Operatin f RSPCA Shelters (adpted 24/09/12) 1 Intrductin 1.1 This psitin paper must be read in cnjunctin with the fllwing RSPCA plicies, RSPCA psitin papers and external guidelines: Plicy A1 Respnsible cmpanin animal wnership Plicy A2 Acquiring a cmpanin animal Plicy A3 Adptin f RSPCA animals Plicy A9 Husing f cmpanin animals Plicy D5 Use f animals sheltered r wned by the RSPCA Plicy E3 Rescue and rehabilitatin f wild animals Plicy F1 Transprtatin f Animals general principles Psitin Paper A2 Animal Adptin Guidelines The Assciatin f Shelter Veterinarians Guidelines fr Standards f Care in Animal Shelters (ASV Guidelines) 2010 1.2 Fr the purpse f this psitin paper, a shelter is a place where animals, including cmpanin animals, wildlife and livestck, received by the RSPCA are hused. This includes External Adptin Centres and, where relevant, Fster Care. 1.3 This psitin paper sets ut guidelines fr the peratin f RSPCA shelters. The principles utlined here can als be used as a general guide fr ther shelters, punds and related cmpanin animal care facilities (e.g. fster care). 1.4 This psitin paper is infrmed by the five freedms and takes int accunt any Australian state/territry differences. 1.5 As a minimum, all shelter peratrs must abide by any relevant Lcal, State/Territry and Cmmnwealth legislatin, cdes f practice, standards and guidelines. 2 Staff 2.1 All peple invlved with the care f animals at RSPCA shelters including staff, vlunteers and wrk experience students are trained and cmpetent t carry ut their duties r supervised by a trained and cmpetent staff member. Cmpetencies include understanding the health (including bisecurity principles), welfare and management f species kept and can be demnstrated by accreditatin, certificatin, experience r cntinuing educatin. A training register shuld be maintained. 2.2 The rati f staff t animals shuld as a minimum abide by any legal requirements and be sufficient t safeguard the welfare f animals and t ensure the prper management f animals. Guidance fr a minimum rati f staff t animals is prvided in the ASV Guidelines Ppulatin Management sectin, page 18. 2.3 Measures are in place t ensure the safety f staff and vlunteers at all times. Inductin training is carried ut including safe and apprpriate care and handling f
animals, animal welfare utcmes and detailed Occupatinal Health and Safety (OH&S)/Wrk Safety prcedures and prtcls. 3 Admissins 3.1 The RSPCA will accept any animal ffered int its care where it has the facilities, resurces and legal capacity t d s. 3.2 Where a shelter is restricted in its ability t accept an animal (e.g. rare r unusual species, injured wildlife, livestck, lcal cuncil restrictins etc), prcedures are in place t safeguard the welfare f the animal such as referral f the animal t an alternative apprpriate care prvider. 3.3 Animals are transprted in accrdance with RSPCA plicy (see plicies A9.5 and F1). 3.4 The admissins prcess fr privately wned animals being surrendered shuld include a discussin with the wner t explre ptins ther than surrender and the prvisin f infrmatin abut ptins ther than surrender. An appintment may be necessary fr this discussin. 3.5 All animals and their details are recrded n admissin t the shelter. The fllwing infrmatin (where apprpriate fr the species) shuld be requested n admissin: Date admitted Name and address f persn presenting the animal Name f staff member admitting animal Species f animal Breed Age (r estimatin f age) Descriptin f animal clur, markings Sex (evidence f desexing) Where pssible name f animal Distinguishing/permanent identificatin markers r features including micrchip, tatts, brands Other identificatin markers including tags Descriptin f cllar r ther equipment attached Ownership cnfirmatin Origin Histry: General - husing cnditins, scialisatin with humans and ther animals Health - including any medical cnditins and medicatins, dietary requirements, current veterinarian; and previus vaccinatin, flea, intestinal wrm and heartwrm preventin (where apprpriate)
Behaviural histry Hw lng the persn has been caring fr the animal; histry f care, behaviur, treatments Why they are surrendering the animal/reasn incming e.g. wner surrender, fund injured stray etc Lcatin fund If animal is t be euthanased/destryed/adpted and where a client (e.g. persn wh surrendered/delivered the animal) has requested t be ntified prir t euthanasia r animal adptin, the cntact details f that persn must be recrded and all reasnable effrt must be made t cntact the persn prir t euthanasia r animal adptin. 3.6 A health check is undertaken n all shelter animals at an apprpriate time by a veterinarian and/r in accrdance with legislative requirements. Veterinary treatment is prvided, taking int accunt the current health status f the animal and need fr emergency treatment (see Psitin Paper A2 Animal Adptin Guidelines, clause 2). 3.7 Animals are uniquely identified while in the shelter (e.g. cllar, tag, micrchip etc). See Table 6 belw fr the minimum pre-adptin methd f identificatin requirements fr animals at RSPCA shelters. Fr example, cats and dgs must be micrchipped prir t adptin. 3.8 Prtcls fr a minimum quarantine perid n admissin based n veterinary advice are in place, where apprpriate fr the species and individual animal t safeguard the health and welfare f the individual animal, ther animals and staff. 3.9 Where apprpriate fr the species, the behaviur f animals is bserved and assessed by trained staff (see clause 2.1) fllwing behaviural assessment prtcls prir t making them available fr adptin (see Psitin Paper A2, Animal Adptin Guidelines). 3.10 Where pssible and apprpriate fr the species, and after being assessed as suitable fr adptin, animals are vaccinated at r prir t intake with cre vaccines t prtect the welfare f the individual animal admitted and ther shelter animals (see Table 6 belw fr Australian minimum pre-adptin vaccinatin requirements by species). 3.11 Detailed recrds are kept cvering the animal s admissin; perid under RSPCA shelter care; the utcme fr the animal and where relevant and pssible, nging recrds f the animal e.g. where an adpted animal becmes an nging patient f the shelter veterinary clinic. 4 Facilities 4.1 All animal husing facilities are designed and maintained t prvide a clean, hygienic, cmfrtable and safe envirnment and t adequately meet the behaviural, scial and physilgical needs f the particular animal (see RSPCA plicy A9.1 and The ASV Guidelines sectins n Medical Health and Physical Well-being and Behaviural Health and Mental Well-being fr details). As a minimum, facilities must abide by any legislative requirements.
4.2 The design shuld prvide fr prper separatin f animals by health status, age, gender, species, temperament, and predatr-prey status and shuld have sufficient space fr the different shelter peratins such as admissins, veterinary services, islatin, adptin etc. (see ASV Guidelines, Medical and Behaviural Well-being sectins fr details). 4.3 The facility shuld be designed s that mvement thrugh the facility and cleaning shuld prceed frm the areas husing the mst susceptible t disease and/r healthiest animals t thse wh are mst likely t be a surce f cntagius disease. The facility shuld include islatin areas fr husing animals diagnsed with r suspected f having infectius diseases by a veterinarian. 4.4 Where shelters prvide services t privately wned animals (e.g. desexing, barding r veterinary clinics) these animals shuld be separated frm shelter animals. 4.5 Animal husing facilities are apprpriate and adequate fr the species and individual animal, taking int accunt temperature, ventilatin, air quality, space prvided, flring and bedding material, nise, durs, lighting and shelter frm weather extremes. Shelter design is in a prcess f cntinuus imprvement t achieve the abve standards. 4.6 Where existing shelter facilities d nt meet these minimum guidelines, measures shuld be taken t prvide animals with access t additinal space and/r exercise. These guidelines are taken int accunt when building new shelters r upgrading existing shelter facilities. 4.7 As a minimum, primary enclsures must prvide sufficient space t allw each animal, regardless f species, t make nrmal pstural adjustments, e.g. t turn freely and t easily stand, sit, stretch, mve their head, withut tuching the tp f the enclsure, lie in a cmfrtable psitin with limbs fully extended, mve abut with clearance and assume a cmfrtable psture fr feeding, drinking, urinating and defaecating (in line with the five freedms). Separatin between fd, urinatin and defaecatin, and resting areas shuld be maximised. In additin, cats and dgs shuld be able t hld their tails erect when in a nrmal standing psitin (see ASV Guidelines, Facility Design and Envirnment fr details). 4.8 The size f each primary enclsure must be sufficient t meet the physical and behaviural parameters utlined in clause 4.7 fr each animal, regardless f species. The enclsure shuld be as large as pssible. As the length f stay increases (e.g. beynd 21 days), husing that is mre suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided. Fr example, prtected indr-utdr access r fster care where apprpriate. Outdr spaces must be suitably enclsed t prtect frm adverse weather, vandalism, and prevent escape r predatin. All husing arrangements shuld be cmplemented by an exercise and enrichment prgram (see ASV Guidelines). 4.9 Tables 1-5 prvide examples f minimum enclsure dimensins fr cats and dgs as a general guide nly. These are minimum sizes: wherever pssible and apprpriate, larger sizes shuld be prvided. If animals are required t stay fr prlnged perids, husing that is mre suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided and these dimensins exceeded.
4.10 Primary enclsures shuld allw animals t see ut but shuld als prvide at least sme pprtunity t avid visual cntact with ther animals. 4.11 Animal husing facilities shuld prvide envirnmental enrichment t help ensure the animals behaviural, scial and physilgical needs are met (see ASV Guidelines). 4.12 Animals are hused as apprpriate fr the individual animal (individually r in cmpatible pairs/grups) and prtected frm injury r distress caused by peple r ther animals. This shuld take int accunt visual, lfactry, vcal and physical cntact. 4.13 Facilities are available t adequately exercise animals in a secure envirnment n-site. Animals are prvided with pprtunities fr exercise and scialisatin with cn-specifics (ther animals f the same species) and humans where apprpriate fr the species and individual animal (age, health, behaviur and welfare) based n veterinary advice (see RSPCA plicies A9.2 and 9.3). 4.14 Minimum exercise requirements fr different species are develped and put in place (where apprpriate accrding t species, age, health, behaviur, welfare and based n veterinary advice). Fr e.g. at least 30 minutes fr dgs daily (prvide mre pprtunities fr exercise wherever pssible) and access t a cat run fr cats daily. Temprary exemptins may be acceptable under specific circumstances, fr example, animals with medical cnditins that require cnfinement fr a shrt perid e.g. pelvic fractures etc 4.15 A secure area shuld be prvided fr meet and greet sessins with prspective wners and ther nn-shelter animals e.g. wned vaccinated dgs. 4.16 Bisecurity measures are in place t minimise the risk f transfer f infectius diseases including designated islatin areas, persnal prtective equipment (PPE) and cleaning/disinfectin prtcls. 4.17 Facilities are designed t minimise pest animal access. Pest cntrl measures used are humane and effective. 4.18 Security measures and specific training are in place and cnstantly under review t prtect staff and animals frm any external public interference during bth business and nn-business hurs. Facilities are escape-prf and predatr-prf. 4.19 Emergency and evacuatin prcedures are in place t prtect staff and vlunteers, animals and the general public. 4.20 Where there is an unavidable need, Drp-ff bxes may be used. Drp-ff bx design must be safe, secure, prevent unauthrised access and be apprpriate and adequate fr the species and individual animal. Drp ff bxes must be checked daily. 5 Care f animals 5.1 Standard perating prcedures are develped and put in place fr all rutine practices fr the care f animals hused at the shelter.
5.2 Standard perating prcedures are reviewed regularly and readily available thrughut the shelter. These prcedures shuld include but are nt limited t: Admissin: Receptin Intake prcess Animal assessment Transfer f animals t ther suitable care prviders Lst and fund Veterinary care Animal husbandry and care (fr all species accepted by the shelter): Husing Envirnmental enrichment, scialisatin and exercise Feeding and watering Animal health and welfare mnitring and management (physical, behaviural, scial) Recrd keeping Disease management Facilities: Maintenance Occupatinal Health and Safety Human and animal safety prcedures Emergency management plans Cleaning and Disinfectin prtcls including substance use and strage Hazardus substance use and strage Equipment handling Humane pest cntrl Shelter peratins: Animal Adptin Meet and greet arrangements with prspective wners and nn-shelter animals Animal handling safety Infectin cntrl Quarantine Bisecurity Veterinary prcedures: Anaesthesia Surgery Radilgy Euthanasia (fr all species accepted by the shelter) Criteria fr evaluating animals fr euthanasia Pharmaceutical security including S4 and S8 Drugs
Other peratinal activities: Grming Barding Retail Cnsultancy 5.3 All animals are checked twice a day and receive apprpriate and sufficient feed and water, attentin, exercise and health checks t ensure their physilgical, behaviural and scial needs are met. Daily recrds f the animals are kept t mnitr eating, drinking, urinatin, defaecatin, behaviur and general health. Prcedures are in place t ensure medicatins r ther veterinary treatments are given as prescribed. 5.4 All animals are prvided with general care including grming, treatments fr external and internal parasites and ther preventative health care as required and apprpriate fr the species. 5.5 All animals are prvided with veterinary care as required. This can be thrugh an nsite veterinarian(s) r thrugh cntractual arrangements with a veterinary clinic. An ncall veterinarian shuld be available fr emergencies as required. If animals require 24 hur mnitring r treatment, suitable prcedures are in place. Where pssible, facilities fr veterinary prcedures including rutine and emergency treatments, desexing, vaccinatins, micrchipping and euthanasia are available n site. 5.6 Staff and vlunteers are suitably trained and cmpetent in the handling f all species in their care. 5.7 Animals are peridically weighed as apprpriate. Yung animals may need t be weighed daily. 5.8 Where apprpriate, animals are prvided with behaviural training and pprtunities fr scialisatin with humans and cn-specifics (ther animals f the same species). 5.9 Shelter prgrams are in place t maximise pprtunities fr animal placement and t minimise euthanasia. Shelter prgrams may include but are nt limited t: Behaviural and Medical Rehabilitatin Rehabilitatin f ex-cruelty case animals Rehabilitatin f surrendered animals Pst-adptin supprt Animal care educatin Scialisatin - Puppy schl and Kitty kinder 5.10 Prcedures are in place t ensure that all animals are adequately mnitred and apprpriately cared fr t maintain welfare standards and t ensure the animals behaviural, physilgical and scial needs are met during bth business and nnbusiness hurs.
5.11 Prcedures are in place t assess the suitable length f stay fr animals n an individual basis and taking int accunt any legal requirements. 5.12 Prcedures are in place regarding fster care prgrams and external animal adptin (See Psitin Paper A2, Animal Adptin Guidelines). 5.13 Capacity fr care: every shelter has a maximum capacity fr care, and the ppulatin in their care shuld nt exceed that level. The capacity t prvide humane care depends n the number and cnditin f animals admitted and their duratin f stay; the size and cnditin f the facility; staffing levels and training; the number f available enclsures, amng ther factrs. The capacity f the shelter includes fster care prgrams, external adptin centres and suitable animal transfer arrangements etc (see the Guidelines fr Standards f Care in Animal Shelters, The Assciatin f Shelter Veterinarians (2010). 5.14 Prcedures are in place fr the apprpriate and safe dispsal f bdies. 6 Adptin 6.1 Adptin f animals is carried ut in accrdance with Psitin Paper A2 Animal adptin guidelines which sets ut minimum requirements fr veterinary health checks, vaccinatins, behaviural assessment, desexing, identificatin, and pre-adptin wner assessment (including meet and greet arrangements). 6.2 All yung animals ffered fr adptin are f an apprpriate age (taking int accunt their physical, scial and behaviural develpment and ability t feed independently). Where apprpriate fr the species, yung animals are f a suitable size and weight in gd health and clinical cnditin fr desexing prir t adptin. 7 Care f Wildlife 7.1 Wildlife rescue and rehabilitatin is cnducted in accrdance with Plicy E3 Rescue and rehabilitatin f wild animals. 8 Euthanasia 8.1 Euthanasia f animals is cnducted in accrdance with Plicy A4 Euthanasia f cmpanin animals and relevant legal requirements (e.g. requirements t euthanase animals declared a pest, maximum terms fr cmpanin animals in shelters). 8.2 Euthanasia must nly be perfrmed by a registered veterinarian r, where allwed by Legislatin, a persn wh is apprpriately trained, authrised and experienced in humane euthanasia in accrdance with established SOPs (see clause 5.1). 9 Enclsures 9.1 The size f each primary enclsure must be sufficient t meet the physilgical and behaviural needs f each individual animal, regardless f species.
9.2 The fllwing examples f minimum enclsure dimensins are a general guide nly. These are minimum sizes: wherever pssible and apprpriate, larger sizes shuld be prvided. As the length f stay increases (e.g. beynd 21 days), husing that is suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided. 9.3 Animals shuld be hused as apprpriate fr the individual animal (individually r in cmpatible pairs/grups). All husing arrangements shuld be cmplemented by an exercise and enrichment prgram t ensure animal welfare. 9.4 Tables 1-5 shuld be read in cnjunctin with the ASV Guidelines. Table 1: MINIMUM DOG PEN SIZES Minimum pen sizes fr each dg fr shrt-term stays, cmplemented by daily exercise and an enrichment prgram. As the length f stay increases, husing that is mre suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided. HEIGHT OF DOG MINIMUM AREA (m 2 ) MINIMUM WIDTH MINIMUM HEIGHT Flr area fr each additinal animal (m 2 ) Abve 70 3.5 120 180 1.7 40 t 70 2.4 100 180 1.5 Belw 40 1.5 90 180 1.2 Up t fur weaned pups can be hused in a pen tgether if they are frm the same litter r, if frm different litters, at the cnclusin f the quarantine perid (based n veterinary advice) fllwing vaccinatin. During the quarantine perid, cmpensatry human scialisatin shuld be cnsidered. Injured animals under veterinary supervised treatment may be hused in smaller cages during recvery fr medical reasns. Table 2: MINIMUM CAT CAGE SIZES Minimum cage sizes are fr each individual cat fr shrt-term stays, cmplemented by daily exercise and an enrichment prgram. As the length f stay increases husing that is mre suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided. MINIMUM FLOOR AREA (m 2 ) MINIMUM HEIGHT 1.5 90 Up t three weaned kittens can be hused in a cage prviding they are frm the same litter r, if frm different litters, at the cnclusin f the quarantine perid (based n veterinary advice) fllwing vaccinatin. During the quarantine perid, cmpensatry human scialisatin shuld be cnsidered.
Tw levels shuld be prvided as cats require vertical space. Prvide a hiding space, e.g. a sleeping area that prvides a visual barrier frm the general area. Table 3: MINIMUM CAT MODULE SIZES Minimum mdule size fr each individual cat fr shrt-term stays, cmplemented by daily exercise and an enrichment prgram. As the length f stay increases husing that is mre suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided. MINIMUM FLOOR AREA (m 2 ) MINIMUM WIDTH MINIMUM HEIGHT 1.0 90 180 A mdule shuld cntain at least tw levels, excluding the flr, and these levels shuld be cnnected t the flr by means f a ramp r ple. Up t three weaned kittens can be hused in a mdule prviding they are frm the same litter r, if frm different litters, at the cnclusin f the quarantine perid (based n veterinary advice) fllwing vaccinatin. During the quarantine perid, cmpensatry human scialisatin shuld be cnsidered. Table 4: MINIMUM CAT COLONY PEN SIZES As a minimum each individual cat shuld have a flr area f tw square metres and an individual litter tray, individual fd and water cntainer and an individual sleeping area that prvides a visual barrier frm the shared area. Husing shuld be cmplimented by daily exercise and an enrichment prgram. As the length f stay increases husing that is suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided. CAT HOUSING MINIMUM FLOOR AREA (m 2 ) MINIMUM WIDTH MINIMUM HEIGHT Area per cat 2.0 200 180 Up t eight cats may be hused in a clny (at least 2 m 2 per cat) A clny pen shuld cntain at least tw levels, excluding the flr, and these levels shuld be cnnected t the flr by means f a ramp r ple. Cats kept in clny pens shuld be desexed and have cmpleted their vaccinatin perid. Desexed males (that have cmpleted a six week pst-surgery perid) and females may be hused tgether.
Table 5: MINIMUM ENCLOSURE SIZES FOR SMALL ANIMALS Minimum pen sizes fr each pair f small animals (r up t 8 mice) fr shrt-term stays, cmplemented by daily exercise and an enrichment prgram. As the length f stay increases husing that is suitable fr lng-term stays shuld be prvided. SMALL ANIMAL PENS MINIMUM FLOOR AREA (m 2 ) MINIMUM HEIGHT NUMBER OF ANIMALS Flr area fr each additinal animal (m 2 ) Guinea pigs 1.0 50 2 guinea pigs 1.0 Rabbits 1.5 70 2 rabbits 1.5 Rats 1.0 70 2 rats 1.0 Mice 0.7 50 8 mice 0.3
Table 6: RECOMMENDED MINIMUM PRE-ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMALS AT RSPCA SHELTERS (frm PPA2 Animal Adptin Guidelines) Prir t adptin, all animals must underg a veterinary health and behaviur check (Plicy A3 Adptin f RSPCA animals) Animal 1 Methd f identificatin Desexing Vaccinatins 2 Dgs 3 Micrchip Yes C3 (parvvirus, distemper, hepatitis) Cats 3 Micrchip Yes F3 (feline panleucpenia, feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus) Rabbits Optinal micrchip Yes Calicivirus Guinea-pigs Optinal micrchip Optinal N Ferrets Optinal micrchip Yes Distemper Mice Optinal micrchip N N Rats Optinal micrchip N N Birds (as cmpanin animals) Optinal micrchip N N Reptiles Optinal micrchip N N Cattle As required under NLIS 4 Optinal (males nly) 5 in 1 vaccine (pulpy kidney (entertxaemia), black disease, tetanus, blackleg, malignant edema) Sheep As required under NILS 4 Optinal (males nly) Pulpy kidney (entertxaemia), tetanus Pigs Nil Optinal (males nly) Nne Pultry Nil N Nne Hrses Optinal micrchip Optinal (males nly) Dnkeys Optinal micrchip Optinal (males nly) 2 in 1 vaccine (tetanus, strangles) Tetanus Gats As required under NILS 4 Optinal (males nly) Pulpy kidney (entertxaemia), tetanus
1 Requirements and restrictins n cmpanin animal wnership vary acrss States and Territries. Prspective wners shuld cntact their lcal RSPCA fr mre infrmatin. 2 These are minimum recmmended vaccinatin regimes natinally: additinal vaccinatins may be recmmended in sme areas 3 All dgs, cats and ther animals must be wrmed in accrdance with reginal requirements. Other species shuld be wrmed as apprpriate and necessary. Wrming regimes shuld fllw the manufacturer s specificatins. 4 Natinal livestck identificatin scheme