By Alesha Capone
RSPCA Victoria has received 348 reports about animal welfare issues in Wyndham across 12 months.
This placed Wyndham at fourth-highest in the state for the number of reports received per municipality by the charity, for the 2020/21 financial year.
Greater Geelong placed first on the list with 640 reports, followed by Casey (577 reports) and Hume (386 reports).
Across the state, RSPCA Victoria’s Inspectorate responded to 10,745 cruelty reports, with complaints about deliberate cruelty rising 13 per cent compared to the 2019/20 financial year.
Chief inspector Michael Stagg said the correlation between COVID-19 lockdowns and an increase in reports of animal cruelty was “a really concerning trend”.
“COVID has created a significant amount of pressure on people,” he said.
“When there is financial stress, mental health or drug and alcohol issues, animal cruelty and neglect tends to increase.
“It is also possible that reports have increased due to people being at home for longer periods.”
Out of the 348 reports lodged about animals in Wyndham, 128 related to husbandry issues such as grooming, poor hygiene or living conditions.
Eighty-six reports were about sick or injured animals getting insufficient treatment, with 79 reports about underweight animals.
Sixty-nine reports were about animals with insufficient shelter and 59 about animals with insufficient water provided for them.
Fifty-seven reports were about beaten, wounded, abused, tormented or terrified animals.
Fifty reports related to animals with insufficient food and 30 to abandoned animals.
More than 220 of the Wyndham reports were about dogs, 61 reports were about cats and 22 related to birds.
Fourteen reports involved puppies, another 14 mentioned kittens, 13 involved fowl, 12 related to rabbits and 10 concerned horses.
RSPCA Victoria Inspectorate veterinarian, Dr Rebecca Belousoff, said the neglect of animals far outweighed other forms of cruelty reported across the state.
“The high number of cruelty reports involving animal neglect is sad and frustrating given how preventable most are,” Dr Belousoff said.
“What people don’t realise is that lifelong medical and behavioural problems can result from starvation or not getting vet treatment in time.”
Report animal welfare concerns to RSPCA Victoria at www.rspcavic.org/report or by calling 9224 2222.
