Thanks to the Sunshine Coast Daily for this inspiring article.
Heart and soul of refuge helped save 20,000 dogs and cats
By ALAN LANDER
THERE are not too many people who can say they have been instrumental in saving the lives of around 20,000 dogs and cats.
And Jane Bright is surely the only one on the Sunshine Coast.
Jane has been the heart and soul of the Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge at Sippy Creek for the past nine years but will soon have to give it away for health reasons.
Jane and her family have so far put in an estimated 162,000 volunteer hours into the refuge and, after her retirement on April 1, her son, daughter and daughter-in-law will continue in important roles.
“Ive done what I set out to do,” Jane said.
“I had a couple of objectives before I left, (one being) there would be room for every dog, including pound dogs, and we would not have any euthanised.
“For 17 months now, no dog has been euthanised,” she said, allowing for exceptions where irresponsible owners had tied dying animals to the refuge gate and abandoned them.
Jane is optimistic about the refuges future.
“If enthusiasm is anything to go by, Ive no worries for (its) future,” she said.
“Thats thanks to staff, the setting up of our website and the Pet of the Week.
“Weve had people from interstate and overseas taking animals.
“Tourists see the Pet of the Week and take them home.
“Recently, we had a three-legged dog go to a new home in Adelaide.”
Jane started at the refuge over 10 years ago, saw how it was being run and stepped in as president.
“It was a dirty, run-down place, in debt and going to close,” she said.
“I said ‘Stuff it Im not going to let this happen’.
“I said I would run it. I renegotiated a 30-year lease, repainted buildings, cleaned it up to what it is today.”
Jane said she had to fight for everything but finances improved when former Maroochy mayor Alison Grosse gave the refuge $10,000 from her discretionary funds.
