Greater Geraldton records second-highest volume of animal cruelty reports in regional WA in 2022-23

Geraldton recorded the second-highest number of animal cruelty reports in regional WA over the past financial year — the equivalent of more than three a week. RSPCA WA this week released new statistics showing animal cruelty was on the rise, with an average of more than 19 reports a day across WA. In the past financial year, RSPCA WA received 7126 animal cruelty reports — an 11 per cent rise on the year before. In regional WA, 188 reports of animal cruelty were received in Greater Geraldton in 2022-23 — a drop of 2 per cent on the previous year. The only regional area with a worse result was Albany with 190 reports. RSPCA WA chief executive officer Ben Cave said the cost-of-living crisis had been the key theme in 2022-23. “Reports about owners failing to seek vet care spiked by 18 per cent last financial year . . . compared to 2021-22,” he said. “Meanwhile, reports of animals without enough food or water were up 22 per cent. On the surface, these reports might seem less serious than violent acts of cruelty, but the sad reality is the animals in these cases have often suffered day in, day out for weeks or months. “We understand owners fall on hard financial times but ignoring your pet’s pain or hunger is not a solution — it’s animal cruelty.” RSPCA WA inspector manager Kylie Green said the main issue for the Mid West inspector was people going away and leaving their pets at home without proper care, leading to abandonment reports. A prosecution finalised in the last financial year saw Geraldton woman Camille Rose Kelly fined $2500 and banned from owning animals for two years after she left a kitten locked inside her unit without food or water for up to two weeks. The incident was reported to the RSPCA in June 2022, and when an inspector went to the Karloo unit, they saw the kitten poking its head through gaps in the front door’s security screen and mewing loudly. After several attempts to contact Kelly, the inspector obtained a warrant to enter the address. When inside, he noted it looked as though no one lived there, and there was no food or water for the kitten. The underweight kitten, later named Abby, made a full recovery. Across WA, abandonment reports rose 32 per cent. Mr Cave said RSPCA WA had ramped up events to help struggling pet owners. “In hotspots where cruelty is prevalent, RSPCA WA works hard to improve standards of animal welfare, but we’re still getting a consistently high number of calls,” he said. “With the rising cost of living hitting WA families hard, we’re worried neglect of those basic needs is only going to increase. “If you’re no longer able to care for your animals to the standard they deserve, you must reach out for help sooner rather than later.” RSPCA will hold a community action day in Geraldton in October.