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Inspectorate
 The primary objective of the RSPCA is to protect
animals from cruelty and neglect by enforcing existing law. RSPCA Inspectors
are warranted to enforce the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTAA)
in Victoria. In so doing they are the only non-government officers with the
power to lay informations (charges) under this act.
The Inspectorate currently employs sixteen inspectors two of which are
senior inspectors, eight located in Melbourne and six in rural Victoria.
RSPCA Inspectors in Victoria are based in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo,
Wangaratta, Bairnsdale, Peninsula and Melbourne.
Inspectorate costs approximately $3,000,000 per annum to run including legal
costs and costs of caring for seized animals. State Government Funding for
the inspectorate is $1,000,000 per annum promised for the next 3 years. Funding for this area
is provided almost entirely through donations and bequests by the public.
Whilst the Society has a visible, well trained and dedicated Inspectorate,
it could do even more with increased staffing and resources.
Routine Inspections
One of the Inspectorate duties involves conducting routine inspections. This
work requires an inspection of animal business facilities, such as pet
shops, abattoirs, sale yards, riding schools and rodeos. Routine Inspections
are made to ensure that the minimum standards as set out in various "Codes
of Practice" are maintained.
RSPCA inspectors' powers to enter a property are limited to where an
Inspector has received a complaint and has a reasonable belief that a breach
of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 may be occurring. Routine
inspection can only be carried out where the owner of the property allows
the inspector entry.
View table of
Inspection & Cruelty Complaint Statistics
Prosecutions
RSPCA Inspectors also spend a lot of their time preparing animal cruelty
cases and attending court. In 2004 - 2005 a total of 45 defendants were
taken to court by RSPCA Inspectors under the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act to answer charges relating to cases of cruelty. The RSPCA was
successful in 43 of the 45 cases heard in this period, with a total of 172
charges laid; this was a success rate of 95.5%.
Whilst the RSPCA's record in prosecution is good, the financial penalty of
losing a case can be extremely high. Court cases and potential appeals can
be extremely costly and difficult to plan for. Fines imposed by the court,
go to the State government and whilst costs can be awarded to the RSPCA,
these are often difficult to recover.
The RSPCA in Victoria receives approximately 10,000 complaints regarding
cruelty to animals each year. Currently up to 80 of these cases will result
in charges being laid under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. These
cases are then heard in the Magistrate's Court of Victoria.
The following examples will help you understand the extent and level of
cruelty that currently exists in Victoria. These not only illustrate the
variety of animals that our Inspectors must protect but also the large
differences in penalties deemed appropriate by the Magistrate's Court. The
maximum penalty for any charge under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act is a $12,000 fine and/or 12 months imprisonment term. Note that all
monies generated by court fines are paid to the Government not the RSPCA.
WARNING: Please be advised that some of the following cases show graphic
editorial and pictorial evidence of animal cruelty.
Cruelty Case 1
Cruelty Case 2
Cruelty Case 3
Cruelty Case 4
Animal Rescues
Inspectors deal daily with unusual accident reports from animal owners and
caring passers by. Sometimes Inspectors spend hours, even days coordinating
a rescue. The Inspectors performed 1373 animal rescues this year. The nature
and type of the rescues vary greatly and the very nature of the animal/s
involved can complicate the rescue process.
View table of Animals rescued from dangerous situations
Rescue Case 1
Rescue Case 2
Rescue Case 3
Rescue Case 4
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