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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-03-19 Daily Xml
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ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (16:02): Established in London in 1824, the RSPCA is believed to be the world's first organisation to focus entirely on animal welfare. The RSPCA started up in South Australia about 50 years later in 1875, all the while working to protect animals from cruelty and giving care and treatment to many thousands of sick and injured animals, in particular those who have been abandoned.

As well as aiming to prevent cruelty to animals, promoting their care and providing rescue and welfare services, the RSPCA in South Australia works to raise awareness about the treatment of animals throughout the community, improve animal welfare legislation and enforce that legislation. The RSPCA in South Australia responded to almost 2,233 reports of cruelty and performed 1,602 rescues involving 5,400 animals in 2011-12. The society cares for more than 9,000 animals each year across four shelters.

The work is guided by the five freedoms for animals: freedom from hunger and thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet that maintains full health and vigour; freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area; freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention through rapid diagnosis and treatment; freedom to express normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind; and, finally, freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

I found a recent visit to the Lonsdale RSPCA shelter to be both a sad and a heartwarming experience—sad because the shelter is packed to the rafters with abandoned and unwanted animals, heartwarming because the shelter has restored these animals to health and now, well-fed, groomed, desexed and vaccinated, all they need is a loving home.

The benefits of pet ownership for the elderly, families and children are well documented, and I would like to encourage anybody who is considering opening their home and their heart to a companion animal to go down to the RSPCA Lonsdale shelter and adopt a friend. The Lonsdale shelter is a fine example of the important work the RSPCA does. As well as catering for adoptions, surrenders and reuniting strays, it also offers such services as animal boarding facilities.

I have spoken previously in this place about the benefits of volunteering, and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the dedicated RSPCA volunteers for all their commitment to animal welfare. New volunteers are keenly welcomed by all at the RSPCA, and roles range from being a foster carer to animals in need to maintenance work, driving and working in one of the organisation's thrift shops. Following a review of its volunteer program, RSPCA SA will be soon promoting new roles and opportunities on its website.

In line with the aims of the RSPCA is a new parliamentary committee I am really proud to be serving on. This committee is investigating the laws governing the trade in companion animals such as dogs and cats. The committee's goal is to look at ways in which our state laws and regulations can be improved, with the aim of eliminating cruelty and reducing the number of unwanted animals being euthanased.

Many domestic animals are destroyed every year, and this is something that needs to be addressed both by we as politicians and by the community. I hope that the work of this committee can contribute to making our state a safer, healthier place for our animals—just as the RSPCA does day in, day out.

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