WINTER 2020
Buddy & Blue We recently shared the story of a beautiful dog named Buddy who arrived at our shelter via our Inspectorate. Months after Buddy arrived in need of our help, the Inspectors received a second similar complaint. It was alleged that a dog had been left at the same residence as Buddy, alone for over a week, with no sightings of the owner. A welfare check was made on the property and Blue, an American Staffordshire Bullterrier was seized and brought to the shelter. The gorgeous young dog was shy and timid as she found herself in unfamiliar surroundings with our Veterinarian and Inspectors. It was apparent that Blue had already lived through some form of trauma in her life. With only three legs, Blue previously had an amputation of her right forelimb. In fact, after checking for her microchip it was discovered she had been seen in our public vet clinic a year earlier after an accident that resulted in the fracture to one of her right legs. Blue settled into her new life at the shelter, blossoming with confidence.
When her owner did not come forward to claim her, she was put up for adoption and given the chance to find a loving forever home. Our team spent lots of time with Blue giving her the love and care she deserved. Nothing could hold her back, the threelegged dog was so full of life and zest. In no time, Blue was given the second chance she truly deserved. Blue made her way to a new forever home where she now receives all the love and attention a three-legged dog could want.
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO MICHELLE ROBERTSON
It is with much gratitude that I acknowledge the dedication of our staff, volunteers and supporters who have been instrumental in us being able to meet the challenges of these past eight months head on. From bushfires and hail, to COVID-19, we have continued to be resilient and focused on one of our primary goals: the rehoming of every healthy and sociable animal in our care. Over the 2019/20 Financial Year over 2,200 animals were rehomed or reunited with their families. A great outcome and success for all those involved! We continue to work behind the scenes on planning and campaigning for much needed fit for purpose shelter facilities. Our government and philanthropic grants from the last financial year has provided small minor work upgrades to our emergency boarding facilities, animal isolation areas, holding kennels and dental surgery, but we still have a long way to go. As our plans continue to develop we greatly look forward to bringing you further news in the future. While we face uncertain times ahead and the road remains unclear, thank you for your ongoing support of our organisation. Your generosity has allowed us to continue to be the voice for voiceless animals. Even when the world around us is in crisis, the need for strong animal welfare outcomes does not take a pause. Finally, I would like to advise that our amazing volunteer team is nominated for the 2020 Canberra Volunteer Choice Awards. Our Volunteers play a vitally important role. This is a great opportunity to be publically recognised by the broader Canberra community and also for us to promote and hopefully attract more volunteers in the future. Please vote for our team and pass the link on to all your friends and family and ask them to cast a vote as well. Voting is open until Sunday 16th August and can be done at this link: https://www.volunteeringact.org.au/get-involved/ canberra-choice-award/ Please stay safe and big hugs to your furry, feathery and scaled pets.
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EMERGENCY BOARDING VIA PROJECT SAFE
Emergency Boarding area
Isolation area - Cattery
Isolation area - Kennels
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PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES IN NEED RSPCA ACT has been running the Project SAFE program for over 10 years. Helping provide emergency short term care for the pets of domestic violence victims, patients in hospital and others who desperately need temporary accommodation for their pets.
the animals. Where possible and safe to do so, it is often more beneficial to keep animals within their homes. Support from friends, family, neighbours and other local organisations can assist with keeping animals in their own home for the short period of time.
Year on year there has been a consistent need for the Project SAFE program in our community. In the 2019/2020 financial year, we took care of 43 canines, 19 felines, 2 fowl and 1 rabbit. This includes 8 animals who required care more than once this financial year. That’s a total of 57 animals that were looked after at no cost to their owners
Each animal that arrives at the shelter as part of Project SAFE requires a veterinarian check and vaccinations. On occasion some animals require additional forms of vet treatment which are often provided at no cost to the owner. We allow these animals time to settle into their new environment and provide the same love and care from our staff and volunteers as every animal.
Each week our Animal Care Manager receives approximately 2 - 3 requests. These enquiries must come from the individual’s case worker to ensure each client in need of the service has a point of contact. Just one third of these enquiries result in an animal coming into the care of RSPCA ACT. The aim of this program is to do the best for everyone involved, especially
Last financial year 81% of these animals were reunited with their owners. While our biggest joy is seeing families and their much loved pets reunited, unfortunately this is not always the case. In the best interest of the animals involved, 6 cats and 5 dogs were surrendered for rehoming in the past year.
With the financial support of a philanthropic and government grant, this year we were successfully able to build a purpose built Feline Emergency Boarding area, for housing Project SAFE cats. This includes 5 condos which are larger and quieter than traditional metal cages allowing easier access for our staff and volunteers to interact and sit with the cats. The area is climate controlled, with a seperate system to our main cattery to limit disease spread between the two areas. Getting animals in need to the shelter is a great challenge with 80% of owners wanting to use Project Safe struggling to transport their animals. With limited resources arranging animal transportation for temporary care can be difficult. We do not receive any funding to run Project SAFE and the recipients of this service are not charged due to the significant hardship they are facing. We are so grateful to our generous supporters who donate to Project SAFE, without their support this vital program would not be able to run. To find out more about supporting Project SAFE contact us at
supporter@rspca-act.org.au
MEET THE TEAM LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Meet Holly, RSPCA ACT’s Learning and Development Coordinator. In this interview we discuss how important education is in working towards RSPCA’s mission, the prevention of cruelty to animals.
Why do you choose to work at RSPCA ACT? I have always been an animal lover and was interested in animal protection from a young age. As a child I had a beautiful tabby cat, Tiggy, who was the smallest of her litter, undersocialised, very timid, and like many tortoiseshell girls, was a little sassy! Tiggy quickly became my absolute best friend and inspired me to keep learning about how to best care for her, and promote the care of animals like her. As an adult, I had worked in schools as an early childhood and primary teacher and jumped at the opportunity to work for RSPCA ACT education when it became available. I went into the position thinking that I knew a lot about animals, but have learned so much more and enjoy sharing this knowledge with children. Why is education important in achieving RSPCA ACT’s mission and vision? Education is one of our most powerful tools in the prevention of animal cruelty. Often, animal mistreatment does not come from a desire to hurt the animal, but rather a lack of knowledge. I strongly believe that as a whole, once people know better, they do better! On a smaller scale, education also allows already great animal carers to make small changes, such as different types of enrichment, knowledge of animal behaviour and nutrition to ensure an excellent life for their animals. A big lesson for children in particular is learning to respect animals as sentient beings; that animals don’t always want to interact with us, and that this is ok. This forms a large part of our Kids n Kritters sessions and is a key learning for providing care and protection for animals in the future. Children become fantastic advocates for animals, and have an innate ability to influence the adults in their lives.
What is upcoming for the education program at RSPCA ACT? There are some exciting changes coming up in our education program! Whilst COVID-19 has put a pause on face to face programs, we are about to launch the online AWARE program in the ACT. ‘AWARE’ is an acronym for Animal Wellbeing: Awareness, Responsibility and Education. The program has been developed to include both a childrens’ and Educators’ portal, along with important information for parents. Content is regularly updated and includes animal care information, newsletters, quizzes, videos and lesson plans. I am also working on the Junior SupPawter Program, and planning for new school holiday workshops for the September/October school holidays. These will be in place of our regular Kids n Kritters sessions; workshops will be slightly shorter and more focussed on a particular topic, but will still include a shelter tour and some hands on tasks!
What do you think people should know about education at RSPCA ACT? Knowledge is power! Education is ongoing and there is always more to learn. As we research, develop new processes and theories and understand more about animals, how they communicate, why they behave the way they do and how we can help them live their best lives.
Animals give you a better life. You can leave them a better world. The love you feel for your pets. The compassion you have for all animals. Your desire to see them live free from cruelty and neglect. We share these intrinsic values deep within us. That’s what it means to be an animal lover. Thankfully, there’s a beautiful way that your love can live on. In fact, if the love you feel for the animals in your own life has flourished into a tenderness for all animals then it can help to make the world a better, safer, happier place for them all. By choosing to include a gift to RSPCA ACT in your Will, you will be contributing to vital work that must be done to protect animals from cruelty. More than that, you’ll become an enduring and fundamental part of a future we all want, one in which no animal experiences cruelty, abuse or neglect at the hands of human beings.
Meet Michael “How could I make my will and not think of the RSPCA ACT as a beneficiary? I adopted my black Burmese cat, Bubbles, from the RSPCA ACT eight years ago, along with his unusual name. He has been an affectionate, fascinating and very healthy friend. As I write, he is now only nine years old so, hopefully, he has another nine to go.
Why do I love animals? As far as animals and wildlife are concerned, I appreciate their vulnerability, beauty, innocence, connection with history and their complex and varied relationships with the human race. As for pets, as I live alone, I cannot imagine life without another living creature to care for and receive love from, I enjoy communicating with them.
I served on the RSPCA ACT board for several years and was impressed to learn of its success in rehoming animals and that there are no time limits for animals to be rehomed.
I wish I could leave a more generous bequest than I am able to do. However, I know it will be put to very good use.”
I was also surprised and disappointed to learn that RSPCA ACT operates leanly, with limited income.
To request an information pack, please email wills@rspca-act.org.au
I had thought of the RSPCA as one of Australia’s most obvious and attractive charities and most likely in receipt of generous charitable support. This is not the case, at least in the ACT. The annual budget was always tight when I served on the board and a generous bequest to help out was often sorely needed. Australians are not great philanthropists and it seems animal charities could do with more support.
Michael & Bubbles
Tango’s Place is the RSPCA ACT’s Five Star cat boarding facility located at the RSPCA in Weston. Tango’s Place provides a safe, temperature controlled, welcoming environment for your feline friend while you go away. We provide very large rooms which can house up to three of your cats with plenty of space to play, relax and exercise. Best of all your cats have company during our working hours with our cat loving staff who will socialise, play and give cuddles to make sure your pets are well looked after. To book a room, head to our website now. RSPCA Adoptees get 10% off their booking!
A NEW DATE FOR ALL THINGS DELICIOUS
26 October!
We hope you’ve spent the past few months staying safe, cuddling up with your animals and busying yourself with iso-baking. (In that order.) While we were planning to bake for change in August, we’ve opted for a spring-time date to make sure our gatherings are as safe as can be - 26 October. Plus: a couple of extra months to perfect our MasterChef-worthy dishes never hurt anybody, right? And look, we won’t sugarcoat it. The impact of COVID-19 has hit our shelters pretty hard. So if there was ever a time to join in and raise some dough, now’s the best time to do it! While our new date is officially 26 October, you can celebrate Cupcake Day at any point throughout the month. Time to dust off those recipe books!
rspcacupcakeday.com.au
RESCUE. CARE. ADOPT. In celebration of World Animal Day, Give to Get Them Home will be back in October. This campaign reflects one of our main focuses - getting animals into homes. Donations on the day will be matched to increase your impact to animals in need.