RSPCA

These photographs are of horses at Barmah Vic, and Singleton NSW. As we are aware, they are not native to this country. They were introduced here by pioneers/settlers to help settle this land. They were carted off to war - 300,000 - never to return. They ploughed the fields and transported goods/settlers all over this country. They are used in entertainment, such as rodeos and racing, and even left to die in paddocks. At the end for many are the knackeries, some for overseas human consumption. Horses are not even recognised as “livestock” in Acts of parliament. What a bum deal these magnificent animals have endured from mankind. Now they are being slaughtered by this government, in the name of being ‘feral’ and destroying the land. (Photographs copyright Renee Neubaur. Sincere thanks from Candobetter for permission to use them.)

"A hundred kangaroos, some dead, others badly injured." Barry Tapp, Senior Inspector for Animal Cruelty Australia Hotline, and other animal rescuers and carers say that the RSPCA failed to respond to requests to deploy the Mobile Animal Vet van to the bushfire areas where it was much needed (notably round Bunyip) and that they thereby failed to honour the commitment they gave the Victorian Government after the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into RSPCA Victoria. We publish below the Government Response to that Inquiry. Warriors4wildlife provided the photos via Barrie Tapp.

Wildlife carers and rescuers and local farmers have requested the RSPCA to provide its mobile vet clinic ready to assist the expected influx of injured and suffering animals as soon as people are allowed back into the areas currently affected by the Bunyip fire. Barrie Tapp, Senior Inspector for Animal Cruelty Australia Hotline, says the RSPCA and their mobile vet van are needed now. "We already have reports of animals dead and dying."

These are photos of horses on a property on Moorooduc Hwy, Mt Eliza, in Victoria, Australia. People have expressed concern at the condition of these horses, which looks dire, and the paddock, where there appears to be no grass at all - only dirt. One horse photographed has gross leg deformities, although this could be a birth defect. The person who took the photos says that the RSPCA has informed them that they are working with the owners. The photographer has expressed alarm at how long this is taking and fears that the delay will doom these horses. Barrie Tapp of Animal Cruelty Hotline has passed this information on to candobetter.net because it needs public attention. Please let your local member of parliament know. Animal cruelty hotline is Freecall 1800751770

Lawyers for Animals have sent in this very interesting submission to the Victorian Inquiry into the RSPCA. (See link to inquiry here: "RSPCA Vic Inquiry about to close but you could make a late submission".) It will be helpful to some of you who want to make submissions and generally informative about the role and duties of the RSPCA. Basically it argues for a new dedicated Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad (or similar) within Victoria Police and the removal of the RSPCA's Inspectorate powers and funding, permitting it to refocus on animal care and to engage in public advocacy for animal welfare. Among the reasons given are that the RSPCA has not got the funding to attend to the thousands of complaints it receives and that it lacks financial indemnity against being sued. The submission mentions a case where the RSPCA was recently sued for over $1m in farm losses, which has caused it severe financial problems. We have republished this interesting and useful submission from Lawyers for Animals with some slight changes to layout but none to content.

Candobetter.net has only just heard of this inquiry which closes today. However the Secretary of the inquiry has been contacted and she indicated that if individuals write in to this address: rspcavicinquiry@parliament.vic.gov.au and request to make a late inquiry, stating who they are and how much time they might require, such as a week or two, permission will probably be granted. The inquiry seems to have been poorly publicised because a lot of people have only just found out due to an animal rescue group writing to various other groups and individuals to complain that there are only about 16 submissions. But it seems that very few people were aware of this inquiry. So, please consider making a submission.

According to the RSPCA, since ESCAS was introduced, Israel's live export market has been the subject of numerous complaints regarding the treatment of Australian animals. Apart from inhumane loading and handling, abattoirs in Israel continue to use barbaric inversion slaughter boxes which rotate cattle upside-down to have their throats cut without stunning.

Why is a national organisation standing for 'all creatures great and small' supporting an annual and bloody kangaroo 'cull' in Nature Reserve Parks in Canberra, of all places? Aren't Nature Reserves supposed to be a place for all creatures to feel safe and protected? You have to wonder how an animal protection organisation can stand by and say nothing about the egregious cruelty for no justifiable reason, year after year. Do they think the public is so stupid as to believe the lies that kangaroos 'overgraze' and are a threat to other species?
I certainly don't believe it - here is my open letter to the RSPCA.

Letter from Australian Wildlife Protection Council to RSPCA: "We seek your help to insist that appropriate action be taken against the perpetrators of cruelty committed vs a Fraser Island Dingo. Freedom of Information reveals Dingo Necropsy Report of a cruel horrific death on a healthy male dingo. This cruelty has been dismissed. The tragedy was entirely preventable and is this not what the RSPCA is all about? Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?" Thanks to the Habitat Advocate for the photograph.

‘In the year 2008-2009, RSPCA national statistics indicate that of 912 complaints in the ACT, there were just 6 prosecutions and just one conviction. According to those statistics, the ACT inspectorate carried out no ‘routine inspections’ of intensive farms or indeed anything else we would have expected’.

Shortly after protesters had dispersed from Preston Beach on the 5th of May, 2010 the kangaroo shooters moved in. The following morning residents were horrified to find blood stained walkways along with injured and dead joeys. An RSPCA investigation found no evidence of cruelty despite photographic evidence of a decapitated juvenile kangaroo on the border of Yalgorup National Park.

The RSPCA whitewash of this government sanctioned slaughter inevitably cheapens the value of kangaroos in the eyes of some members of society. Sadistic acts of kangaroo cruelty are commonplace. You need look no further than the carnage left behind after one of these culls to see where much of this cruelty stems from. The RSPCA are supposed to represent "All Creatures Great and Small" but a sheep or kangaroo in Western Australia can expect no mercy from this organisation supposedly empowered to protect them.

The 2008 Belconnen Massacre - lest we forget

We are reminded of the brutal Belconnen massacre of 500 kangaroos yesterday two years ago on 19th May 2008, followed shortly afterwards with another 4000 or so kangaroos massacred at the Majura Army training area.

These wildlife massacres reflect a prevaling backward colonial attitude by our government towards native animals. Native animals were regarded as vermin by early colonists. This attitude prevails.

Today's 21st century official slaughter of Australian native animals is no different to the official slaughter of Australian native people by European colonists, who treated Aboriginal people as vermin.

The kangaroo industry funding a study on animal welfare? Are any alternative joey killing methods going to be more humane than John Kelly's possum abattoir or is this just a big PR exercise.... Will stunning joeys before killing them result in more profitability for Topper, Packer and Co? One thing's for sure, Anna Bligh doesn't have a clue

An old age pensioner tells his heartbreaking story of Josie, the little possum joey who he and his wife lovingly raised but was unable to release due to human imprinting. After 6 years of being part of Raoul Harvey's family, suddenly the RSPCA tried to confiscate her and another possum they were rehabbing. That's when all hell broke loose! It's time some new laws were made in the best interests of the animal, not the law. Read what this courageous man did to outwit the system.

Field & Game Australia is emailing all of its members to vote to beat an RSPCA petition opposing the NSW Shooters Party bill.
Click here to sign the petition to protect native animals! See also related articles

Professor Steve Garlick writes that he has received a disturbingly poor account from the RSPCA of their supervision of the mass killing of kangaroos in the ACT.

It's time for some answers from the RSPCA regarding the 4,000 kangaroos that were killed by Defence at Majura Firing Range in the last few weeks. How humane was the 'cull' and were they really 'starving'? Too many questions are left answered - did Defence have an accurate count of the total number of kangaroos living at Majura to begin with? More red flags were raised when ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope tried to reverse the Injunction that forced them to stop killing - it's beginning to look suspiciously like another Belconnen cover-up .....