Archive for October, 2007
Released today, the latest annual national statistics from RSPCA Australia paint a bleak picture for Australia’s cat population, prompting the organisation to reiterate its call for mandatory desexing of cats and dogs.
In FY06/07, 58,480 cats were accepted from the community by RSPCA Australia, which is a drop of almost 4.5% on the previous year’s figures. In SA 4,564 cats were accepted, a drop of 3.5%. However, only 25,137 of these (or less than 43%) were reclaimed or rehomed. In SA 1,687 cats were reclaimed or rehomed or 37%.
RSPCA Australia CEO Heather Neil said that while an increase of 3.8% on the number of cats that had been reclaimed or rehomed in FY05/06 was a significant achievement, the number of stray, unwanted and surrendered cats coming to RSPCA Australia was still far too high.
“These statistics do show our efforts to educate pet owners and the wider community and to encourage responsible practices like microchipping and desexing are having an effect,” said Ms Neil. “However, we are still facing a huge problem with cat owners not desexing their pets, not microchipping their pets and not claiming them when they go missing,” she said. “The pet overpopulation problem is a simple formula: while Australia has one of the highest levels of pet ownership in the world, we are still breeding more animals than we can find good homes for, “There will only ever be a limited number of suitable homes available for cats in need; therefore, we desperately need to work from the other side of the equation and reduce the number of cats we receive,” said Ms Neil.
By comparison, 67,703 dogs were received, with 45,730 or 67.5% of these reclaimed or rehomed. In SA 4,559 dogs were received, with 3274 or 72% of these reclaimed or rehomed.
Ms Neil said RSPCA Australia remained firm in its position that all pets that aren’t used in breeding by professional registered breeders should be desexed, to prevent unwanted births and reduce fighting and straying. “There still seems to be some resistance to desexing in the community,” she said. “Desexing is a critical part of the solution but we do also need education to become better pet owners as well as increasing our implementation of pet identification through tags and microchipping,” said Ms Neil.
RSPCA Australia releases its annual national statistics around October each year, and they detail the number of animals accepted from the community, reclaimed or rehomed as well as euthanased, in addition to statistics on complaints, prosecutions and convictions.
In the last financial year, the RSPCA nationally accepted a total of 144,421 animals from the community, including 18,238 other animals such as livestock, horses, native wildlife and small animals. (In SA a total of 9903 animals were accepted from the community, including 362 other animals.)
Australia’s best-known and most trusted animal welfare charity, the RSPCA also investigated 41,915 complaints of animal cruelty and neglect, securing 236 convictions from 352 prosecutions. In SA RSPCA investigated 2,738 complaints of animal cruelty and neglect, securing 35 convictions from 35 prosecutions.
RSPCA Australia collates these statistics nationally, and trends can vary on a state-by-state basis. The RSPCA’s annual national statistics for each year since 1997 can be viewed online at http://www.rspca.org.au/resource/stats.asp
To support the RSPCA, visit www.rspca.org.au or phone 1300 RSPCA 1 (1300 777 221).
October 23rd, 2007
In early 2006 the RSPCA received a report about a very large dog which was in a backyard at Goolwa. Apparently his carer frequently went away and neighbours gave “Karma” food and water and untangled him from his chain when necessary. He was reported to be getting thinner and had developed a nasty skin infection.
When RSPCA Inspectors entered the property on a warrant they saw that Karma was emaciated, with red raw skin around his neck and hindquarters. There was no food or water available and the dog was seized and taken to a vet.
He was found to be very malnourished, with severe mange which was causing him pain.
Karma was taken into care by the RSPCA and treated for his emaciation and mange. Within 2 months, his weight had increased from 24kg to 36 kg and his mange had cleared up.
When interviewed, the dog’s owner said she lived alone, that Karma was her son’s dog and she was caring for him while her son was in gaol. She claimed to have insuffucient money for enough dog food or veterinary care for Karma. She said he continually knocked over his water bowl and ran away if not chained.
The owner pleaded guilty on 18 October 2007 to charges of failing to provide adequate and appropriate food, and neglecting Karma so as to cause him pain. She was convicted on both charges and ordered to perform 80 hours of Community Service. Although she had earlier surrendered Karma to the RSPCA, she had an Order placed on her preventing her from having any dogs.
Karma has now been placed in a loving home by the RSPCA.
Look at him now!
October 18th, 2007
Claiming to improve animal welfare in other countries while alleging well-documented cases of cruelty are ‘isolated incidents’ are false and transparent attempts to protect profits and justify an inherently cruel trade, according to the RSPCA.
RSPCA Australia President Lynne Bradshaw said the RSPCA is well aware of the investment and efforts made over a number of years by the government and live export industry to improve handling and treatment at destinations for Australia live exports, but said these attempts were misguided and had failed.
“The live export industry continues to wax lyrical about education and cultural change in order to justify the continuation of live exports, when in fact their interest is in maximising profits,” said Mrs Bradshaw.
“They know as well as we do that they have not and can not influence or control the treatment of Australian animals beyond the unloading dock,
Mrs Bradshaw also said the government’s obstinate refusal to plan for an end to live exports could be placing farmers’ future income at risk.
“Australian farmers need long term plans and solutions, and the only way to protect them is to move now and plan for an end to live exports on their own terms,” she said.
“Increasing meat-processing capacity in Australia and developing alternative meat export markets is the only means to ending this deeply problematic trade,
Mrs Bradshaw said the footage proved beyond doubt that years of attempts and investment so far had resulted in very little change and improvement.
“I think anyone who views this footage - particularly in its entirety, including the most disturbing images that weren’t suitable to be shown on television - will agree it is evidence of practices and attitudes that are deeply ingrained,” she said.
“How many times do we need to see these horrendous images before the industry will admit they are NOT isolated incidents but rather, indicative of endemic mistreatment of exported animals?,” said Mrs Bradshaw.
“We have a responsibility to ensure the animals we breed are treated and slaughtered humanely - there comes a point where we must draw a line and decide that our ethical standards and our international reputation are more important than making an easy dollar,” she said.
“It is hypocritical and absolutely inconsistent with our community standards and national character to allow Australian animals to be subjected to such violence and abuse when there are viable alternatives,”
Mrs Bradshaw said improvements to animal welfare in other countries could be made without subjecting Australian animals to cruelty and abuse.
“If we want to improve animal welfare in other countries, we can do it through formal aid programmes, without sending our Australian livestock to an incomprehensibly cruel fate and profiting from their suffering,” said Mrs Bradshaw.
October 15th, 2007
I A R E L A S E
Faced with even more shocking images of blatant cruelty to Australian animals exported live for slaughter in the Middle East, the RSPCA has demanded action from the Australian Government and the live export industry to end the trade.
RSPCA Australia Scientific Officer (Farm Animals) Melina Tensen said the footage of appalling handling and slaughter of Australian sheep, filmed in September 2007 and aired on ABC’s The 7:30 Report, provided irrefutable proof the live export trade subjects Australian animals to cruel and barbaric treatment, and must be stopped.
“This is at least the third time such footage has been filmed in the Middle East - proving beyond doubt that this intolerable cruelty continues unabated despite the presence of Australian industry representatives in the region.
“These are absolutely not isolated incidents, they are the same locations and the same practices that have not improved at all despite assurances and huge investment from the industry and the Australian Government to justify their trade,
“The fact is, this horrifying treatment of Australian animals has not changed and will not change as long as the Australian Government and live export industry effectively condone these practices by sending more and more animals to meet this fate,” said Ms Tensen.
The footage shows extremely distressed Australian sheep panting and stumbling as they are crowded together in suffocating humidity where temperatures regularly exceed 40C. They are then dragged and thrown from the truck onto concrete before their final extended and painful slaughter by a primitive method that would be prosecutable in Australia.
The scenes of deliberate mistreatment and horrific slaughter of a bull offer little hope for Australian cattle of which more than 100,000 are exported live to the Middle East each year. Local transporters, handlers and slaughtermen allowed these atrocious practices to be filmed openly, demonstrating an alarming lack of concern or awareness of the impact of their actions.
Ms Tensen said the Australian Government’s commitment to animal welfare is merely a token gesture, evidenced by its continued support for those profiting from this miserable trade,
“The Australian Government has touted $6M for an Australian Animal Welfare Strategy that states, ‘The welfare of all animals in Australia is promoted and protected by the development and adoption of sound animal welfare standards and principles…[that] also covers the welfare of animals transported to and from Australia‘ - yet the Government apparently chooses not to apply this to livestock exports,” said Ms Tensen.
“For example, Australia doesn’t accept imports of dog and cat fur products because of the cruelty involved in their production, and won’t send Australian native animals overseas except under the strictest of conditions - so to condemn Australian livestock to this fate is pure hypocrisy,” said Ms Tensen.
“The live export of animals for slaughter is a dark cloud that is hanging over Australia - it cannot be fixed and must be stopped without delay,” said Ms Tensen.
The RSPCA opposes live export because it is inherently cruel, and maintains the live trade is unnecessary because all major export markets for live animals already accept chilled and frozen meat from Australia that has been humanely slaughtered according to religious and other requirements.
October 12th, 2007
The Magistrate who heard the case of the man with more than 150 cats handed down sentence on 2nd October 2007. The owner was convicted on 14 counts of illtreatment of animals and was placed on a $1,000 Bond to be of Good Behaviour for 2 years, and in that time he will be monitored by the Department for Correctional Services. He must also pay costs of about $3,200.
The Magistrate made an Order that the man cannot keep more than 5 desexed cats and must surrender any excess animals to the RSPCA. At the time of sentencing, he claimed to have already rehomed many of the cats, while he released others when his landlord would not allow them to remain inside the house. He now claims to have ownership of 2 cats. The RSPCA is concerned that many of the cats he rehomed or released may be carriers of feline influenza and other diseases.
October 4th, 2007
The owner of a Blue Heeler Cross Dog named “Jaffie” has been prosecuted by the RSPCA for neglect of her dog after it was found with a large, flyblown and untreated wound on its rump. The owner surrendered the dog to the RSPCA and it needed immediate euthanasia to alleviate its pain and distress. The dog was also found to have an ear infection and flea infestation. The owner was a single mother with 6 children.
The case was finalised in the Port Adelaide Magistrates’ Court on 26 September 2007 when the dog’s owner pleaded guilty to 2 counts of illtreatment of her dog. The owner was fined $400 and fees totalling $421.
In addition, the Magistrate made an Order that the owner surrender to the RSPCA any other animal in her possession and be forbidden from acquiring or having custody of any animal until further Order.
All animals need constant monitoring to ensure they are comfortable and free from pain. It should have been obvious for a long time that Jaffie was in pain and was suffering from what initially were treatable problems.
(The photographs of Jaffie are not suitable for publication on our blog site)
October 2nd, 2007
