In 2016, Camden Council resolved to operate ‘a no kill’ animal care facility where all attempts are made to re-home or rescue animals considered suitable for rehoming. This was supported by Council’s Companion Animal Policy and Program.

Council’s current arrangement for the shelter and rehoming of companion animals is with Rossmore Veterinary Clinic. The initial contract term for this arrangement expires in March 2024 with an additional two, one-year options for extension.

Due to the planned future growth of Camden area, and the expected growth in companion animals, a purpose-built and centrally located facility will be required in the future.

The site for the new Animal Shelter at 55 Topham Road, Smeaton Grange was endorsed by Council as the preferred location for a new shelter, in July 2021.

Since 2017, Council has utilised the services of Rossmore Veterinary Hospital as an Animal Care Facility to manage companion animals.

For more information, including animals currently available for adoption, see www.camden.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-pets/animal-care-facility.

Council’s Animal Advisory Committee is a key stakeholder in the design of the facility.

They have indicated the proposed facility should not be a simple “pound”, but a location to provide services and encourage re-housing of animals and support Council’s companion animal education program.

The shelter will embrace shelter medicine principles and smart technology, setting a new standard for shelter design within Australia.

In October 2022, Council was awarded funding as part of the Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program (formerly known as WestInvest).

The $2 billion program funds transformational infrastructure projects across Western Sydney, home to one of the fastest-growing and most diverse populations in the nation.

Camden Animal Shelter and Community Education Hub received $10 million and the Community Nursery recieved $4 million.

For more information, visit www.nsw.gov.au.

While the nursery won’t be open to the public on a day-to-day basis, Council will be coordinating regular plant giveaways to the local community throughout the year.

There will also be education and engagement activities delivered at the facility on a range of sustainability topics of interest to the community which could include native gardening, composting, worm farming and much more!

The community will be provided with regular opportunities to access plants from the community nursery through plant giveaway events either directly from the nursery, or from Council events supplied by the nursery.

We would love to be able to provide volunteering opportunities to the local community at the nursery. Council is investigating how this will be delivered and more information will be available soon.

The main focus of the nursery will be on growing local native species that can be used in Council's restoration and landscaping projects.

However, there will still be some non-native species that are grown on-site for use in some Council projects.

Any giveaways to the local community will only include local native species.

Council will be looking to deliver a range of education and engagement activities at the facility covering sustainability topics of interest to the community. As an example, this could include native gardening, composting, worm farming and much more!

Council has been operating a no-kill animal care facility since 2016 and the new shelter will continue to operate as a no kill facility. Please refer to Council’s Companion Animal Policy for further information: https://www.camden.nsw.gov.au/council/policies/#C

Council currently works with local rescue and foster groups for the rehoming of animals and will continue to work with these organisations when we move into the new shelter.

The facility will be landscaped to showcase and make use of local native plants with a range of benefits including the creation of habitat and a green corridor link through to Narellan Creek, while also encouraging greater use of local native species by the community.

We will consider this as we work through our operating processes and procedures.

The community nursery will be used to propagate and grow trees, shrubs and groundcover species to be used in landscaping and restoration projects delivered by Council, with the majority of these being species from local plant communities.

The afterhours drop off for dogs will be managed by Council staff and emergency services. It will not be available for use by the public.

A component of Council’s afterhours protocol is to provide a temporary safe and secure space for dogs to be held. The drop off box will be equipped with surveillance and will be checked daily by staff.

Yes. The design considers the requirements for housing of cats which includes separation from dogs. The cat adoption housing is separated by a wall that will be acoustically designed to ensure the cats cannot hear or see the dogs and are as relaxed as possible.