A woman on the north coast of NSW has been convicted of animal cruelty offences arising from her operation of a dog breeding business. She pleaded guilty to failing to provide veterinary treatment to a female Dachshund named ‘Lucy’ for an open, infected laceration on the dog’s leg. A further offence of failing to provide vet treatment to Lucy and her three puppies for hookworm was taken into account on a Form 1.   In addition, the woman pleaded guilty to six offences related to breaches of the Animal Welfare Code of Practice – Breeding Dogs and Cats, which sets minimum standards for animal breeding establishments in NSW.  Appearing in Coffs Harbour Local Court on 23 October 2025, the offender was convicted of each offence and fined $500 for failing to provide vet treatment to Lucy. In relation to her non-compliance with the Code, the Court imposed a 12-month Conditional Release Order. She was disqualified from owning or having any involvement in the care of animals for a period of two years, with an exception for two desexed dogs that must be identified to RSPCA NSW. The offender must also pay animal care costs amounting to $9,632.17.  As a result of the convictions, the offender must not breed animals or…

Rocky’s whole world fell apart when the person he loved most had to leave him behind. One day he had a family, a routine, a place to feel safe. The next, he had nothing. Rocky stayed with us at one of our Behaviour and Rehabilitation Centres. At first, he flinched at touch. He froze in fear. He didn’t know how to trust. But slowly, with patience, kindness and love, everything began to change. Thanks to generous animal lovers, Rocky was given the time he needed to heal. And one beautiful day, he walked out of our shelter and into the arms of a new family. Today, Rocky is safe. He is loved. He is home. But he isn’t the last animal who will need help. Sadly, Rocky’s story is one we see all too often.  Every single day, people across NSW are forced into the heartbreaking decision of surrendering their animals. This year alone, we received 8,199 calls that contained…

The average life expectancy of a cat is 12-16 years. However, this expectancy is significantly different for cats that live safely at home and those who are allowed to roam outdoors. The leading causes of death in outdoor cats are infection and trauma, resulting in an average life expectancy of 2-5 years for outdoor cats (Zoran and Buffington 2011). Contained cats, on the other hand, live for an average of 12-18 years (Abbate 2019), although many can live into their early 20s. Outdoor cats can be exposed to more significant hazards than safe at home cats. The most notable examples of these hazards are accidents involving cars, which include both being hit by cars and being crushed underneath cars while asleep. Cars that have recently been driven still have warm engines, which may appear to cats as warm sleeping areas. Unfortunately, this often results in them being hidden from view of the unsuspecting driver who drives off, injuring or killing…

RSPCA NSW is urging members of the community to help stop the spread of Canine Parvovirus (Parvo) and keep their pets safe after several cases have been reported this week.  Parvo is a serious and often fatal viral disease that affects unvaccinated dogs and puppies of any age. What is Parvo?  Parvo is highly contagious and spreads directly, or indirectly, through contact with faecal matter from infected dogs. Transmission may occur through direct contact with a sick dog, by sniffing an infected dog’s poo or licking/ eating off ground where a sick dog has previously been.   Parvo is especially dangerous because it can live for several years on the ground where a sick dog has defecated or vomited. As the virus is invisible, pet owners cannot know if a sick dog has previously been there. This poses an ongoing risk to dogs and puppies for many years.   Symptoms  The incubation period for Parvo is between four to six days after contact…