RSPCA WA: 2023 animal welfare cases heavily influenced by cost-of-living crisis

Christmas is a great time for reflecting on the year that’s been and looking forward to tackling the year ahead. Working in animal welfare, it can be easy to get down from time to time — we see some terrible things including acts of deliberate cruelty and suffering due to neglect. Cases in 2023 seem to have been heavily influenced by the rising cost-of-living and housing issues. More people are telling us they can’t afford the basics for their pets like food, vet care and grooming. This has been reflected in attendance at our community action days held across WA. We provide struggling pet owners with free food, microchipping, dog health checks and more and have seen numbers go from 1265 in 2022 to 1676 in 2023. Similarly, one third of all requests for pet surrenders this year have been due to the cost-of-living and housing crises. We know that unfortunately, our jobs will still be needed in 2024 and, if the last few years are anything to go by, we’ll probably be busier than ever. However, there are many cases every year that keep our spirits buoyed and reaffirm that this is exactly the job we want to be doing. Working with owners to help them better understand how to care for their animals, talking to schools and other groups about animal welfare, seeing a rescued animal flourish and find their forever home, providing practical help like a bag of dog food — all these things make being an inspector a fulling role. Perhaps most heartwarming of all is seeing the incredible generosity and support we get from local communities. Without you we simply couldn’t do what we do. Thank you and have a wonderful 2024. Mid West message from inspector Hayley Wirth Just last month I met a dog who broke my heart. I was working in Geraldton, following up on a call from someone concerned about a skinny dog they’d seen. I’ve seen plenty of skinny dogs in my time as an inspector, but I was surprised this girl, Missie, could stand, let alone walk. I knew a local ranger had already been to visit her and tried to feed her, but she’d vomited the food back up. I was worried there was something seriously wrong with her. A local vet examined Missie and prescribed a strict re-feeding regime to try to help her gain weight. I drove her to Perth where the RSPCA vet and behaviour teams gave her a thorough assessment. Although she was severely emaciated — a body condition score of just 1.5 out of nine — she was such a sweet, calm and patient girl. It’s been a few weeks now and Missie continues to thrive. I can’t wait until she’s well enough for her forever home.