Further recovery support in our region

Wardell CORE

A community centred recovery and service hub focused on wellbeing and social care.

Where: 3 Sinclair Street, Wardell Opening hours:

Tuesday to Friday, 9am - 4pm; Saturday 9am - 2pm Closed SundayMonday.

For more information visit the Wardell CORE website www.wardellcore. community Service NSW recovery centres Information and access to services including accommodation, fnancial assistance and replacing lost documents. Opening days and times are updated regularly on the Service NSW website www.service. nsw.gov.au/foods/ recovery-centres

Upcoming face-toface support includes: Lismore Transit Centre Corner of Magellan and Molesworth Street, Lismore

Friday 7 July, 9am to 2pm Monday 10 July & Tuesday 11 July, 10am to 4pm Friday 14 July, 9am to 2pm

Find your closest Recovery centre https://www.service. nsw.gov.au/foods/ recovery-centres

BY SARAH WATERS

FAMILIES are being forced to give up their beloved pets in record numbers as the housing crisis continues to grip the Tweed Shire.

In the last financial year, Friends of the Pound (FoP) in Tweed Heads had 510 cats come into its care and 112 dogs.

The not-for-profit organisation managed to rehome 300 cats and 77 dogs over the year, but 200 cats and 34 dogs still currently remain in foster care.

Another 50 cats and dogs are on a surrender list until foster care becomes available.

Friends of the Pound President Sonia Trichter said after last year’s flood the organisation experienced a significant increase in animals being handed over to them.

“We were managing quite well - until the flood last year,” Mrs Trichter said.

“Instead of rehoming animals, we were taking in more and more surrenders.

“It’s become a huge task for us and it’s also hard on the families having to surrender their pets - I really feel for them.

“If you haven’t got a home, you don’t have a backyard for your pet, then you have to surrender it,” she said.

Friends of the Pound does not have its own animal shelter and instead relies on a team of 30 foster carers, a private kennel, and adoptions centres - Pet Barn and a Best Friend - to house animals until their ‘forever home’ is found.