News and Updates

The RSPCA NSW Behaviour and Rehabilitation Centre (BARC) has successfully rehabilitated a record number of pets, and adoption fees have been reduced this weekend for all dogs to help them find their forever homes and make space for more animals in need.

Creating an emergency plan for natural disasters, such as floods, will ensure that you and your animal(s) remain safe. In the event of flooding, your pet(s) will most likely be frightened and confused and will rely on you to protect them. As an animal owner there are several steps that you can take to make sure that you are prepared.    Make sure that your pet(s) can be identified Microchipping and registering your animal(s) will give them the best chance of being reunited with you, if you become separated. You can register your animals at the NSW Pet Registry. If you own livestock, you can register with the Property Identification Codes which will identify the number of animals you keep on your property.   It is also important to create an identification folder that contains documentation that will help identify your pet(s). These documents include:   Recent photographs of your pet(s) that clearly show their fur or any unusual markings they…

The NSW Legislative Assembly today passed the Companion Animals Amendment (Rehoming Animals) Bill 2021 in an important first step towards further safeguarding impounded animals across the state.

Tips for keeping your pets safe through New Years’ Eve fireworks.

We’re investing in surrender intervention, starting with the problem of drop boxes  Surrendering a pet is always a difficult decision. We have learned a lot about the reasons why people choose to surrender their pets. In fact, most people love their pets and would prefer to keep them. Surrendering them is usually a last resort.   At RSPCA NSW, helping people to help animals is what we do. For us to provide better care for animals in need, and promote responsible pet ownership in the community, we need to rethink surrender intervention. To start, we’re removing overnight cages or ‘drop boxes’ from our shelters.  What are drop boxes?   Drop boxes were introduced as a strategy to deal with unwanted animals. The idea was to give people the opportunity to ‘drop’ unwanted animals at a shelter without shame, and without breaking the law, outside of shelter open hours, giving the animal a place to stay overnight. In NSW under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, abandoning an animal is a cruelty offence and anyone who does this can be charged.  What’s the problem with drop boxes?   While the idea was to address the issue of animal abandonment,…

Members of the public who are double vaccinated will be able to visit RSPCA NSW shelters from today, Tuesday 25 October 2021. This announcement has sent tails wagging across the state as our animals look forward to meeting their potential forever families. RSPCA NSW remains committed to taking the necessary steps and following the health advice of the NSW government regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. To maintain the safety of our animals, employees, and the community, RSPCA NSW will continue utilising online application forms as part of our adoption process. To find your new companion, we recommend first searching our website for animals available for adoption and then completing an online adoption form. Our experienced adoption teams will then review your application and contact you to discuss your lifestyle, experience, and the needs of the animal to make sure you are a great match. If successful, our team will allocate a meet-and-greet appointment at the selected shelter for you to bond with your new friend and process the adoption. RSPCA NSW Shelter locations: ·       Sydney (Yagoona) ·       Hunter (Rutherford) ·       Illawarra ·       Blue Mountains (Katoomba) ·       Coffs Harbour ·       Central West (Orange) For the latest updates about our Tuggerah…

On Monday the 25th of October our shelters will be reopening again to the public and after months in lockdown, we are in need of some particular products for our furry friends! Tricks for Treats will be running from the 25-31st of October at your local RSPCA NSW shelter or care centre.  Please see below for what items your local shelter is in need of:  Central Coast Bedding  Toys  Shell pools  Trampolines  Coffs Harbour  Blankets and sheets Dog treats  Toys Towels  Peanut butter/ vegemite  Medium-sized cardboard boxes Illawara  Bedding Toys Food for impound  Blue Mountains  Dog treats including pig ears, dried kangaroo trachea, plain sausages Toys, particularly squeaky ones  Newspaper Shell pools  Trampolines  Glass reptile enclosures  Central West & Sydney The Central West and Sydney shelters will appreciate any donation and are not after particular items at this time.   Animals around NSW receive the care and protection they require every day thanks to the generosity of individuals like you.  Your…

RSPCA NSW is saddened to hear about the passing of former Corrective Services NSW Commissioner Ron Woodham. Mr Woodham served the New South Wales community for 46 years and was an instrumental part of launching the RSPCA NSW Pet Rehabilitation Program in 2010. RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman said the people and animals of NSW had lost a great friend. “Ron Woodham’s legacy will be remembered by all who met him and were fortunate enough to be a part of the dog rehabilitation program. Over the past decade, close to 1400 dogs and 150 inmates have found hope thanks to the partnership he helped build.” “He was tough on the outside, but animals always balanced him” Ron will be sorely missed by everyone at RSPCA NSW.

It can be so disheartening to hear that your local animal shelter or adoption centre is full only to visit and see that there’s only a handful of animals that you can see there. It just doesn’t make sense…if the shelters are full…where are all the animals?   We would love nothing more than for every single animal who comes through our doors to go into a forever home right away. But realistically, with the majority of our animals needing ongoing treatment or being held for legal reasons – this just isn’t possible.   Please rest assured that we are working hard behind the scenes to fast-track adoption processes and ready animals to be adopted. We don’t want to keep animals in our care any longer than needed when a forever home is waiting for them!).   On average, RSPCA NSW sees over 30 animals adopted each day across the state. It’s beyond heartwarming to see so many homeless animals adopted each day. But still – thousands of animals remain in our care. Did you know that on…

RSPCA NSW welcomes amendments to state animal welfare legislation which bring tougher penalties for animal cruelty offences, including the introduction of a new offence under the Prevention to Cruelty Animals Act 1979 (POCTAA). In a historic moment for animals in the state, New South Wales now has some of the toughest penalties for animal cruelty offences in the country. “This is a milestone for all animals great and small across the state,” said RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman. “These are things that we have been advocating for as an organisation for many years and we are pleased that state legislation is progressing to reflect changing community expectations. “We know that the community feels strongly about animal welfare. These changes will help us to continue to our mission to protect and serve animals.” The maximum penalty increases include: For committing an act of cruelty: fine increased from $5,500 and/or 6 months imprisonment to $44,000 and/or 12 months imprisonment for individuals, and from $27,500 to $220,000 for corporations. For committing an act of aggravated cruelty: fine increased from…

Flip tails on a twenty cent coin and you will see one etched in rippling water. In real life, this view is not so common. Our beloved platypus is increasingly facing critical threats to their population. An icon and evolutionary marvel, the platypus is vital to its freshwater ecosystem and its food web. Their loss would be a national tragedy. This is why RSPCA NSW is partnering with Taronga Conservation Society Australia to establish a new Platypus Rescue and Rehabilitation Facility. The rehabilitation facility will be built using funds generously donated during the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfire crisis, as part of our commitment to wildlife rehabilitation and regeneration in New South Wales. You can read more about where these funds are being sent here. Platypus sightings have fast declined with the steady loss of their habitat, which has shrunk 22% over the last thirty years. They are the silent victims of climate change, extreme weather, dams, worsening water quality, land-clearing, pollution, predation by invasive…

Last week our team went out to the New England region of NSW to help some of the local community with vaccinating and microchipping their furry friends! We collaborated with the Tamworth Council Pound and Tamworth Tafe, whose vet nurse students were able to gain some invaluable practical experience.  Tamworth has also been recently affected by parvovirus, a serious and often fatal viral disease that impacts unvaccinated puppies and dogs. As the virus stays on surfaces for a long period of time, dogs can pick up the virus by coming into contact with infected dogs or contaminated surfaces and environments. By running a vaccination drive in this region, we’re hoping to reduce the spread of the virus. To read more about parvovirus click here.  Overall in Tamworth, we were able to achieve the following:   Number of dogs vaccinated- 87 Number of dogs also microchipped- 46 Number of cats vaccinated- 51 Number of cats also microchipped- 38 The pet owners we…

At RSPCA NSW, we are committed to ensuring that we are improving our environmental sustainability.  Over the last year, we’ve made steps towards sustainability such as switching towards hybrid vehicles, battery recycling and using recyclable poo bags. But we want our move towards sustainability not only in the short term but in the long run. That’s why this Earth Day, we’re proud to announce our Environmental Sustainability Strategic Plan to make sure that we’re doing better by our Earth.  By committing to protecting our environment, we’re making sure all our animals whether they are two-footed, four-footed, furry, feathered or finned have a safer future ahead.  That’s why at RSPCA NSW, we are focusing on four key pillars:  Our Carbon Footprint  Our carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by our organisation. To eventually reduce our carbon footprint down to zero, we’re launching a range of initiatives that are much more environmentally friendly:  Planting more…

From Monday 12 April to Sunday 25 April 2021 we will be reducing the adoption fees for all cats and kittens to help our feline friends find forever homes! There’s never been a better time to adopt a purrfect pal who will want to spend all nine lives with you. So how much are the adoption fees? Adult cats – over 6 months – $180 now $100 Kittens – $230 now $150 RSPCA NSW adoption fees include desexing, microchipping, vaccinations, vet checks and up-to-date parasite control. So what are you waiting for? Pop into an RSPCA shelter or Care Centre to meet your new forever best friend! View all our cats and kittens available for adoption here: http://rspcansw.org/felines *Please note, this offer is not available at Petbarn adoption locations or RSPCA volunteers branches.

RSPCA NSW welcomes the NSW Government response to the NSW parliamentary inquiry into the administration of state animal cruelty legislation.  The NSW Government supports RSPCA NSW’s role in enforcing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (POCTAA).  “This inquiry reinforces the relevance of RSPCA NSW in enforcing POCTAA, and we are pleased that the NSW Government has seen fit that our Inspectorate continues their vital work,” said RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman. “We welcome the recommendations made which we hope will build on the special skills, strengths and expertise our Inspectorate has developed over the last 90 years.” “The inquiry has also put a spotlight on animal cruelty laws in NSW and what needs to be done to improve the welfare of animals in our state, and we are grateful for the opportunity to provide valuable insight into RSPCA NSW’s critical role in that.” “RSPCA NSW continues to perform absolutely vital functions for the people and animals of NSW. Not only are we an enforcement agency, we are an organisation that delivers community education and assistance to animal owners in need, provides shelter and urgent treatment to…

NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said he will introduce into State Parliament notice for legislation in what would be the harshest penalties for animal cruelty in Australia. The new set of measures will increase maximum financial penalties and prison time under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, as well as introduce new powers to ban an individual from ever being allowed to own, care for or breed an animal in New South Wales. “We are absolutely supportive of these proposed changes,” said RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman. “We hear from our members and supporters far too often that they consider sentences for cruelty offenders to be inadequate, and this is a big step towards addressing those concerns. “For animal cruelty offenders, the message is that courts will be empowered to deal with them appropriately, in line with community expectation. “For us, the introduction of lifetime bans for serious offenders will help address repeat offenders, which sadly is one…

RSPCA NSW is pleased to share our plans to establish a dedicated rehabilitation centre for animals who suffer from anxiety and behavioural issues. The rehabilitation centre, which will be located at our Central Coast facility, will provide a place for the long-term care and treatment of canines who need extra time, help and attention in order to build their skills and confidence so they can be ready to find loving forever homes.  We see countless animals come into our care, many through our Inspectorate and community cases, with higher needs as a result of neglect, abuse and trauma. With our recently announced Breeder Compliance Unit, a part of our Inspectorate tasked with investigating inadequate conditions and standards at intensive dog breeding facilities, this centre will be our base for rehabilitation services. We want these animals to benefit from the many open grassy areas and the peaceful surroundings away from the rush of our larger shelters.   The establishment of a purpose-built facility centred around the recovery journeys of high-needs animals is the next step we are taking in order to ensure that we are doing everything we can to help…

We are thrilled to share an exciting update with you all! We announced earlier this year that, as part of our commitment to the people and animals of New South Wales, we are exploring establishing a facility that can manage both companion animals and wildlife at our Blue Mountains site. We are pleased to announce that we have received provisional approval from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for a wildlife rehabilitation license, which means we are one step closer to making the project happen! The proposal submitted is for a dual occupancy site that will allow us to care for companion animals as well as wildlife. We still have a long way to go with this journey, but this approval means that the government has granted us permission to proceed with the design and development of the facility. The 2019-20 bushfire crisis saw the devastating loss of millions upon millions of our precious wildlife. Helping animals great and small…

RSPCA NSW offers a range of accredited and non-accredited courses available to complete whilst we sit and stay at home. The newly launched Introducing Your Pet to a New Baby course will help prepare families and their fur-babies for any potential challenges this exciting, but often stressful, time may bring. This course aims to improve both human and animal welfare by teaching both new and expecting parents about how to understand their dog’s body language, how to condition your dog to your baby, as well as tips for managing pets and toddlers all under the one roof. There is also a Basic Animal First Aid (Non – Accredited) course designed for pet owners, animal care workers, dog walkers, foster carers, and anyone who loves animals. This short course covers the basics of animal first aid including recognising emergency situations, common poisons in the home, snake bites, ticks and a basic introduction to wildlife. Adam Farrugia, RSPCA NSW Senior Manager – Training said, “As a…