RSPCA Victoria has announced an independent review into its inspectorate.
The review will be conducted by former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Neil Comrie AO APM.
The community is invited to make submissions that will help the Senior Reviewer answer the following questions:
• What is the scale of animal cruelty in Victoria?
• What resourcing and approaches need to be put in place to ensure animal cruelty is being adequately investigated and prosecuted and community expectations are being met?
• Are there any ways RSPCA Victoria could use the resources it has right now more effectively and efficiently?
Online submissions can be made until 5pm on Friday July 8, and those wanting to make a submission can do so at the RSPCA Victoria website.
RSPCA Victoria issued a statement saying Comrie will lead a team which will provide him with advice and support as he considers submissions, collects information and prepares his report and recommendations.
Submissions will be received in confidence to protect the privacy of individuals and ensure that people can be candid and open in the information that they provide.
Liz Walker, CEO of RSPCA Victoria, assured Victorians that every submission received would be carefully considered.
“RSPCA Victoria looks forward to the final report, which will undoubtedly reflect the information expressed in a broad range of submissions,” she said.
“In September this year, we will release a report along with our public response to the review.”
Walker said that it is some time since the Inspectorate function was last reviewed and that such reviews are essential to ensure that performance is in line with current best practice.
“The reports we receive about animal cruelty are growing in number every year and, like all not-for-profit organisations, our resources are limited,” she said.
“If we’re going to meet the community’s expectations of us in protecting animals, we need to have a very clear grasp of the scale of the problem and identify the mix of resources and approaches that will get the best results most efficiently.”
The review follows an inadequate inspection of farm in Bulla, Victoria, in early April.
Over 20 horses from the property died as a result of neglect.
Immediately after the incident, Walker said that RSPCA Victoria regrets that it was unable to observe “the extent of the horrific neglect.”
“The neglect of these horses can be measured in years and months as witnessed by the graveyard uncovered during the investigation,” she said.
SAM WORRAD