FEBRUARY ANIMALS REMOVED FROM DESIGNER PET BREEDING OPERATION INSIDE THIS ISSUE. A word from the President

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1 FEBRUARY ANIMALS REMOVED FROM DESIGNER PET BREEDING OPERATION RSPCA Inspectors attended a property in Gingin last month to remove 71 cats and dogs from a breeding operation. They were being surrendered so the owners could avoid paying hefty council fines for contravening local by-laws. The animals were destined for the designer pet market they were mostly breeds with exaggerated features; including French Bulldogs, Pugs, Pomeranians, Chinese Crested, Maltese Terriers, Chihuahuas, Griffons, Sphynx and Munchkins. Story continues inside INSIDE THIS ISSUE A word from the President Staying Active with Your Dog Justice for Milo, Chloe & Hikari Million Paws Walk 2018 RSPCA WA (Inc.) is the state s oldest, largest and leading animal welfare charity, dedicated to improving the lives of all animals throughout the state.

2 Continued from cover Inspector Sam stumbled across the breeding operation when she followed up a report of a deceased dog and several wandering dogs. While the initial report of a deceased dog couldn t be verified, Sam informed local shire rangers of the situation and they ordered the owners to surrender nearly all of the animals, to make them compliant with council regulations. These regulations strictly limit residents to keeping a maximum of two dogs and two cats at a residential property. As the Shire of Gingin doesn t have the capacity to take in so many animals, the rangers asked Inspector Sam if the RSPCA could help. We offered to take all 49 dogs and 22 cats that the owners had agreed to surrender, with six Inspectors driving from Perth to Gingin to retrieve the animals and bring them to the RSPCA Animal Care Centre in Malaga. It comes as no surprise that on top of having to desex all the animals, many of them would also require surgical procedures to correct the physical abnormalities associated with their breed, including patella (knee) surgery and procedures to correct airway problems that are common among squished-face breeds. While there s a lot of work to do, we re just thankful that these animals will now get the veterinary care they need to set them up for a more comfortable and healthy life. There s no doubt that consumer demand for designer pets will continue, but the WA Government s commitment to developing regulations around dog breeding in WA will help to stamp out backyard breeding operations like this one. A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT I have campaigned to end the suffering of layer hens in battery cages since I joined the RSPCA over 20 years ago and I m excited to see tens of thousands of Australians, many from WA, are joining me right now. Proposed new Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry were released for public comment late in It s the first time in 15 years that the national laws covering Australia s 600 million poultry, 18 million of which are egg laying hens, have been reviewed. But the proposed new Standards still allow battery cages. How can that be acceptable when hens kept in battery cages suffer every day of their lives? They can t do anything normal for a bird, such as walk, nest, dustbathe to clean their feathers, forage, flap or stretch their wings or perch. Battery cages are illegal in many countries and most people in our community are concerned. A recent consumer survey found that 86.5% of West Australians think battery cages should not exist. If you are reading this before 5pm on Monday 26 February 2018, there is still time to join me and many others who care about the welfare of our layer hens. So, get online and tell those in charge of developing the new Standards that you want to see an end to battery cages. More information about the draft standards can be found at You can your submission directly to publicconspoultry@animalhealthaustralia.com.au Change has been a long time coming for these poor birds, but now we have a real chance to help. Lynne Bradshaw AM RSPCA WA President

3 Staying Active with Your Dog All healthy dogs should be walked daily It s not only great for their physical health building muscle tone and maintaining their weight it s really important for their emotional wellbeing, too. Getting your dog out of the house every day exposes them to a rich assortment of exciting new smells, sights and sounds, which activates all of their senses and provides mental stimulation that they just can t get at home. We already know that mental stimulation is more fatiguing than physical exercise for pets, so when your dog gets both at the same time, you can be sure they re going to be one happy, well-rested pooch when you get home! Regular encounters with other people and animals is also important to your pet s wellbeing, particularly if they re lacking in social confidence or have had reactivity issues. Repeat exposure to positive experiences outside of the home helps to reassure your dog that the world s not such a scary place, and with a bit of luck, they ll be confident enough to attend fun events like Million Paws Walk! RSPCA WA CORPORATE SUPPORT DAYS THE BENEFITS OF SOCIALISING YOUR DOG AT A YOUNG AGE Did you know there is a critical socialisation period for dogs, which happens between approximately 3 17 weeks of age? The interactions, experiences and environment they are exposed to during this period of learning and development can influence and shape their behaviour well into adulthood, so it s important to be proactive and committed to socialising your pup to set them up for a happy and healthy future. Plus, you don t want to miss out on all the fun doggy events throughout the year! Serco employees providing cat enrichment BOOK YOUR NEXT CORPORATE SUPPORT DAY AT RSPCA WA AND ENJOY A DAY OF FUN AND REWARDING TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES WHILE YOU HELP ANIMALS IN NEED! Hands-on animal experiences Hear from RSPCA Inspectors Behind-the-scenes tour of the Animal Care Centre facility For more information, please contact Deida Nicholls on or dnicholls@rspcawa.asn.au A Happy update! When it comes to socialising puppies, it must be done in a safe, social and positive environment; puppy training school is a great place to start. These classes are generally for pups between 8 13 weeks of age, to coincide with that critical socialisation period. You ll just need to ensure your pup s vaccinations are up-to-date prior to class. If you ve recently welcomed a new pup to the family, help them on their way to becoming a well-balanced family pet by enrolling them in RSPCA Puppy Kindy classes. Go to to find your nearest class from 11 convenient locations across Perth including the RSPCA in Malaga and selected City Farmers and Petbarn stores. PS: It s never too late to start. Check out Level 1 and Level 2 dog training classes if your furry friend is a bit older. After 145 days patiently waiting in our care, Winnie, who featured on the back of our last issue of Great & Small has found her furever family with Edward and Claudia.

4 JUSTICE FOR MILO, CHLOE & HIKARI For mother and daughter Terry and Carole, the wish for their pets to be well provided for was all the motivation they needed to enrol Sooty and Snowball in RSPCA WA s A Home Forever pet bequest program. They ve been supporters of the RSPCA for many years, and regularly donate items to help animals in the shelter. As Terry is in her late-eighties and Carole suffers from Multiple Sclerosis; they wanted to safeguard their dogs futures should they no longer be able to care for them. Our pets mean the world to us, said Carole. Wherever we are, they are. Like many who enrol their pets in the program, they have no other family willing or able to take their pets on should the need arise. By registering their pets in A Home Forever, Carole and Terry have peace of mind knowing the RSPCA will find a loving new home for them. By enrolling them in the program, we know everything is taken care of as we wish, Carole explained. All we hope for in a new owner is that they take care of them and love them like we do, Terry added. A Home Forever is available to all pet owners who leave a gift to RSPCA WA in their Will. To learn more, visit Terry (L) and Carole (R) with Sooty & Snowball Amanda and Charles Boudville have been banned from owning a dog for two years and fined $12,000 after pleading guilty to animal cruelty charges relating to their three pet dogs. Two dogs, Milo and Chloe, were seized from the couple in December 2016 after an RSPCA Inspector responded to a report of two dogs at an abandoned property. The third dog, Hikari, was seized from the couple in April 2017 during the course of the initial investigation. The dogs were suffering from chronic painful ailments including infected fly strike, severe flea infestations, hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis. Hikari s condition was so bad she could barely walk or straighten her legs. Chloe s condition was also severe, and sadly both dogs were in so much pain that euthanasia was all we could offer them to end their suffering. Milo s injuries took months to heal, and he has since been rehomed with a loving new family. Thanks to Bonnie Scovell & Paul Pascoe from EMS Legal for providing pro-bono legal support for this case. MILO Milo s ears were swollen and bleeding from open fly-bite wounds, with a large portion of both ears missing. CHLOE Chloe was found entangled by her neck, chest and legs in shade cloth attached to the back fence, preventing her from accessing food and drink. shop preloved designer labels to help animals in need If you love your dog, leave them at home. North Perth Subiaco Fremantle relovedwa reloved_wa #keeponloving An Initiative of RSPCA WA DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS justsixminutes.com.au

5 REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN! Register today at millionpawswalk.com.au Walk to fight animal cruelty! Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth SUNDAY 20 MAY

6 A FUTURE FREE FROM DISCOMFORT FOR WHOOPI & MARLINA After a much needed haircut, nail clipping and flea treatment, they were both relieved from the discomfort and pain they d been living with every day. MARLINA ON ARRIVAL MARLINA NOW Maltese Terrier sisters, Whoopi and Marlina, were surrendered by their owners who couldn t afford to care for them any longer. Their coats were severely matted, their nails overgrown and they were both infested with fleas. Inspector Flo brought them to the Animal Care Centre in Malaga straight away. Whoopi and Marlina were nervous on arrival. While Marlina sought comfort with cuddles from another Inspector, Whoopi was growling and snapping inside the vehicle, and didn t want to be touched perhaps because of the pain she was in. It took four people to get Whoopi from the truck and into a kennel. She seemed angry and she had to be sedated so she could be examined. Marlina s sweet nature meant she was soon ready for adoption, and she found her new furever home in no time at all. Whoopi is doing much better, too. She is receiving medical care for a chronic ear infection, and is getting much needed therapy to help with her fear of being handled and her separation anxiety. Thanks to the generous support of people like you, animals like Whoopi are sure to get all the love and care they need. No matter how long it takes, we re just glad her suffering is over and it won t be long until she, too, finds a new family to love. WHOOPI ON ARRIVAL READY FOR A NEW HOME Visit adoptapet.com.au Satin is a friendly 1 year old Dwarf Lop. She s initially quite shy, but warms up to people quickly and will happily snuggle up with you once you ve gained her trust! All Satin wants is a safe new home where she can spend her days nibbling on pellets and hay, and the occasional treat of fresh greens and fruit. Could Satin be the perfect pet for you? Why not come and find out for yourself. Handsome Katsu is a 2 year old Akita who was surrendered by his owner to Inspector Fiona in Kalgoorlie. Satin Katsu True to his breed, he s aloof and head-strong; so he s looking for an owner with breed experience who can commit to consistent training and handling to keep him in-check! Katsu would prefer to be the only fur baby in your life, so if you ve got what it takes to take care of this gorgeous boy, he d love to meet you! Jasmine is a gentle girl who is looking for a home where she ll be part of the family. She s not a fan of other cats; she just wants a human all to herself, who she can keep company while they re relaxing in front of the TV or getting on with the cooking. Jasmine She loves chin scratches, and will purr beautifully for you when you give them. If you think Jasmine might be the loyal and affectionate companion missing from your life, contact us to arrange a meet. With special thanks to Aeropets for safely transporting animals from regional WA to our Animal Care Centre in Malaga T (08) F (08) E rspca@rspcawa.asn.au 108 Malaga Drive, Malaga WA 6090 PO Box 3147, Malaga WA 6945 Shelter open daily, 10am to 5pm Except Good Friday, Christmas Day & Boxing Day facebook.com/rspcawa instagram.com/rspca_wa twitter.com/rspcawa