviour team members to guide care and rehoming decisions.
While most dogs do not require behavioural intervention, there has been a notable increase in cases needing support across Victoria and nationally. LDH offers council-funded behaviour training and private services to help owners raise safe, happy dogs.
Rehoming Strategies
Rescue Partnerships
LDH’s Pathways Team manages foster care and rescue partnerships. In 2025 to date, LDH has worked with 41 rescue partners, creating 738 rescue pathways:
- Birds: 33
- Cats/kittens: 455
- Dogs/puppies: 159
- Fowl: 22
- Goats/sheep: 6
- Guinea pigs/rabbits: 64
Rescue transfers increased from 501 in FY 23/24 to 906 in FY 24/25, an almost 100% increase.
Foster Program
So far in 2025, 4,000 pets have entered foster care, with projections exceeding 5,000 by year-end. Foster care supports animals who are:
- Too young for adoption
- Recovering from surgery (e.g., patella, entropion, dental)
- Healing from illness (e.g., flu, giardia, kennel cough)
- Undergoing behavioural rehabilitation
- Seeking respite with awaiting surgery or test results
Desexing
All animals rehomed by LDH are desexed, microchipped and vaccinated prior to adoption, ensuring responsible pet ownership.
Further information
Following is a link to Agriculture Victoria’s (Animal Welfare Victoria) Mandatory reporting of animal welfare outcomes in shelters and pounds website.
The Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds (the Code) requires Victorian shelters and pounds to collect and report data to government annually on the management outcomes of every dog and cat they care for.
This data helps the community and government to better understand how dogs and cats are managed and cared for in Victoria’s shelters and pounds. It will be used to inform policy planning and program development, ensuring continued improvements in welfare outcomes for dogs and cats in shelters and pounds.
For each reporting period, shelters and pounds must provide data on the number of dogs and cats:
- in care at the establishment, or in foster care, on the first day of the reporting period
- physically presented at an establishment but not admitted (and the reason they were not admitted)
- accepted for admission
- admitted into foster care
- that waited more than 14 days to access foster care
- permanently transferred to other establishments or groups for rehoming
- reclaimed by their owner
- rehomed
- rehomed but returned (including the reason the animal was returned)
- euthanased (including the reason why euthanasia was the appropriate or necessary outcome)
- that died, in the establishment or while in foster care, but were not euthanased.