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EnglishWhat animal welfare issues does RSPCA Australia advocate for?
Updated
RSPCA Australia advocates on animal welfare issues across multiple industries and platforms, with current priorities including greyhound racing, poultry welfare, live sheep export, sheep mulesing, hens in cages, pig farming, duck hunting, calf roping in rodeos, horse racing, and the overbreeding of dogs. The national office's role is to influence animal welfare policy, practice, and legislation across the country, while state and territory member Societies deliver direct services through shelters and inspectorates.
How the advocacy work is organised
RSPCA Australia's advocacy is structured around a set of named priority issues, and the organisation states that help from supporters is important to progress change, describing working together as key. The national office focuses on influencing policy, practice, and legislation nationally, rather than operating shelters itself — that function sits with the state and territory member Societies.
Current priority issues
The issues listed on RSPCA Australia's site span companion animals, farm animals, wildlife, and animals used in sport or entertainment:
| Area | Issues named |
|---|---|
| Racing and sport | Greyhound racing, horse racing, calf roping in rodeos |
| Farm animals | Meat chickens, hens in cages, pig farming, sheep mulesing, live sheep export |
| Companion animals | Overbreeding of dogs, poor housing, keeping cats safe at home |
| Wildlife and hunting | Duck hunting |
The site also references work on Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry, and campaigns such as Keeping Cats Safe at Home and Keeping Australians and their Companion Animals Safe.
Policy documents and standards
Beyond campaigning, RSPCA Australia produces formal policy and standards work. Named examples include:
- RSPCA Australia's Roadmap for Meat Chicken Welfare — a policy document on meat chicken welfare
- A new RSPCA Standard for meat chickens — covered in a news item explaining what it contains
- Animal welfare science — identified research priorities feed into the organisation's positions
How positions are communicated
RSPCA Australia publishes its advocacy through several channels:
- Key issues pages — dedicated pages for each priority issue
- News and blog — press releases, animal welfare science updates, and a podcast covering current topics
- Media centre — announcements such as the "Give to Get Them Home" fundraising appeal and the Sybil Emslie Animal Law Scholarship
- Knowledgebase — reference material on animal care
Recent news items illustrate the range: New Zealand's greyhound racing ban and what it means for greyhounds' future, a deep dive into meat chicken welfare, bird flu and pets, travelling safely with dogs, pets and housing systems, and wildlife photography without causing harm.
What this means if you want to follow or support the work
If you want to track a specific issue, the Key issues section is the starting point — each priority has its own page. For updates on positions and campaigns, the News and blog section carries press releases and science updates. If you want to act, the site's "Support us" section is where donation and involvement options are listed; the organisation states that supporter help is important to progressing change.