10,000 Cases, $9 Million Cost: Can Victoria Stop Animal Cruelty?

RSPCA actively supports the new Animal Care and Protection Bill, expressly measures that strengthen their ability to investigate cruelty cases.
While commending government support, RSPCA underscores the need for continued community funding to address the costs of animal rescue and protection.

RSPCA Victoria submitted a formal proposal to the Victorian Government on the draft of the new Animal Care and Protection Bill. The submission outlines desired changes, with a specific focus on empowering inspectors to investigate animal cruelty more effectively.

Key Areas of Focus

Replacing the outdated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 with a contemporary Animal Care and Protection Bill.
Legally recognizing animal sentience and building a legislated duty of care towards animals.
Introducing harsher penalties for intentional cruelty through indicatable offences.
Legislating minimum care requirements to aid inspectors in investigating animal cruelty cases.

RSPCA Victoria plays a pivotal role in animal welfare enforcement within the state. Their inspectors operate 24/7, rescuing animals from cruelty, neglect and dangerous situations. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (POCTAA) and Part 4 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (DAA), they’re the sole non-profit with the authority to enforce animal protection legislation.

In the last financial year alone, RSPCA Victoria inspectors tackled over 10,000 animal cruelty reports. The reports involved more than 13,000 animals. They also seized or took surrender of about 2,659 animals – some from horrific conditions. On top of that, they issued over 600 advisory and warning letters regarding at-risk animals.

“Even more crucial are changes such as the introduction of indictable offences with harsher penalties for intentional cruelty, and having minimum care requirements legislated to help our Inspectorate when it comes to investigating the more than 10,000 reports of animal cruelty we receive each year relating to more than 13,000 animals across the state.

“Our submission also outlines our hope to see the development of sentencing guidelines to support Magistrates to appropriately sentence offenders convicted of animal cruelty and making it an indictable offence to intentionally harm an animal – all these changes will help bring Victoria closer to ending animal cruelty.”
Rebecca Cook stated, speaking about the submission RSPCA Victoria’s Head of Prevention.