The Wodonga Dog Rescue president leads fellow volunteers in fostering and adopting out abandoned dogs and cats.

She has become increasingly frustrated with the council's approach, with its decision to close the pound at its waste transfer site in 2016 resulting in more animals being fostered.

"Everyone says, 'I can't believe we haven't got a pound'," she said.

"It's not only for the dogs, it's for the community - we used to have kids that came in and walked the dogs.

"We've tried and tried to get the pound back.

"We've offered to put heating and cooling in, to fence it off properly, the answer is no. We've asked for land, but the answer is no.

"Even with the fires, they wouldn't open it up.

"Everything you suggest hits a brick wall."

In 2015, councillors considered privatising the pound, and it was decided Albury's facility would take Wodonga's impounds.

Ms McRae said a city the size of Wodonga should have its own pound, particularly with the council charging pet registration fees and employing rangers.

"It's probably costing more to send them to Albury than if they had one in Wodonga. You shouldn't have to go to Albury to get your dog," she said.

"The pound is the main issue. It's a waste of time and money, the ranger having to go to Albury.

"You can't even go to the weir and take your dog off the lead.

"We have one dog park, Albury's got three."

Wodonga Council chief executive Mark Dixon said the city's second dog park was funded and on its way.

"We have saved ratepayer money by adopting a shared serviced approach to the provision of a single pound for Albury-Wodonga," he said.

Councillors resolved at the August meeting to go out to community consultation on a location for Wodonga's next gated dog park.

During that meeting, it was decided that dogs would have to be leashed at all times whilst in public areas, except for when in designated off-leash areas already existing in the city and three dedicated swim areas at Lake Hume, Killara Creek and Wodonga Creek.

WDR did work in partnership with the council at the pound from 2010.

Ms McRae said she had considered discontinuing her rescue activities, which would have left the city with only rangers to respond to stray and at-risk animals.

"It's been through my head a few times - it just becomes too much," she said.

"We need an animal-friendly council."

Ms McRae has detailed her concerns to Bernie Squire, and wants to meet with other candidates in October's election to raise the issue.