Success heralds future for Community Wild Dog Control Initiative
AWI has reaffirmed its ongoing funding and commitment to the company’s Community Wild Dog Control Initiative following its success and uptake from wool growers since the program’s launch in 2011.
The program was established seven years ago to provide wool growers with up to 36 months of financial assistance for strategic wild dog management.
AWI Program Manager Vertebrate Pests Mr Ian Evans confirmed AWI’s commitment to funding support of its Community Wild Dog Control Initiative.
“Wild dog on-ground control activities remain an important pillar of AWI support for wild dog affected wool producers,” Mr Evans confirmed.
“We recognise the importance and the critical role wild dog management plays in the successful production of our wool growers and we are committed to ensuring we provide strategic support to ensure that wool producers can achieve on-going management of wild dogs.”
“Wild dogs have the potential to cause significant financial hardship to wool producers and our commitment to this program ensures the provision of up to 36 months of funding to assist producers to overcome the initial challenges of wild dog attacks and become self-sufficient in managing wild dog populations sustainably.
“In the past seven years, the program has funded more than 170 groups in helping to support wild dog affected wool producers. We currently have 33 active groups in the program who are at varying stages of their maximum 36-month program and we are continually receiving new applications from groups seeking AWI’s support as part of this program.”
Mr Evans outlined, AWI will continue to focus on reducing predation on woolgrowers’ sheep through establishing and assisting with effective wild dog removal.
“This program also provides assistance to groups of producers both inside and outside of exclusion fencing,” he said.
“AWI’s Community Wild Dog Control Initiative funding is available to individual groups to undertake wild dog control activities.
“Funding can be used by groups to fill gaps they have identified in their control plans with particular emphasis on assisting groups to become self-sufficient in the longer term.”
Applications are open to new groups as well as those groups that have previously received funding from AWI.
For more information on funding available under AWI’s Community Wild Dog Control Initiative click here.
