Elf the Shetland Pony
Sox the Cat
Sticky the Puppy
The Carcinoma Cat
The Emaciated Throughbred
The Poodle Puppy Factory
Abandoned Husky
Abandoned Mother and Babies

The Issue

The Animals Protection Act was created in 1925 by the Queensland legislature, and RSPCA Inspectors became responsible for investigating cruelty and enforcing the Act. In 2001, the Queensland Parliament passed the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, which provides an increased level of protection for animals in the courts of Queensland and a taskforce of Department of Primary Industries Inspectors is working with RSPCA Inspectors to enforce the law.

The RSPCA is an independent animal welfare charity, striving to educate the community on its responsibilities and to protect and enhance the welfare of animals.

We are actively calling upon the people and communities of Queensland help to break the cycle of cruelty.

The RSPCA Qld Inspectorate -
Defenders of the Defenceless

There are currently 19 Inspectors employed by RSPCA Queensland. They are responsible for the investigation of approximately 13,000 complaints of animal cruelty annually. Inspectors not only prosecute cruelty matters, they also educate animal owners by providing advice guidance regarding the care and welfare of animals. Inspectors also facilitate rescues of trapped or distressed animals.

Animal Care and Protection Act

The Queensland Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (the ACPA) legislates a range of animal welfare offences including, animal cruelty, breach of duty of care, prohibited events, regulated surgical procedures, use of baits or harmful substances and noncompliance with compulsory codes. Specially trained RSPCA animal welfare inspectors, Biosecurity Queensland or the police, investigate complaints about alleged offences. RSPCA bulk of cases come from three main complaints: acts of cruelty, failure to provide duty of care, and abandonment.

Cruelty

The offence of cruelty relates to causing unjustifiable, unnecessary or unreasonable pain to animals. 'Pain' includes distress and mental or physical suffering. The offence of cruelty can include beating, tormenting, overworking an animal, transporting animals which are not fit to travel, killing an animal inhumanely.

The maximum penalty for an individual convicted of cruelty to animals is $100,000 or two years imprisonment.

Duty of Care

The most common matter investigated by RSPCA Qld Inspectors are breaches of duty of care to an animal. Duty of care places a legal obligation on those in charge of animals to provide for the animal's needs in an appropriate way. For people who fail to meet their duty of care obligations towards the animals in their charge, RSPCA seeks to proactively work with the person in charge of an animal to help rectify or reeducate on the issue/s where the duty of care is failing. RSPCA will prosecute a Duty of care charge if the failure to provide care is a heinous breach, repeated failures to provide for the animal or a failure to show remorse.

The maximum penalty for an individual convicted of breach of duty of care is $30,000 or one year imprisonment.

Abandonment

It is an offence to abandon animals, leaving an animal behind to fend for itself, or deliberately dumping an unwanted animal.

The maximum penalty for an individual convicted of unreasonable abandonment or release is a $30,000 or one year imprisonment.

If these acts of animal cruelty disturb and upset you to read, consider the victims, their owners and RSPCA Qld Inspectors who witness this cruelty every day.

More funding would enable us to conduct even more comprehensive investigations, covering greater areas of Queensland enforcing animal welfare directives, educating the community and, together with BLEATS, present stronger cases in court .The stronger the case presented, the stronger the case for a heavier penalty.

Today, as a RSPCA Qld supporter, you can help RSPCA Qld to prevent cruelty and to present stronger cases by donating to our Justice for Animals appeal.

We are actively calling upon the communities of Queensland help to break the cycle of cruelty.

Prosecutions

RSPCA Qld investigated over 13,000 complaints in 2009, up from over 11,000 in 2008. Prosecution lists:

Brisbane Lawyers Educating and Advocating for Tougher Sentences (BLEATS) and have dedicated their time in raising the bar in prosecutorial outcomes. We sincerely appreciate the continued pro bono support of BLEATS.

Forensic Investigations

The Inspectorate's training and growth of investigative and rescue techniques is always striving to improve, in the past year the Inspectorate sought several opportunities to develop forensic investigation capabilities so that we may build stronger prosecution cases. This training, and the development of key forensic capabilities, will significantly increase our capabilities in investigating the most serious animal welfare breaches.

Other agencies now look to RSPCA Qld for assistance, which has been made possible through the development of strong relationships with government and non-government counterparts throughout Queensland. One large-scale operation came in September 2009 when RSPCA Qld inspectors provided technical and forensic support to Biosecurity Queensland officers in seizing over 240 dogs from a 'puppy factory' at Wondai.

Education is the key

Humane Education is the key to preventing future generations of cruelty. By enlightening people about the best practice in animal care, we inspire responsible and caring behaviour towards animals.

Research has shown that people who are violent towards humans often start out by being violent to animals. Numerous studies have demonstrated a link between childhood cruelty towards animals and aggressive and violent behaviour towards humans in adulthood. Education has been identified as a successful variable in the reduction of crimes against animals (and potentially future crimes against people).

RSPCA Qld plays a vital role in educating children and youths to empathise with animals, treat them with respect and kindness to ultimately prevent animal cruelty crimes. Underpinning all RSPCA Qld Education programs is the recognition that animal abuse is a symptom of a far bigger problem of violence in society.

Some of RSPCA Qld Humane Education programs targeted towards prevention of cruelty are:

Mission ImPAWSible

The Mission ImPAWSible Program is an action based animal welfare project undertaken over two years. The program offers students the opportunity to complete practical projects that will have a real and positive impact on animal welfare. Students complete eight challenges, one per term, on issues effecting animals in Australia.

RSPCA Empathy Program

Studies have shown that empathy is, in fact, a learned ability and as such low empathy levels may be subject to change given an appropriate intervention. Therefore the RSPCA Empathy Program has been developed for children exhibiting moderate to severe behavioural problems. Combining teaching humane values with hands on animal interaction and training, the Empathy Program aims to have a positive impact on student behaviour towards people and animals.

Cruelty to Animals Must Stop – Full Stop. Crime Prevention Program

The 'Full Stop' program is an intervention program specifically targeting youth from at-risk crime regions within Queensland. Usually, "Full Stop" lessons are in response to animal cruelty incidents but they are also offered as a proactive session for schools wanting to promote a culture of care and empathy. The program aims to reduce acceptance of animal cruelty and negative treatment of animals.

Tough guys get tough on animal abuse.

Sadly, many acts of animal cruelty are committed by young people, particularly young men - our education department is keen to stem the tide of animal abuse, and to show young people that cruelty to animals shows weakness, not toughness. "Tough guys get tough on animal abuse" is designed for secondary schools aiming to break the cycle of abuse, and show that treating animals kindly is the brave, tough and right thing to do.

More Information on Education

Domestic Violence: Pets in Crisis Program

RSPCA Qld enables women and their children to seek refuge and leave violent situations, secure in the knowledge that their pet will be safe in the Pets in Crisis Program.

You can help to break the cycle of cruelty too. Please visit How you can Help.