Archive for May, 2007
Toby was a large, elderly Wolfhound X dog who had the misfortune of being owned by a man who did not seem to have the capacity to understand his problems or to provide the solution to fix them, despite his best efforts and intentions. Toby had significant health problems, including a heart murmur and chronic skin infections. The RSPCA seized Toby in early 2006, when he was found to be dehydrated, emaciated, lame and covered in painful sores. The RSPCA arranged for Toby to receive treatment for his heart condition, his arthritis, his malnutrition, and his serious ear and skin infections. After 2 months of intensive care and treatment, the vet described a remarkable improvement in his health and well-being.
Toby’s owner was charged with 3 counts of illtreatment of his dog. It became apparent that he did not understand why his dog had been taken from him and he desperately wanted Toby back, ringing the RSPCA frequently to ask if Toby could come home. So we had a situation where the owner seemed to genuinely love his dog but could not understand how to care for him. Prosecution was the only legal way we could prevent Toby from being re-claimed. The legal process was continually delayed and it was a further 18 months before Toby’s owner pleaded guilty and he was ordered to forfeit Toby to the RSPCA and was prohibited from getting any more animals. In all that time, Toby was lovingly cared for by many RSPCA staff and he became a favourite, particularly with Inspector Russell Jarman, who seized Toby in the beginning. When he was well, Toby enjoyed his time with the Staff and Volunteers, but his health was failing, and he deteriorated. Russell insisted that he take the responsibility of ending Toby’s life, and Toby died peacefully. Many, many tears were shed. Toby’s ashes have been placed in our Lonsdale Shelter’s Memorial Garden, with a plaque to remember a dog who had suffered terribly but who found kindness at last.
The new President of RSPCA AUSTRALIA, Mrs Lynne Bradshaw, while visiting RSPCA SA recently, met Toby and was deeply affected by his story. Lynne later remarked that it was the animals like Toby that made her join the RSPCA and try to make a difference.
May 27th, 2007
The following is the Editorial from “The Australian” Newspaper from its 22 June 2005 edition
“During his 30 years as head of the RSPCA, Hugh Wirth has managed to upset pretty much everyone, and for all the right reasons, including his unflinching opposition to the mistreatment of animals in areas such as battery farming and live animals exports. Indeed he has done what an advocate of a worthy cause should do in a democratic society; argued the case for change rationally and forcefully. When he started out, Dr Wirth was even a pariah among fellow vets for his “soft headed” opposition to some modern farming practices. But they have generally come around to his view that it is not, and never should be, “anything goes” when it comes to the commercial exploitation of animals. Dr Wirth’s effectiveness as an opponent of cruelty to animals was recognized internationally when he became President of the World Society for the Protection of Animals. All of which makes it doubly ironic that those who attack Dr Wirth most vitriolically these days are not poultry farmers or sheep exporters, but radical animal rights activists. Following a violent assault by members of Animal Liberation Victoria at the RSPCA’s annual ball in Melbourne last year, Dr Wirth now requires personal security when he appears in public.
What we see here is a clash between two philosophies about human interaction with animals. Dr Wirth stands at the end of a long humane tradition that sees kindness to animals as one of the markers of a civilised society and that celebrates the deep humanity we express through the care and love of pets. It is a philosophy the RSPCA puts into practical effect every year by taking in nearly 150,000 abandoned animals. “Animal Liberation”, on the other hand, is a radical ideology that parades as kindness to animals but is really about ending livestock farming, banning the use of animals in medical science and outlawing the eating of meat. It is built on the shaky foundation, enunciated most clearly by Australian philosopher Peter Singer, that animals are an oppressed minority and have essential rights just like human beings. But animals are not a minority, and while they can certainly know physical constraint and freedom, only a person can experience oppression and liberation. Animal liberationists have every right to press their views, faulty or otherwise, but they should do so by arguing for change, not by raiding laboratories in universities or threatening clothing companies that use Australian wool. Most of all they do their cause dire harm when they attack those who have devoted their lives to defending all creatures great and small.”
May 25th, 2007
With the International Whaling Commission meeting next week, Australia’s largest and most respected animal welfare organisation has once again added its voice to international condemnation of any continuation or expansion of whaling.
RSPCA Australia President Lynne Bradshaw today said the environment of the open ocean as well as the tools used in whaling made the practice inherently cruel.
“While the RSPCA works extensively within Australia to help farm, native and companion animals, as an animal welfare organisation we are equally concerned about the continuation of a practice outside of our borders that causes enormous pain and suffering to these gentle giants,” said Mrs Bradshaw.
“It is simply impossible to kill a whale humanely.”
“All caring people, where-ever they live in the world must stand up and reject this cruel practice.”
“These social and intelligent animals will be shot from a distance with a harpoon that has an exploding tip,” she said.
“The harpoon will penetrate around 12 inches into the animal’s body and will cause enormous pain and blood loss when it detonates,”
“The whale could then take up to an hour to die.”
The International Whaling Commission will meet next week, where delegates from all over the globe will consider whether to allow pro-whaling countries like Japan, Iceland, Norway and their allies to kill more whales.
RSPCA Australia is a supporter of Whalewatch, a coalition of 140 international non-government organisations working to end whaling.
May 23rd, 2007
- Do you believe that “free range” eggs are preferable to “caged eggs” in terms of animal welfare?
- Do you also buy caged eggs because they are more readily available and much cheaper?
- Do you really understand the differences between the 3 types of eggs available - Caged Eggs, Free Range Eggs and Barn-Laid Eggs?
So, in an egg (nut) shell:
Caged Eggs
The hens live in large batteries of small wire cages with usually between 2 and 5 birds to a cage. There are many hundreds of cages in a large metal shed and the cages are usually tiered, so that a single shed may hold many thousands of birds. Each hen has about 550 square centimetres of room (an A4 sheet of paper has about 650 square centimetres!). The birds are placed in the cages when about 18 weeks of age and stay in those cages for about 18 months after which they no longer produce enough eggs to be profitable. The sheds are kept at a relatively even temperature and most use water foggers to keep them cool on hot days. The laid eggs roll onto a wire tray or rubber belt and are collected manually or automatically. The birds are fed and watered by automatic systems so that each bird has access to food and water. The light in the shed is automatically set to maximise egg production (16 hours of light followed by 8 hours of dark).
The RSPCA is opposed to the farming of layer hens in battery cages because the birds are deprived of their natural desires to exercise, nest, dust bathe and perch.
Free Range Eggs
There is a lot of misinformation about free range farming. Logically, hens farmed in this way are able to exercise, nest, dust bathe and perch BUT there are other important considerations for hen welfare that need to be considered and which many free range layer farms DO NOT adequately address! Domestic layer hens were originally tropical birds - they do not cope well with conditions which are cold and wet or very hot and dry. Many Free Range farms do not provide acceptable protection from these conditions and birds can die in very large numbers. Layer hens are instinctively wary of predators and will not readily venture into wide open areas where they are exposed to birds of prey. Many free range farms do not have adequate bush and tree cover and the birds prefer the safety of their sheds. Foxes are a major predator of free range layer farms and can kill dozens of chickens in one visit, or may enter a shed and cause hundreds of chickens to panic and smother each other. Only 2 Free Range Layer farms are accredited by the RSPCA, both of which are in South Australia (Modra’s Free Range Eggs on Kangaroo Island and Ruradene Free Range Eggs at Tarlee). RSPCA accredited Free Range Eggs are available for purchase from a number of outlets, including the RSPCA Thrift Shops at Brighton, Blackwood, Warradale and Tanunda.
Barn Laid Eggs
The RSPCA accredits a number of free range layer farms around Australia which produce eggs by the “barn laid” system. These farms are each inspected every few months to ensure they continue to meet stringent RSPCA accreditation standards. (Not all “barn-laid” farms are RSPCA accredited).
RSPCA acredited barn-laid farms have the hens kept in sheds but each bird has sufficient space to exercise, perch, nest and dust bathe. They are protected from cold, wet weather and foggers keep the sheds cool in heat waves. They are also protected from predators. These farms produce eggs from hens whose welfare is assured!
RSPCA accredited barn-laid eggs are marketed under the “Coles” and “South Aussie” brands, but look for the RSPCA Logo on the box! Don’t just think of the eggs, think of the hens which lay them for you!
May 3rd, 2007
We recently heard of a sad matter when an elderly man died suddenly and alone on his small country property near Gawler. His hobby was breeding and rearing pigeons and poultry and they were left behind in large numbers without any care. The RSPCA attended every few days to feed and check on the birds, awaiting news of any friends or family. Sadly, the man seemed to have no-one. The property was in a terrible state, and the birds were living in squalor. Cages were piled high with manure, old food and even old dead birds.
We sent some of the birds for testing and it was found they were carrying ornithosis, a disease which is transmissible other birds and to humans. It was then clear that the birds could not be re-homed and would have to be destroyed. The RSPCA had attended to the welfare problem, but we are not responsible for disease control or the disposal of diseased birds. We could find no-one to assist in the destruction of the birds, and our own staff spent several days on the distressing job of killing almost 1,000 pigeons and 20 geese, some ducks and 50 chickens. This is always a difficult task for people in the RSPCA who are in the job because they love animals!
We asked the Light District Council to remove the bags of dead birds - they refused on the grounds that the birds were contaminated and they did not want their workers exposed to them. They were not reassured by the advice that the bird disease needs a live bird to live and is not a hazard to people in protective clothing.
We then set about trying to find a disposal service that would remove the birds - again, not our job! We were told they had to be buried in a dump 100 kilometres away. Then we found a company that would take them away, if we loaded the truck and paid for it.
Understably, neighbouring people became unhappy about the bags of dead birds left on the property day after day while we searched for a solution. The television show “Today Tonight” heard their complaints and rushed to film the sad scenes.
So we will now take staff from their normal jobs of protecting and caring for animals to load a truck with over a thousand dead birds, who are the real victims in this sad story.
May 3rd, 2007
