RSPCA sheltering more animals
Mon 21 May 2007
Gemma Colvin, Journalism
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is an independent animal welfare charity which aims to protect and enhance the welfare of all animals.
RSPCA branches and shelters are situated throughout eastern Queensland. The RSPCA has been based at Brisbane’s Fairfield shelter since the 1900s.
Built in the 1920s, the Fairfield shelter remains the site for the RSPCA’s state headquarters. The RSPCA has about 190 staff within the state of Queensland. Staff are assisted by about 1200 volunteers who work with the large number of animals in RSPCA shelters.
The RSPCA national statistics report says that during the 2005-2006 period, the RSPCA received the highest number of animals since the start of 2000.
The highest number of dogs received was 66,344 during 2005-2006. At its lowest amount received, the RSPCA recorded 58,584 dogs during the 2003-2004 period.
Futhermore, the RSPCA reports that during the 2005-2006 period it received the highest number of cats at 61,183. The lowest number of cats received since 2000 was 49,754 during 2001-2002.
RSPCA Media and Community Relations Manager Michael Beatty believes that the increase in dogs received by the RSPCA during the 2005-2006 period is due to people moving interstate, particularly Queensland, which has experienced a huge population growth over recent years.
He also lists people finding their dogs too hard and too expensive to care for. Mr Beatty says people also give up their dogs when they are no longer puppies.
“People will bring their dogs in simply because they have outgrown the cute and fluffy stage,” he said.
“They may also find they don’t have enough time to take their dogs for walks, which leads them to being tied up all day. This usually results in the dogs having behavioural problems”.
Mr Beatty said dogs that are brought to RSPCA shelters are vet checked and given a behavioural test, which is used worldwide. Unfortunately dogs who do not pass the behavioural test cannot be rehomed, and therefore have to be put down
This is evident in the statistics which show that there has been a 13 per cent decrease from 2000-2006 of dogs rehomed by the RSPCA.
Cats
Mr Beatty says the increase in the number of cats received by the RSPCA is worrying.
He blames irresponsible owners who do not get their cats desexed. Mr Beatty says that the Fairfield RSPCA shelter receives about 400 cats and kittens every week.
“RSPCA shelters usually receive their highest numbers of cats during the cat breeding season which can go from November through to May or June”, Mr Beatty says.
The RSPCA reports that there has been an 11 percent increase in cats being euthanased from 2000-2006. Mr Beatty says this is attributed to the limited number of foster carers available and medical problems due to newborn kittens being taken away from their mothers.
“Unfortunately these kittens have to be put down”, Mr Beatty says.
Mr Beattie believes that people shifting interstate and people relocating to Brisbane’s inner-city apartments which do not allow animals, are the main reasons for the high number of cats being received by the RSPCA.
Along with dogs and cats, the RSPCA receives a number of other animals including ponies, goats, geese, ducks, pigs, ostriches, mice and rats.
“We usually have two or three horses at our Fairfield shelter at any one time,” Mr Beatty says.
Other wildlife
Mr Beattie says they also receive a lot of wildlife at RSPCA shelters. Other animals received by the RSPCA recorded a 4 per cent increase from 2000-2006.
This is due to land clearing and development, resulting in animals being displaced from their habitats.
“The south-west development in Brisbane has caused a lot of problems for wildlife habitat,” Mr Beatty explains.
Mr Beatty says that the RSPCA is finding it hard to accommodate the large numbers of animals being received. Animals that cannot be homed at RSPCA shelters are sent to foster carers within the community, but these are in limited numbers.
For now Mr Beatty says, the RSPCA will continue to push for compulsory desexing for cats, which would hopefully result in a decrease of the number of cats and kittens being received by the RSPCA.
To find out how to become a foster carer, or for adoption inquiries visit the national RSPCA website at http://www.rspca.org.au.
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