Spring 2012

Today

Big win for InspectorsA 65-year-old man was recently given a six-month suspended sentence, fined $113,000 and ordered to pay the RSPCA $50,000 in costs for animal cruelty offences.

Mr Carter appeared in Midland Magistrates Court charged under the Animal Welfare Act 2002, relating to cruelty, insufficient food and neglect of approximately 70 animals.

When RSPCA Inspectors attended Mr Carter’s properties in 2011, they found sheep and cattle in very poor condition, several of which had to be euthanased, as well as several carcasses.

Mr Carter has also been permanently banned from owning any animals except for two dogs and two cats on the condition that they are sterilised.

In his sentencing remarks, Magistrate Benn described the offences as “in my view very serious”, and said the animals in Mr Carter’s care “underwent a significant and extended period of suffering”. Magistrate Benn said he was appalled by the suffering endured by sheep discovered by RSPCA Inspectors, which he described as “unimaginable”.

“This court result sends a loud and clear message to the community that animal cruelty and neglect will not be tolerated”, said RSPCA Chief Inspector Simon Eager.

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This year marks the 120th anniversary of the founding of the RSPCA in Western Australia (WA).

The organisation has certainly come a long way since members of the St Georges Reading Circle decided to do something about the cruelty to horses they witnessed on St Georges Terrace. Without the likes of Amy Best, Lady Madeleine Onslow, Ethel Burt and Edith Cowan, RSPCA WA wouldn’t be where it is today, a sustainable organisation that has expanded its depth and reach across all aspects of animal use, respected by the community, government and industry alike. But most of all, an organisation with science-based policies and a growing understanding of what our animals need to thrive, whatever their situation. How proud we are!

The RSPCA message is clear, and it does support the use of animals for food or fibre, but only on the condition that this is done humanely.

All too often we investigate cruelly-treated agricultural animals, with RSPCA Inspectors sent out to intensive-production facilities to ensure minimum welfare standards are met. We have the capability to change these animals’ lives without affecting business or export dollars. With your support, we can make a real difference to the lives of countless animals, companion or agricultural.

On a positive note, the community’s awareness of where food comes from, and how it is produced and labelled, is increasing. By choosing to buy from humane production systems, consumer demand will bring about change and allow farmers time to adjust to accommodate this.

In the aftermath of the live export exposé, we continue to work very hard with producer groups and the government to drive the change needed to secure basic animal welfare requirements in that industry. Although RSPCA policy is for

transition to carcass trade only, we still have a leadership role to play while the live trade continues. Many farmers have expressed outrage that the animals they have painstakingly reared are passed to transport companies with no experience in animal husbandry techniques and few controls at the other end. Our message is clear—know where your animals are going and what system they are going into. More strategically for Western Australia, how do we facilitate this transition with a lack of infrastructure in abattoirs close to the farm gate? Politicians and industry—our animals and farmers need a solution!

While the RSPCA continues to take thousands of calls and investigate large numbers of cruelty complaints, there is much more to do and we still need your help. Help in changing mind-sets, and helping RSPCA educate and keep an eye out for those less kind to their animals. We have been particularly busy meeting with decision makers and making them see the benefits to business, government and the community of improved animal welfare outcomes. The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Terry Redman, recently announced the formation of the Animal Welfare Advisory Council, a new initiative in Western Australia, that will advise him on animal welfare matters. Both the RSPCA and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) will sit on this committee.RSPCA has welcomed the introduction of Cat Control legislation which fully comes into effect in 2013. RSPCA put in a key submission paper to the government, and we are pleased to see many of our recommendations adopted. Conversely, the recent updating of the Dog Act had some signs of hope, such as compulsory micro-chipping. However, we were disappointed that the government ignored AVA’s and our advice by including breed specific legislation. The RSPCA does not believe that targeting certain breeds of dogs and labelling them ‘dangerous’ is the right approach. The RSPCA has rehomed more than 200 animals in the last three months alone—animals that have suffered starvation, neglect and abuse. If not for the continued work of the RSPCA, these animals could have had a very sad ending. We are proud that our combined efforts, from volunteers through to staff, and to those who donate funds, are all responsible for saving those lives. Something I, as National President, think we should be proud of.

Lynne Bradshaw

From the President’s desk

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David’s updateIt’s been a busy and productive period for the staff and volunteers at RSPCA WA.

As our front page story highlights, a man was recently found guilty of animal cruelty to a number of sheep and cattle, and fined $113,000, with $50,000 in costs awarded to the RSPCA. He also received a six-month jail term, suspended for two years and was prohibited from owning any animal bar two dogs and cats on the proviso they are sterilised.

This case has set a precedent in Western Australia in terms of the penalties received for animal cruelty and the RSPCA is pleased to see the message that animal cruelty and neglect will not be tolerated in our society. The RSPCA Inspectorate and our prosecutor and our generous pro bono legal partners have once again shown that we can get significant outcomes via the courts for animal cruelty and neglect cases.

RSPCA’s Community Education Unit has been busy working on new programs which have already proved popular with local schools and community groups. There has been a 50 per cent increase in the number of school holiday programs on offer, and a comprehensive program designed to target cruelty at the school level has been re-introduced. The Unit has also created an integrated plan incorporating national and state campaign messages in our school-based offerings, as well as a new education blog.

Some of you will have noticed that RSPCA’s animal facilities are undergoing a facelift thanks to donations from the community. It is a key objective to keep the RSPCA’s animal care centre as modern, safe and comfortable for the animals as possible. You can see some of the results on page 10.

The RSPCA works hard in relation to caring for, rehabilitating and rehoming of the animals in its care. In addition to this, we are focussing more on animal welfare research, policy development and campaign planning, especially on key issues affecting Western Australia.

It is essential that RSPCA WA continues to expand its networks and engage with the wider community.

Collaboration, conversations and partnerships are critical to the success of the organisation which has a very clear objective—to improve the welfare of animals.

A case in point is the need for Breeder Identification regulations to address the issue of illicit or backyard breeders. The update on page 8 explains more about this problem, and how we are working with the Department of Commerce’s Protection WA, as well as how you can help us bring in mandatory registration of all dog breeders.

I would like to personally thank you for your support of animal welfare in this state. It doesn’t matter how small your contribution to the RSPCA is, whether it be in terms of volunteering your time or helping to raise funds—your continued support is vital in enabling us to do the important work we do.

David van Ooran RSPCA Chief Executive Officer

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New Faces

Dr Julie Bellamy Executive Manager Animal Operations

Julie, a qualified and respected vet, has worked in both the UK and Australia. RSPCA WA is excited about the contribution Julie is already making to this vital area of operations.

Apart from her extensive veterinary and animal welfare background, including a stint as the University of Western Australia’s Animal Welfare Officer, Julie reckons one of her more unusual jobs was as a bouncer at a pub in Glasgow—preparation for working at the RSPCA, we wonder. Julie humbly says, “Well, it helped pay my way through university”.

Amanda Swift Senior Inspector

This is the first time Amanda has been to Australia, and in a bold move, she has shifted her husband and two children across the world to begin this challenging role.

Amanda hails from West Yorkshire, where she spent six years as an RSPCA Inspector and Deputy Chief Inspector, and has also worked for RSPCA UK in North Devon.

“With 13 years experience in the UK, along with qualifications in Zoology and animal rescue, Amanda is a fantastic addition to our team of Inspectors”, said Chief Inspector, Simon Eager.

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In the news...

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Million Paws WalkThe 2012 Million Paws Walk was a great success with more than 10,000 people raising $275,000.

Thank you to all the dogs and their humans who came along for a great day out at Sir James Mitchell Park and the other 12 Million Paws Walks held across the state.

Your support of RSPCA events keeps our doors open to investigate reports of cruelty, as well as educate the community about caring for animals. Without your help, thousands of animals would be left to fend for themselves—you give them a chance at a better life.

Thank you to all who participated, raised funds and rallied up team mates, and special thanks to our partners and sponsors.

See you all again on Sunday 19 May next year.

120th Birthday RaffleWin a car to the value of $25,000! Tickets now on sale.

Call 9209 9343 for tickets and information (drawn 13 October).

Million Paws Walk RaffleWinner Bob O’Neil drove away in a new Holden Cruze.

Once again, thank you to everyone who sold and bought MPW raffle tickets.

Events

School Holiday Programme

The October school holidays will be full of new and popular sessions for children of all ages. New programs include Egg Cookery (free-range of course) for World Egg Day and Be a Vet.

The recently introduced Be an Inspector has proved a hit, though we’re not sure who enjoyed it more—the kids or our Inspectors!

Call 9209 9325 to find out more.

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Photo: Alex Cearns

RSPCA WA celebrates its 120th Birthday this year!

To celebrate, we are looking for

120 Rescues for 120 YearsIf you have a fur-ever friend from RSPCA WA, send a photo of your pet

to cchamberlain@rspcawa.asn.au.

Look out for a range of other celebratory events in the coming months.

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Cupcake Day for the RSPCA

Hundred of Western Australians helped us help animals just by hosting a Cupcake party at school or work throughout August. We hope to raise $100,000 to help refurbish our kennels, to make the wait for a ‘forever home’ more comfy!

Thank you to everyone who baked, donated and ate all those yummy cupcakes.

National Volunteer Week 14-20 May 2012

We celebrated Volunteer Week at the RSPCA by providing morning tea to all our Volunteers at Malaga, our shops and Auxiliaries, funded by a grant from Volunteering WA. It was a great opportunity to thank all our amazing volunteers, and to reflect on the vital role they play in the everyday running of RSPCA WA.

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Open Day at RSPCA MALAGA

Sunday November 18 10am to 2pm

entry: $2 or $5 (family)

Parking available

Behind the scenes at the RSPCA Animal Care Centre

Shelter toursMeet the Inspectors

Dog trainingKids activities

and much, much more...Photo: Alex Cearns

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Backyard BreedersIn the last edition of RSPCA Today, we highlighted our tough stance on backyard or illicit breeders.

The RSPCA is set to up the ante by encouraging you and your friends to write to local MPs asking for the implementation of a Breeder Identification (ID) system, which allows authorities to trace a dog back to its breeder.

The Breeder ID system would include registration of all dog breeders, with mandatory displaying of the breeder’s registration number at the point of sale and in advertisements, mandatory standards for the conduct of dog breeding, and power for courts to make interim ownership, costs and prohibition orders during legal proceedings.

RSPCA WA believes this should be included in any update to the Dog Act if the government is sincere in its desire to crack down on puppy farming and backyard breeding.

The RSPCA has recently dealt with several cases involving dogs put in our care due to the circumstances they were bred in. Those conditions, including in-breeding, have caused significant and occasionally fatal illness and defects in puppies. A Breeder ID system could have stopped unnecessary suffering and deaths of dogs and puppies from backyard breeders.

Working in conjunction the Department of Commerce’s Consumer Protection WA, RSPCA WA prosecuted a well-known metropolitan backyard dog breeder. She had been ordered by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection to only sell puppies that have been certified free from disease and other health problems by a vet. However, following a breach of this order, the woman was ordered by the Supreme Court to pay thousands of dollars in compensation to people who purchased puppies which later died from acute illnesses, including parvovirus, and was once again banned from selling any animal without a vet’s report.

Before adopting or buying a puppy, please read the Smart Puppy Buyer’s Guide, available on our website.

WA Dog Act updateStill on dog issues, the State Government recently introduced a Dog Act Amendment Bill 2012, which will include compulsory micro-chipping of all dogs, something we have been advocating for many years.

On the downside, RSPCA WA and the Australian Veterinary Association were disappointed to see the implementation of Breed Specific Legislation, which targets specific breeds such as American Pit Bull Terriers, and sets a dangerous precedent

In terms of dog behaviour and dog attacks, the RSPCA has always maintained it is the deed and not the breed—that is, how a dog has been socialised and trained is far more a factor than its breed.

While we also acknowledge that increased fines for dog attacks are warranted as people should be responsible for their dog’s actions, there needs to be more community education about the causes of dog attacks.

The RSPCA has long had the policy that it is every dog owner’s responsibility to train and socialise their dog responsibly.

RSPCA WA provides Dog and Puppy training classes at a range of venues across metropolitan Perth, with information available on our website.

Photo: RSPCA Queensland

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New Cat LawsFollowing several years of campaigning by RSPCA WA and other animal welfare organisations such as the Cat Haven, the Cat Act was passed in 2011.

While the legislation will not resolve all the problems associated with cats, it aims to:

• encourage responsible cat ownership• reduce the number of unwanted cats • allow for found ‘stray’ cats to be seized• help reunite lost cats with their owners.The law will be implemented in two stages, commencing 1 November 2012, allowing time for cat owners to prepare.

Much like dogs, the new law will require that all domestic cats aged over six months be sterilised, microchipped, wearing a tag, and registered with the local council.

The law will come into full effect on 1 November 2013, with non-compliant cat owners facing fines of up to $5,000.

Reproductive Capacity of the CatFemale cats can become pregnant from four months of age. With a gestation period of around two months, a cat can have given birth to her first litter by the age of six months.

In Australia, cats can breed all year long, though more kittens are born in spring.

It has been calculated that a single female cat can produce over 41 offspring in 12 months, so that in 7 years, a female cat and her young can produce 420,000 cats!

(Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 2008)

Hens deserve better In April this year, the RSPCA launched its nationwide campaign ‘Hens Deserve Better’ in order to highlight the suffering of more than 11 million hens who spend their whole lives in barren battery cages—spaces smaller than an A4 sheet of paper—unable to express even their most basic natural behaviour. Unbelievably, this number is set to increase in 2012.

Last year, a staggering 4.7 billion eggs were produced in Australia and, sadly, nearly 70 per cent of the hens who produced those eggs were confined to battery cages, unable to spread their wings.

Hens are intelligent, inquisitive animals with big personalities, who suffer immensely when unable to express natural behaviour, such as dust bathing, flapping their wings, laying their eggs in a nest and perching. Hens denied these natural behaviours become frustrated, and often have weak bones and deformities from lack of exercise.

In May, Tasmania became the first Australian state to commit to ban the cruel battery cage, and we hope the WA government will follow Tasmania’s lead, but we need your help.

The RSPCA is calling on Australian consumers to buy cage-free eggs, sending a strong message to the industry and the government that eggs from caged hens are no longer acceptable.

So what type of eggs should we buy? When shopping, look for certified barn laid or free range eggs. If you’re not sure, look for the RSPCA Paw of Approval. Hens in these systems are not confined to battery cages, so are able to express their natural behaviour and socialise.

Put the hen before the egg. Help free hens from cages at HensDeserveBetter.org.au.

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Photo: Alex Cearns

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Between June and September, we rehomed:

• 96 dogs and puppies

• 87 cats and kittens

• 9 rabbits

• 7 birds including 4 chickens

Stage 1 of the cattery refurbishment has been completed, and included sealing the bases of the pens and replacing the wire mesh with Perspex to help prevent the spread of disease.

Animal Care Centre News

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Olivia – Cupcake Queen

Following the 2012 Million Paws Walk, Olivia Di Iorio came home with a Cupcake Day for RSPCA pamphlet and wanted to sign up then and there. She set up the fundraising page to advertise a stall outside her house, and started to receive online donations even before the event from generous work colleagues, family and friends.

Olivia and her mother, Wendy, baked over 220 cupcakes, selling them on Sunday 26 August in front of their house, even putting flyers neighbours letterboxes to remind them. She then took more cupcakes to school the next day to sell to her class. Olivia did lots of baking and cleaning up, and made all the sales herself (good maths practice).

To date, Olivia has raised an amazing $1090, making her a top individual fund raiser!

Each cat now has an individual new area for sleeping and eating, and plenty of spots to climb. Stage 2, which is about to commence, will include a complete refurbishment of the large cat exercise/play areas.

Work has also begun on Stage 1 of the kennel upgrade. The base of each kennel is also being sealed to prevent the spread of disease, and the wall panels between each kennel are being raised to help reduce noise levels for the dogs.

On a more personal level, staff and volunteers were delighted that the dog, Buffy, who had been with us since April, found a fantastic new family in mid-September. Not only has she has found a lovely home, but will have a new four-legged best friend, Barkley, adopted from us in 2010.

Olivia receiving a certificate of thanks from RSPCA’s Executive Manager Community Engagement, Betty Cottrell

Olivia is no stranger to the RSPCA—a couple of years ago, Olivia organised a puppy farm petition, collecting over 700 signatures and had it presented to Parliament. Not surprising, Olivia’s mother, Wendy, says that Olivia is very passionate about animals and hopes to be a vet one day.

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RSPCA CalendarRSPCA 120th AGM RSPCA Animal Welfare Centre, Malaga

RSPCA Open Day RSPCA Animal Welfare Centre, Malaga

RSPCA Golf Day Joondalup Resort Golf Course

Million Paws Walk 2013 at venues across Western Australia

My dog barks when home alone

Dogs bark for many reasons and you need to know why before addressing the problem.

Boredom

• Dogs are often ‘home alone’ and bored. Provide your dog with exercise and mental stimulation to keep him occupied.

• Walk your dog before going to work • Do some training or teach some tricks

to get his brain working • Put his breakfast in a Kong or treat

ball, or scatter it around the garden • Bury or hide treats and toys• Hang a tug toy from a strong branch

or post.

Attention seeking

If your dog is barking just to get attention, turn your back and say “quiet”, praising him when he’s quiet. Interacting with a barking dog is giving him what he wants, so he’ll bark more the next time.

Passers-by

Many dogs bark at passers-by through boredom or to protect your home.Try and keep your dog away from the fence when you’re out. When at home, sit with your dog and reward him if he does NOT react to passing people and/dogs. Start rewarding when you hear people approaching and keep rewarding until they’ve gone, so your dog becomes desensitised to that stimuli.

Find out more about Dog/Puppy training at rspcawa.asn.au or call 9209 9309.

Training tips with RSPCA Dog Training’s

Chris Gadsby

BARKING

RSPCA Today is the official quarterly magazine of RSPCA WA (Inc.)

Please send queries and contributions to the editor, cchamberlain@rspcawa.asn.au

© RSPCA WA September 2012

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Our official photography partner: www.houndstoothstudio.com.au.

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Donate for free!You can donate to RSPCA WA today, and it won’t cost you a penny.

Just by letting us send you the Today magazine by email instead of by post, you can help us cut printing and postage costs.

All you need to do is send an email to fundraising@rspcawa.asn.au with your name, email address, postal address and membership number (if you are a member), letting us know that you are happy to receive the Today magazine electronically.

and donate and saveDid you know that a donation of • $15 provides shelter for an animal for one day• $50 desexes a male rabbit• $80 vaccinates 2 animals for a year• $200 desexes a large dog• $1,000 keeps a metropolitan Inspector’s vehicle on the road for a month

I would like to donate

Title: _____ Given name: ________________________ Surname: ___________________________

Email: _____________________________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________ Postcode ___________________________

• Donate by phone: 1300 777 222

• Donate online at www.rspca.asn.au and click DONATE

• Donate by cheque (payable to RSPCA WA) and post to RSPCA WA, PO Box 3147, Malaga WA 6945

• Donate by Credit Card:

Visa MasterCard Amex

Card No. ___________________________________________________________________________

Cardholder’s name: __________________________________________________________________

Signature: ______________________________________ Expiry Date: ________________________

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