NOVEMBER 2017 THANK YOU FOR GIVING PEPPA A SECOND CHANCE Peppa was rescued from a tiny, dirty brick-paved back yard in the northern suburbs of Perth. She had no space to run around, no grass, and the cramped area where she was kept was covered in faeces. And Peppa wasn t the only one there two dogs were being kept in these awful conditions. Story continues inside INSIDE THIS ISSUE A word from the President Drink wine, save animals! Blade s lucky escape Dogs in hot cars 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.
A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT Last December, Harness Racing Australia decided to end the use of whips in racing from 1 September this year. Continued from cover When she arrived at the shelter, Peppa was suffering from red mange (demodex mites) and she needed entropion surgery to correct her eyelids which were rolling in and irritating her eyes a common condition that can lead to infection. Her story doesn t end there. Because of the cramped conditions she had been kept in, without much interaction with people or other dogs, her manners were not good. She was fearful, and easily startled by anything new. Thanks to your generous donations, Peppa received the care and attention she needed. Her skin condition was medically treated and she underwent Your support made it entropion surgery to one of her eyes. But her behaviour possible for RSPCA WA was getting worse, so the to rescue Peppa and search began for a foster transform her life. home where she could learn to live a normal life. A suitable foster home was found where for four months, we were able to work with the foster carer to improve Peppa s manners and continue good progress with her rehabilitation. She had entropion surgery on her other eye and she also learnt to play with other dogs and is socialising well. And her life changed forever earlier this month when she was adopted by Kurt and a new chapter in her life began. Your support made it possible for RSPCA WA to rescue Peppa and transform her life and give her the second chance she deserves. Thank you. However, HRA recently announced that, due to industry concerns, a whip ban would not be achievable at the moment and instead, changes to the way the whip is used are being considered. Details are yet to be finalised but the industry is developing a wrist only rule where whipping would be restricted to movement of the driver s wrist. While the backtrack on a complete end to whipping is very disappointing and may look like harness racing is backtracking away from real action on horse welfare, it s encouraging to note that the future of whipping is being strongly debated within the industry. Even those within harness racing who opposed the whip ban acknowledge that changing community standards mean further reforms are necessary to ensure the sustainability of the industry. Whip use was debated at the recent World Trotting Conference in Canada. Whips have already been banned in Norway. In WA, drivers are not allowed to use the whip by drawing the whip behind or above the driver s shoulder, only a wrist and elbow action may be used and whips cannot be used on a horse that is not visibly responding, is not in contention, is clearly going to win or has already passed the finish line. It is inevitable that the use of whips will become increasingly restricted in racing in Australia and will eventually be prohibited in races and in training. Until then, we urge Harness Racing to continue their work towards ending the use of whips. Lynne Bradshaw RSPCA WA President Help your pet get the best care Claim up to 80% of eligible vet bills and make multiple claims up to $11,000 per year (Pre-existing conditions excluded & sub-limits may apply) A portion of your premium supports the RSPCA This is general information. Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement to ensure this product meets your needs before purchasing, available at rspcapetinsurance.org.au. Terms and Conditions apply. RSPCA Pet Insurance is issued by The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd ABN 78 090 584 473, AFSL 241436 and distributed and promoted by Greenstone Financial Services Pty Ltd ABN 53 128 692 884, AFSL 343079. RSPCA Pet Insurance is also promoted by RSPCA Australia ABN 99 668 654 249, an Authorised Representative of GFS, AR 296287. For a quick quote call 1300 728 135 or visit rspcawa.asn.au
DRINK WINE, SAVE ANIMALS! Did you know that you can help animals in need next time you enjoy a tipple or two? WA Cleanskin Cellars will kindly donate up to $25 for every case of RSPCA WA labelled wine purchased, to animals in need. Cases are available to suit all tastes including mixed cases of reds and whites, and a mixed case of sparkling wines - perfect if you re hosting Christmas at your place! With a picture of an animal and the RSPCA WA supporter logo on each label, they make a great gift for wine lovers too. www.wacleanskincellars.com.au/wine-on-sale/rspca BLADE THE KITTEN S LUCKY ESCAPE Six week old Blade needed treatment for head injuries he sustained in the engine bay of a car. Blade was brought to the Animal Care Centre in Malaga after a member of the public was surprised by this little bundle of fur escaping from under the bonnet when he started his engine. But Blade s escape route was thwarted when he got caught in the windscreen wipers and that s how he got his name! Your generous donations meant that Blade was able to be treated straight away for a wound on his head. And not surprisingly, he was also a little battered and bruised. He was only 6 weeks old when he came in, so he spent some time recuperating in the Cattery before being vaccinated, desexed and microchipped. He also stole a few hearts along the way. Thanks to your support, Blade is now enjoying a happy life with his new family. Thank you. JUSTICE FOR SCOOBY AND CODA On July 11, Christopher Lee Gleich was sentenced after pleading guilty to neglect of his two dogs. He was fined $10,000 and banned from owning any animal for 10 years. DID YOU KNOW? IN FINANCIAL YEAR 2016/17, YOU HELPED FIND HOMES FOR 1,177 ANIMALS! Scooby, a male Kelpie cross and Coda, a male Shepherd cross were found in very poor condition and suffering from a number of serious health problems when discovered at Gleich s property. After originally claiming the dogs had wandered onto his property, Gleich admitted during investigations that the dogs were in fact his, and that he knew the dogs were suffering and had been deteriorating for several months. The dogs; which were both visibly emaciated and suffering from severe skin disease, were surrendered to RSPCA WA and were rushed to a local vet who recommended the dogs be euthanised immediately due to their level of pain and suffering. Post-mortem results confirmed just how serious the extent of their pain and suffering was, which included large tumours in the mouth, stomach and testicles. Sadly, Scooby and Coda could not be saved but they are no longer suffering. Your support is essential in keeping our Inspectors on the road, responding to reports and bringing justice for animals. 1,177 ANIMALS ADOPTED 379 puppies & dogs 626 kittens & cats 18 horses 90 livestock 64 other* *Other animals refers to guinea pigs, rabbits, birds and rats Includes animals rehomed in Albany
RSPCA WA S ROLE IN THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY Want to know more about RSPCA WA s work in protecting animals in agriculture? Sign up for a new quarterly e-newsletter, Livestock Welfare Matters, by sending an email to livestockwelfarematters@rspcawa.asn.au Responsible Pet Ownership: Dogs in Hot Cars It takes just six minutes for a dog to die in a hot car! The temperature inside a car can rise to more than double the outside temperature even on mild days. Even if you leave a window open, and park in the shade, a dog can suffer from heat stroke and die in as little as six minutes. Dogs can t regulate their body heat like humans, and pant to exchange warm air for cool air. When the air temperature is the same as the dog s body temperature, panting alone is not an efficient process. In most instances, pet heat stroke is preventable. Use common sense and take simple precautions so your dog can enjoy his normal outdoor activities. Please ensure your pet stays cool in hot weather, never leave him in a car alone and always provide him with adequate water and shelter from the sun. What should you do if you see a dog in a hot car? Call for help. Report it immediately to the RSPCA Cruelty Hotline (1300 CRUELTY), and if you re at a shopping centre, ask the centre management to page the owner of the car. If possible, keep an eye on the dog until help arrives but be careful not to agitate it as this could cause further distress. And remember if you d rather be inside in air-conditioned comfort, so would your dog. More information can be found at www.justsixminutes.com.au
Meet June, an experienced kitten foster carer for RSPCA WA Each year, as the weather warms up, animal shelters across Australia are flooded with unwanted kittens. This places a huge strain on shelters, with mounting costs to cover every kitten s basic essential care - food and shelter, vaccinations, sterilisation and parasite treatment. If a kitten is sick or injured, the costs can quickly sky-rocket. Thanks to your continued kindness, we re able to take in the hundreds of abandoned (and often orphaned) kittens who need our help during kitten season. While our dedicated team of foster carers provide the safe and nurturing home environment and around-the-clock care these kittens depend on for survival, it s your support that ensures we have the equipment and supplies our foster carers need to be able to provide this care. June Bartlett has been a kitten foster carer for over 7 years, caring for almost 300 neonatal kittens, opening up her home and heart to give these kittens the best chance of survival. Sadly, having cared for so many neonatals, June has witnessed first-hand the considerably low survival rate affecting young kittens without their mums; and dealt with the heartbreak of losing kittens after pouring so much love, time and effort into their care. Thankfully, and testament to June s outstanding commitment, many more kittens have gone on to find new homes with loving families. Thanks to wonderful volunteers like June, we are able to turn the lives around for so many abandoned kittens. For that, we are extremely grateful. AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION Visit adoptapet.com.au At 5 years old and with just 3 legs you d think Winnie would prefer life in the slow lane but you d be wrong! She s a happy and slightly boisterous girl who seemingly forgets she s missing a leg, so she really needs an owner who is committed to her training and will encourage calm play and relaxation, too. Winnie loves participating in treat games and is quite the intellect, so lots of mental stimulation is needed for this golden girl. Does Winnie sound like the dog for you? Bekka is one of our Wilbur is a long-term feline very friendly residents who is pig who loves patiently waiting for his food (no her new fur-ever surprises home preferably there!). He s one that s calm Winnie Bekka Wilbur where she can take happiest when he s her time to settle in munching on and build her confidence. his favourite snacks even more so when it follows a messy mud bath or a back rub. Just 2 years old, Bekka has already been through so much in her short life; growing He s in search of a generous size property up in a house filled with cats in Kalgoorlie where he can trot around and laze about, then being transported to Perth, so she s depending on his mood. His only requests understandably a little shy. Once she gets are muddy patches, human affection and to know you, she ll become your best yummy food If you have a PIC number, friend. Can you help her? could you give friendly Wilbur a home? With special thanks to Aeropets for safely transporting animals from regional WA to our Animal Care Centre in Malaga T (08) 9209 9300 F (08) 9248 3144 E rspca@rspcawa.asn.au 108 Malaga Drive, Malaga WA 6090 PO Box 3147, Malaga WA 6945 facebook.com/rspcawa instagram.com/rspca_wa twitter.com/rspcawa www.rspcawa.asn.au
Surprise d your love ones! We need a guardian angel like you Our ability to provide care and protection to these animals relies on generous and compassionate Western Australians who fund more than 90% of this important animal protection work. 108 Malaga Drive, Malaga WA 6090 PO Box 3147, Malaga WA 6945 P (08) 9209 9300 F (08) 9248 3144 E rspca@rspcawa.asn.au www.rspcawa.asn.au close to 6,000 reports every year and rescuing defenceless animals from cruelty and neglect. Our Inspectors are on the frontline in the RSPCA WA is the state s oldest, largest and leading animal welfare charity. This Christmas, you can be a Guardian Angel for an animal just like these rescued puppies. Merry Christmas! Simply donate to the Guardian Angel Appeal and we ll send you details about a special animal spending Christmas in the shelter, who you can watch over. Plus! Donate in the name of a loved one and we ll send you a gift card to give them RSPCA031 Gift card Fulfilment.indd 1 25/10/2017 11:17 am We ll send you this special Gift card to give to your loved one the pawfect stocking filler! about the special animal they re caring for. And it s all thanks to you! Gift the gift of love to animals in need this Christmas. Simply visit: rspcaguardianangel.com.au