By Alesha Capone
RSPCA Victoria has received almost 300 animal cruelty reports from Wyndham during a 12-month period.
In the 2017-18 financial year, there were 291 animal cruelty reports in Wyndham, ranking the municipality 13th-highest of the state’s 79 municipalities.
During the 2016-17 financial year there were 294 animal cruelty reports recorded in Wyndham and it ranked eighth in the state.
RSPCA Victoria’s chief executive Dr Liz Walker said the organisation used localised data to understand trends in cruelty reporting and offending, which helped to target prevention and education initiatives to the areas which needed them most.
Dr Walker said there were 10,642 animal cruelty reports made across Victoria in 2017-18, equating to about 29 per day.
The Greater Geelong municipality ranked highest in the state with 559 reports.
“Over the last two years that we’ve released these reports, we’ve seen that many communities are shocked to learn of the levels of cruelty reporting in their area and eager to see those numbers go down, just as we are,” Dr Walker said.
“These statistics reflect that there is still a lot of important work that needs to be done to educate Victorians and improve animal welfare in our communities.
“It breaks our hearts to see our inspectors and vets attend to so many animals that are severely malnourished and ill, who clearly haven’t been shown even the most basic care.”
She said out of the 291 reports received from Wyndham, 148 were about animals with insufficient food, water or shelter.
Another 77 concerned animal hygiene, grooming and housing conditions, 67 were about underweight animals and 70 involved sick or injured animals not receiving veterinary treatment. An additional 29 reports were about animals being beaten or wounded and 40 concerned abandoned animals.
Report animal cruelty to www.rspcavic.org/services/inspectorate/report-cruelty
If you believe an animal’s life is at immediate risk, call 9224 2222.
