The RSPCA is asking for a five-fold funding increase to deal with ‘booming’ animal cruelty

The RSPCA WA is calling on the State Government to back it with a huge rise in funding to combat a troubling increase in animal abuse. The animal welfare charity is tomorrow launching its new It’s a Small Price to Pay campaign, asking the Government to up their annual funding from $1.2 million to $5 million — equivalent to just $2 for each West Australian “It already costs us many times that much ($1.2 million) just to do the work we currently do,” RSPCA WA chair Lynne Bradshaw said. “That includes our inspectorate function — investigating, educating, assisting and, where necessary, prosecuting people for animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act — a function we carry out for the Government, with the shortfall in funding covered by our donors and supporters. “It’s our donors and supporters who make most of our work possible — regularly providing us with around 90 per cent of our funding.” Currently, the RSPCA has 11 inspectors across the State but demand “far outstrips” its resources, the charity claims, warning there are “vast areas” of WA they cannot reach. Last year, the RSPCA answered 15,000 cruelty calls, investigated almost 7000 incidents, cared for 2000 rescued and abandoned animals, arranged 1000 adoptions, delivered education to more than 900 school children, and performed 5600 vet consultations and 690 sterilisation surgeries. “Our resources are stretched to breaking point and rural and remote communities are under-serviced,” the charity’s campaign launch reads. The RSPCA is often the first line of defence for animal cruelty offences around the State and has to deal with many harrowing cases, such as that of an Aubin Grove man who last year was fined $2500 and banned from owning or being in contact with a dog for three years after video emerged of him brutally attacking his pet. And last Thursday, a 33-year-old Broome woman was charged with animal cruelty after her mastiff cross-breed was found extremely underweight with thousands of ticks on her body. The RSPCA instructed the woman to take the dog to the vet in December and to provide a written update on the animal’s health. She allegedly failed to do so — leading the Shire of Broome to seize the dog on behalf of the RSPCA. The accused has been charged under the Animal Welfare Act 2002 for animal cruelty and failure to comply with a written direction and will appear in Broome Magistrate’s Court on June 21.