Legislation

As well as preventing cruelty to animals by enforcing existing legislation, the RSPCA also works to reform legislation and improve animal welfare.

Animal welfare legislation is developed and administered at the state and territory level. In recent times, legislation has evolved to broaden its scope from simply prohibiting acts of cruelty to animals, to actively promoting the welfare of animals.

This is reflected in the concept of ‘duty of care’. If you are in charge of an animal, you have a duty of care to that animal. This is based on the internationally recognised ‘Five Freedoms’ of animal welfare:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst: by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
2. Freedom from discomfort: by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease: by prevention through rapid diagnosis and treatment.
4. Freedom to express normal behaviour: by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.
5. Freedom from fear and distress: by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.