The RSPCA has praised the rate at which dogs at the Mugga Lane pound are being rehomed by the ACT Government's Domestic Animal Services.
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The most recent figures show the pound found homes for 92.6per cent of the 1397 ''suitable dogs'' that went through the pound in 2010-11, ''making it one of the most successful dog shelters in Australia''.
Domestic Animal Services deputy registrar Julie Angove said yesterday 129 dogs deemed ''unsuitable'' also had to be put down, a figure not included in the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate annual report.
That put the rate of all dogs rehomed closer to 85 per cent.
But Ms Angove said there were just some dogs that could not be either reunited with their owner or found a new home.
''If it it's been involved in an attack or it's got a health issue or a behaviour issue that's going to cause public safety issues if it's released [it's unsuitable]. Sometimes the vet will decide for health reasons the dog has to be euthanised, if it's in pain,'' she said.
The ACT facility was doing much better than some of its NSW counterparts, where some pounds had euthanasia rates of 50 to 100 per cent.
RSPCA chief executive officer Michael Linke acknowledged the work being done at the Mugga Lane pound.
''They do a good job,'' he said.
But Mr Linke said the figure in the annual report ''is not reflective of the total number of dogs euthanised'' and hoped future reports addressed that issue.
''They have a high homing rate but it's a qualified figure,'' he said.
Ms Angove said no one enjoyed having to euthanise an animal. ''It's not an easy job. You've got the good and the bad of the job, but in the end you've got to look at public safety and people have to realise not every dog can be rehomed,'' she said.
''The guys don't enjoy doing it. But that bad side is weighed up against the joy you see when you're able to reunite an owner with their dog or a kid comes in and finds his first ever dog here. There's a lot of joy in watching that happen.''
Ms Angove said some people surrendered dogs to be euthanised when the animals were declared dangerous.
She said there were 20 dogs currently in the ACT on a dangerous dog licence making their owners subject to certain conditions, such as the dogs having to wear muzzles, be kept in an enclosure and not be allowed off lead.
