The Animal Services team at RSPCA WA has five main departments: Shelter, Veterinary, Foster & Volunteer, Behaviour and Adoptions and has three key objectives. Their aim is to:
- Provide shelter and enrichment to lost, abandoned, surrendered or seized animals
- Rehabilitate animals that require medical or behavioural treatment before being suitable for rehoming
- Find suitable, permanent homes for all rehabilitated animals
More than 70% of animals end up at the RSPCA in WA due to an intervention from the RSPCA inspectorate (inspector services), with most of them having some form of welfare concern. The remaining animals are surrendered by either their owners or council pounds or are found as strays.
The RSPCA faces a unique challenge that is not experienced by other animal shelters. They have the added responsibility of seizing animals and prosecuting owners who do not provide the appropriate care and living conditions for their animals. This also means the RSPCA cannot rehome any such seized animals whilst legal proceedings are occurring against accused owners. As a result, the RSPCA often has considerably fewer animals available for adoption at any one time compared with other shelters, but, on the other hand, it has many long-term animals in its care. Unfortunately, many of these animals have significant medical and behavioural concerns.
Once animals can be offered for adoption, they are all provided with a veterinary health check and behavioural assessment, as well as being microchipped, desexed and vaccinated. Many animals also require behaviour modification plans, and some may even require surgical or medical procedures to correct long-term problems.
The RSPCA shelter is run entirely by donations, with only a small amount of government funding to cover a portion of the services provided by the inspectorate division. The team at the RSPCA are 100% dedicated to placing as many animals as possible into new homes and trying to improve the lives of every animal that comes into their care.
The RSPCA facilities are based at 108 Malaga Drive, Malaga. To learn more about the RSPCA, please visit RSPCA WA.
