If you’re planning to walk in the 2013 Million Paws Walk, you’re probably bringing your dog. In fact, it’s likely the whole reason you’re walking at all is that you love your pet dogs and/or cats and want to see other pets just like them who end up homeless, get a second chance at a happy life.
But if you’re walking in the Million Paws Walk, what are you walking to support really?
If you’re in WA you’re walking to support an organisation who regularly has only a handful of pets available for adoption, yet refuses to take back ‘returns’ of pets adopted from them – even when those pets are at risk of death. The organisation kills 1/3rd of its unclaimed dogs and cats, despite having just 1,600 pets to place last year*.
If you’re in NSW you’re walking to support an organisation who refuses to work with rescue choosing instead to kill pets, and who takes credit for placing pets in homes, whom it actually killed. An organisation who kills pets for treatable illnesses even as rescue groups beg to be allowed to take the pet for treatment and who artificially drives up intake rates by taking on multiple council tenders and more animals than they can reasonably home. The same organisation who supports ‘catch and kill’ programs which see high numbers of cats die in pounds. The organisation kills nearly half of unclaimed dogs and 60% of unclaimed cats.
If you’re in QLD you’re walking to support an organisation who killed a mother dog whose pups had already been rehomed along with six others who went from ‘adoptable’ to ‘not adoptable’ whilst in their care, and who uses their position as an animal welfare body to heavy in on other shelter’s animal management contracts. The organisation kills nearly half of its unclaimed dogs and cats.
If you’re in SA you’re walking to support an organisation who supports the seizing and killing of pets from other shelters for old-age-related, health complaints. And who themselves kill pets for treatable and preventable conditions. The organisation kills 40% of its unclaimed dogs and more than half of its unclaimed cats.
If you’re in TAS you’re walking to support an organisation who allowed sick and dying pets to suffer without treatment, with their own rangers refusing to bring animals into their care, and who celebrated new laws which allowed shooters to be able to kill free-roaming cats. The organisation kills 1/3rd of its unclaimed dogs and 40% of its unclaimed cats.
If you’re in VIC you’re walking to support an organisation who is complicit in Victoria’s dog-killing, breed specific laws, actively assisting councils in killing people’s healthy, friendly pets. You’re walking to support an organisation who kills 1/3rd of its unclaimed dogs and nearly half of its unclaimed cats.
Whatever state you’re in, you’re walking to support an organisation whose policy mandates all free-roaming cats are collected off the street (trap and remove & confinement), despite the fact most pounds in Australia killing 80-100% of cat intakes, practically guaranteeing the death of every one. The same policy which disallows the outreach desexing programs for unowned cats proven to bring the kill rates of pounds down, and cementing a high-kill rate for cats for the foreseeable future.
Whatever state you’re in, you’re walking to support an organisation who nationally supports a ‘humane’ puppy farming strategy, which includes joining forces with the representative group for pet shops – the Pet Industry Association of Australia – and recently disgraced, puppy farmer representative group – the Association of Pet Dog Breeders (AAPDB) to allow pet shops unfettered access to be able to sell bulk-farmed puppies directly to the public.
Whatever state you’re in, you’re walking to support an organisation who largely runs down the work of No Kill advocates, local community rescue groups and foster care networks and the pets whom they save, blocks access to death row pets by those same groups and supports legislation which maintains the status quo of high kill rates. The same organisation who not only continues to support pounds who kill lost family pets with a firearm, or with crudely built gassing machines, and whom has on occasion given those same pounds an award for exceptional performance.
The programs of the No Kill equation have seen nearly 100 communities (made up of more than 300 pounds and shelters) a reality in the US. Our pets here in Australia deserve the same compassion.
If you want to see the elimination of shelter killing, continuing to support and resource an organisation who defends that killing is simply putting resources into the wrong hands. If you’re walking in the Million Paws Walk, then you’re sending the strong message that, no matter how much unnecessary killing they do, you will support them. This ‘whatever the outcomes’ support is hindering genuine change for pets, as there is no pressure to evolve – no demand for resources to be put into rehabilitation and care.
This year is the year to stand up for pets.
(Worried you will be harming animals by restricting resources? Don’t be. RSPCA’s generally have several to tens of million dollars in reserve – many times more than is needed to operate for a year – check their annual reports. And small community groups will do much good with your redirected contributions)
Proven No Kill programs have been in existence since the 1980’s – if the RSPCA were going to make the change under their own steam, they would have by now. Only by pet lovers taking a stand and demanding all of the 11 programs of the No Kill Equation are comprehensively implemented, and that killing is no longer used as a convenient way to manage pets, will we see the change our pets deserve.
Get active. Don’t Walk.
There is one state RSPCA who has largely rejected killing as a tool to manage their pet populations. If you’re in the ACT, you’re walking to support an organisation who boasts a save rate of 94% for dogs, and 66% for cats. Unfortunately, the major stumbling block to getting cat euthanasia down, is the support of the organisation for ‘trap and remove’ programs for healthy, untame cats.
i think the rspca in south australia is not doing the job they are meant to be doing. they should support the non kill shelters like moorook.
BRILLIANT info etc – great effort!! I will NEVER support RSPCA until they make these changes.. PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN – they MUST listen!
The R.S.P.C.A. must be accountable for their actions, they need to re-examine their “mission statements”, and should work with “no-kill” shelters and rescue groups. It should be all about what is best for the animals, not putting profits before compassion and care. For photos of the rally held in Adelaide today (15/4/13), go to this link.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.600472606648517.1073741868.106267389402377&type=1
Let’s not forget also that if you really are an animal-lover – a friend of ALL creatures great and small, you don’t sell one species in sausages, to raise money to help another species when there are abundant cruelty-free options available, and you CERTAINLY don’t EAT some animals so as to donate money to help other animals.
I guess the rspca have become complacent. I understand the huge cost to prosecute an abuser and then the evidence required to get a guilty conviction is quite difficult and not a easy as you would think. Then the penalties are ridiculously inadequate. I think rather than be angry at them people would be better to show them the positive way of working together and set the example rather than copy the lack of cooperation shown currently by the rspca . If everyone could put aside their anger and work together towards a better solution. Maybe a common ground could be found. I have been let down by rspca and animal welfare many times. I honestly feel if i send a homeless animal there I’m sure it will be pts. I think about the dogs and kitten taken from moorook almose everyday. Lets turn this bad situation around into something positive. Anger just makes more anger. Love and compassion a positive attitude and positive action are the only way! I understand for moorook having their animals seized and pts its a huge ask. I just ask you lead the way show the rspca no kill works
Sorry Justine. You are just extremely naive. The RSPCA are not interested in working with others. They are far to arrogant for that. I have seen first hand the way they arbitrarily decide which animals should live and which should die and how they treat so called cruel owners. Some need locking up i grant you but the RSPCA dont differentiate between people when they think there is a case which will get the publics approval. They use dreadful, illegal bully boy tactics that even the police wouldnt dare do and use every psychological trick in the book to make people scared of them. You need to wise up. They need sorting.
I stopped donating & supporting RSPCA because there was so much in fighting. Letters where sent to all members by a disgruntled committee member.
She was scathing about the org.
That was enough for me, if thats how they ran the operations then forget it.
This article makes my blood boil. Thank you for highlighting the issues, peole should know.
I will be sticking to my decision not to support them.
And in Tasmania a lot of their money goes topaying the legal fees they have racked up int he last 5+ years with their infighting.
There was an article on the Tasmanian Times in Feb this year which stated RSPCA Tasmania has spent $59,000 on lawyers and $32,000 on ‘other consultants’ to the end of December 2012. Far out can you just imagine how big their legal and consultant bill must be now?
How on earth can they justify this unnecessary and extravagant use of funds for lawyers and consultants?
I understand that the Tasmanian Parliament is currently investigating if RSPCA Tasmania is fit to receive and expend tax payer money. Lets hope the gravy train is coming into the station and these people are not allowed to waste anymore money on corporate skin saving and instead the money is diverted to where it is needed (the animals)
Where is this information and data sourced from? It is easy to quote figures without reference points.
The whole article is a mass of links. Try clicking
Wow, you really are aggressive with your responses Saving Pets. All I was asking was for some actual journalled facts. You know where they have to undergo some sort of verification before being claimed as being true. Any idiot can reference other websites. In fact, any idiot can create their own website such as what you have done and then put false facts out there. Shame on you for pretending to be an advocate for animal welfare. What have you ACTUALLY done lately to further the cause? I expect a whole lot of nothing except sit behind your computer slagging off other people.
The article is a mass of links.
Try clicking.
With your mouse.
I’m so disappointed to hear this. No way will I ever again support them!!
Yes how distressing to hear the facts about the peak animal welfare organisation in our own country, well people it is true I worked there and saw for myself how poorly animals are treated in these shelters.
For the so called supporters who are still out there look deeper and find out for yourselves this horrible truth. Myself and many others tried to change what has been going on for many years only to be bullied and forced to leave what we felt so passionate about, saving lives and make the lives of animals in these shelters more bearable but to no avail.
I have turned my back on this organisation along with many others in disgust and disbelief, it sickens and saddens me.
The poor animals that end up in their care..they are supposed to be protected
As an ex volunteer I saw numerous kittens euthanised, it was heartbreaking.. What prompted me to leave was the attitudes of the vet nurses to volunteers.. This org firstly took my services offered for free then treated me as though I was stupid.. Understandably this doesn’t represent the whole org but I would have thought they would have treated vollys with a bit more respect
I volunteer in animal welfare and it is unfortunate that these types of articles put people off supporting any animal welfare group. The negativity and the tall poppy syndrome that exists between rescues and large welfare organisations is so off putting. I support smaller rescues and RSPCA Vic and I do my own research. I also know first hand the amazing program’s being implemented in Victoria to address the number of unwanted cats. Sadly you rarely focus on the positive things that are happening and you selectively quote figures to skew your arguments.
I find it extraordinary that anyone in welfare would hold Victorian animal welfare as a laudable example of ANYTHING, let alone humane cat management.
Victoria currently has the highest kill rate for cats in the country. In four short years, they more than quadrupled their rate of killing. All while investing practically nothing into humane cat management (ie. desexing).
http://www.savingpets.com.au/2010/03/how-we-got-here-a-brief-history-of-the-whos-for-cats-campaign/
Their efforts did however make the cat impoundment business a multi-million dollar industry. Which still supports kill rates of 80% (Lost Dogs Home) and 90+% (Cat Protection). With no conceivable end in sight.
Were these the successes you were referring to?
The RSPCA is a toxic organisation so worried about protecting their own skins they do not care about the animals they are supposed to protect. For a group that call themselves the peak animal welfare organisation in Australia this is simply not good enough.
I have seen how the RSPCA behave in Tasmania first hand and it’s scary to see how the board conduct themselves and the fact that they simply don’t care about the animals is appalling.
The national RSPCA are not better, all they are worried about is how they look in the media they don’t really give a stuff about the animals!
I for one will NOT be supporting the million paws walk and am encouraging all of my friends to do the same.
Just a reminder that if you’ve planned on a shrill rant about how all of this is the fault of ‘irreponsible owners’ and that if greedy-puppyfarmer-backyard-breeeeeders would just stop breeding, then the RSPCA would happily close and we could all skip through the daisies into a future where pounds weren’t killing pets… them STOP. Save your typing fingers.
This is not a blog about feelings or wishes or dreams. But cold hard facts. There is no evidence that there is ‘too many’ pets in Australia. When proactive programs are implemented the killing stops.
Yes. Stops.
The RSPCA run pounds. They CHOOSE to take on council tenders. They are a $100 million dollar year organisation, who are paid directly by our tax dollars to care for pets. These pet figures are their own. And like any public organisation, they are accountable. Just like hospitals, and fire and police they have a responsibility to perform – and currently they’re failing 40-80% of the time.
Our pets deserve a animal management system which offers them a place of safety.
Um, RSPCA is not paid for by tax dollars. Get your figures straight. You seem to have all the facts. You should know then that RSPCA receives 1% from the government.
False.
An RSPCA who offers its services to a local council – to impound and hold their pets (ie. a pound contract) negotiates its price depending on the number of pets it will be required to manage.
Experience says its between $150 – $300 per pet. Contracts range between a few hundred thousand, to a million per year.
Councils will also contribute amounts – partly or fully – to multi million dollar facilities to hold pets.
These are your ‘tax dollars’ being spent on animal management.
It’s no grand conspiracy – it’s just operations.
In the ACT you can log onto the pound website and day of the week and see the “transferred from other shelter dogs” (the RSPCA) so the animals are not euthanaised at the RSPCA the tax payer gets to pay for the privilage. I will not support them in any way, I will point any one I know wanting a new pet to the pound and ARF.
three years ago I tried to adopt a dog from a few different organisations (who shall remain nameless) and was NOT able to. I specified that I wanted a small dog for inside the house. I was refused by ALL of them because I did “not have a fenced yard for the dog to access”. I was forced to purchase a dog from a “retail” establishment. I still have no fenced yard but what I do have is an extremely happy, well adjusted little fellow who has all the love and hugs he could need. We go to the local “Off-leash” dog park twice a day for an average of 40 minutes and he rides in his own little car seat.
We have SO much LOVE to give a dog and am disappointed that people who “rescue” animals will keep them in multi-animal cages rather than send them to a wonderful forever home.
In contrast, I should add that we have ALWAYS got our cats from the local pound and have NEVER been questioned about the facilities at home!
Absolutely fantastic post. Thank you. Will be sharing this EVERYWHERE.
Thank you to Savingpets for the information. I no longer support RSPCA because I did some voluntary work there and was not impressed with the way the place was run, volunteers were not really appreciated. I don’t donate to Lost Dogs home any more since I learnt about the amount of animals they constantly put to sleep and the amount of money they have. I would much rather support small rescue groups who actually re home dogs and cats, even the seniors, who never seem to be offered for adoption at the bigger pounds. There are so many wonderful groups on Facebook, all run by volunteers, and often money is very tight, so they are constantly having to have raffles, or fundraisers to just pay their vet bills, all this while RSPCA and Lost Dogs Home have millions of dollars in the bank and kill more animals than they save. A disgrace. My husband and I have always owned pets for the whole of our 47 year marriage, and have spent thousands in Vet costs, not a complaint, because we consider our dogs and cats to be a big part of our family, we are now retired and on a fixed income, so rather than the family vet we now take our animals to Lort Smith Animal Hospital because they give fantastic service and we get a pensioner discount. They are a wonderful organization who don’t receive any government funding, but still manage to be able to rehome animals, and give good service, why can’t the RSPCA???
Here in Queensland, in a town I don’t want to mention, is it other rescue groups, like no kill rescues forbidden to attend the walk! RSPCA really is not at all about saving pets otherwise I can’t understand why they wouldn’t invite other groups or how they can even consider to ban them from the walk. Very sad info about the RSPCA!
nice to see youre only posting the comments that support your own theories. If youre after transparency and accountability and constructive criticism of an organisation like the RSPCA, be willing to accept that other people have an opinion too, and post it so everyone can see. There is no right answer here. As the RSPCA have accountability and guidelines, so too must no kill shelters. Everyone needs to get on the same page. But hey, not gonna bother commenting any further as you are pushing your own agenda, and arent willing to entertain the idea that other people have valid, insightful and yes possibly conflicting opinions.
[derp] Trust me when I say I’ve not held back anything insightful or valid.
I *have* held back a couple of variations of the but what will we do with all the pets! rants, because these make me want to throw myself head first into a woodchipper.
I can’t see that you’ve posted before – unless your were doing so under some amazing false email like ‘animal man’ or ‘truth slayer’. Again woodchipper. Delete.
If you would like to submit your comment again I can’t tell you how happy I’ll be to receive it. No, really I’m dying to hear the zinger that you clearly feel is being deliberately held back from the masses.
Standing by.
It frustrates me no end when you go to these paws walks and every man and his dog has a different contraption on their dog…..wether it be check chains, harness, collar, halti’s etc and as a dog trainer the RSPCA want to put us dog trainers down for one reason or another just for caring and trying to help that dog,,,,,,yet they are happy to take everyones money on the day and turn a blind eye to all these people walking their dogs on what ever and pulling the people all over….choking themselves and the RSPCA says nothing go figure!!!!
Stastics can be skewed to support any cause. I would love to see more specific information about how the RSPCA rates compared to other animal organisations. My current dog is a rescue who was on death row in NSW after a week as she didn’t have a micro chip, was rescued by someone in SA, re honed to us and we now live in NSW.
Unfortunately there is no mention of the positive RSPCA areas, like Whyalla Vet. They keep animals until they find a forever home – look at the dates the animals were listed. I’ve seen the animals in the flesh and know they are always looked after up until their new home is found.
I do not support the RSPCA completely but where is the solution? Why can’t these other organisation support all of these pets until they find a forever home? The RSPCA is not a super power, just an organisation like all of the others.
At the top of the page is a link to a comprehensive ‘pound survey’ results. This blog also has been discussing the operation of different pounds for the last four years or so. So before you start accusing me of ‘skewing’ stats – how about doing me the courtesy of actually doing some of your own research?
The main factor as to whether a dog or cat lives or dies is the management of the pound or shelter where it is impounded. The RSPCA should be leading the way. Unfortunately they often are the obstacle to expanded life saving.
For too long the RSPCA have been seen as the benchmark of Animal Care about time someone stood up and boldly told the truth.
Support ZERO Kill Shelters. Love and Desex your fur family. Stand up and be heard our companion animals depend on us.
To hold a food stall at the Million Paws Walk costs a minimum $300.
We certainly won’t be there with our catering. They make a fortune out of the food vendors.
I rescued 9 kittens (approx 5 weeks old) 2 years ago. I suspected that one or two of them had cat flu – with sneezing and one with weepy eyes. The kittesn were rescued from under a tree with no signs of mum. They were sopping wet, we got they dry and warma dn all of them were active and happy kitties when the RSPCA arrived to collect them. Mum called a week later to see how they were going, and all 9 were put to sleep. Killed for no reason. Cat flu is treatable. None of them were critical.
Also their RSPCA store sold a friend of mine a Guinea Pig with fatal problems knowing it was for her young daughters. They spent $1000 trying to save this family pet for it to still die, just months after buying it. They did not front up for any of this animals vet bills or refund their money. Disgrace.
I have known for a long time that the RSPCA is not necessarily about caring for animals. Like any other shelter they have to rationalise how they spend their funding, but they do so very much at the expense of the creatures they have pledged to protect. I used to support the RSPCA financially on a regular basis, but after an incident with a young dog that the WA branch was completely unwilling to assist with, I wrote to them and complained. The reply I received convinced me that this organisation is not as deserving as many others that help homeless animals. Since then, behind the scenes documents that I have been privy to, written by volunteers who have quit in protest at the RSPCA’s treatment of the animals in its facilities, have done nothing to change my view. I’m sure there are good people within the organisation who try very hard under difficult circumstances; however, my encounters to date with the RSPCA have convinced me that the culture there is not focused and the animals it is their charter to protect.
I have heard a lot about the RSPCA – it is a very well-funded organisation that misleads people into thinking it cares about animals. Don’t support the RSPCA – it is a dinosaur organisation that is behind the times, has lost its way and has become profit-driven. I will not support them.
It’s true the RSPCA kill many animals. It’s also true that they do not have the money to permanently house every single one that comes in. Many animals that are there are deemed ‘unadoptable’ because of their health and age, as most people looking to adopt an animal would rather have a cute, healthy lil puppy than a sick old dog. These animals are often put down to make room for more ‘adoptable’ animals.
The thing is, the RSPCA saves many animals. So many of them would not have a life AT ALL if they did not go there. But because of money constraints, which they do their best to improve through fundraisers like the million paws walk, they cannot keep them all.
If the RSPCA had no money coming in from their fundraisers at all, they would simply have to kill more animals to make their shelter sustainable.
So please, either take these animals that are going to be put down yourself (someone has to take them. Animals cost money which even for the best moral causes, doesn’t suddenly appear from thin air), or donate to the organisation so that they may have the funds to keep more animals, instead of killing them.
If you’re not willing to take on these sicker animals in need of more money and care, it’s unreasonable to expect someone else to do so.
Katie, you’ve done a great job of regurgitating animal sheltering cliches, but you’ve given very little evidence for your claims.
– There are ‘too many’ pets and not enough homes
How do you know this? How many homes are there available – do you know?
Some pounds and shelters save 90%+ of their intakes. Why can they do it, but not the RSPCA?
– People don’t want to adopt old/imperfect pets, so they would have to hold them forever
How do you know people don’t want imperfect pets? Rescue groups regularly place hundreds of seemingly ‘unadoptable’ pets successfully into homes. Why can’t the RSPCA?
– Money constraints are why more pets aren’t saved
The RSPCA are in the pet impoundment business. They are paid by local council for every animal they impound. They can choose to take in multiple council tender & many, many, many animals; or they can choose to limit the number of tenders they take on.
The RSPCA nationally has revenue of more than $100 million dollars.
As an organisation they choose to take in pets, and they choose what outcomes they offer these pets. As largely tax payer funded operation, they have a duty to reflect the compassionate regard for pets held by the community. Killing is no longer an acceptable way to manage companion animal populations.
That is so sad, & now has ruined my day:( Not killed my day, just made it come to a lousy end with that report.
RSPCA Tasmania has got to be the worst of this bad bunch. I know for a fact that the president and vice president of Tasmania spend money on lawyers like it’s water.
Let’s hope the state government review in Tasmania begins to undo this defunct organisation on a national basis and that other welfare organisations who really care about welfare outcome start to get a greater share of the funding pie.
SHAME ON YOU . No one can believe or TRUST…ANY MORE…..SEEMS A LIFE MEANS NOTHING .
WHY put Saving Pets????? When you KILL THEM???:(
We need to help them don’t participate in this walk. Its unbelievable what there doing and for that SHAME ON YOU!!!!
Support more worthy organisations. Those which help, rather than kill, animals.
wow, this really looks like ‘no-kill’ propaganda. While ‘no-kill’ is a very nice goal, the shafting of welfare organisations that balance out adopting animals with available resources does not help ‘no-kill’ credibility.
So just to be clear – by your logic the best thing to do when you see an underperforming pound or shelter is to not mention it and keep giving them money.
Yes, I can see a policy of saying nothing and giving them cash would really drive them forward. How many underperforming pounds and shelters have you given this silent cash injection overhaul?
Certainly using this method no one can accuse you of pushing ‘no kill propaganda’. All those unnecessarily dead pets must be super grateful for your ‘efforts’.