RSPCA Noosa announces closing date after three decades

An RSPCA in the Noosa region has been helping animals find new homes for more than three decades. Here’s why they’re closing their doors.

Noosa RSPCA

A beloved animal rescue centre in Noosa will close its doors in May after a “significant decline” in demand for their service.

RSPCA Noosa announced it would finish up this year after helping more than 33,000 animals in 32 years of operation.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said there had been a “significant decline in the need for the service, with the RSPCA receiving very few new impounded animals through its doors each month”.

“10 years ago an average of 26 impounded animals were coming through the doors at Noosa each month, 10 years later that has declined to an average of four per month, that’s an 85 per cent decrease in demand and a real win for animal welfare in the Noosa community,” the spokeswoman said.

They attribute this to RSPCA’s passionate staff and volunteers positively impacting responsible pet ownership in the

region over the past three decades.

Noosa RSPCA

RSPCA Noosa will relinquish its lease of the Noosa Council owned facilities on May 31 after setting up shop in 1993.

“Having so few roaming animals in the region is a great reflection of the animal welfare improvements that have been made in the region with our council partnership since 1993,” RSPCA Queensland interim chief executive Kyle Sprott said.

The Noosa RSPCA team provided adoption, fostering and education services, and assisted other RSPCA locations with animal capacity, including their inspectorate services in the area, which helped hundreds of animals every year across Queensland.

Noosa RSPCA

Since 2002, RSPCA Noosa received 33,039 incoming animals, adopted 17,216, placed 9,684 in care from other locations and helped reunite 4,326 lost animals.

“Our joint education efforts with the council across the years have meant more animals are staying in their forever homes and we have a region of more responsible pet owners, which is something Noosa residents can be proud of,” Ms Sprott said.

“We congratulate the local community for taking such good care of their pets and thank the numerous dedicated RSPCA Queensland staff and volunteers who have run the local pound service over the past three decades.”

Noosa RSPCA

RSPCA Queensland remains committed to protecting animals in Noosa and surrounding areas despite the closure.

The RSPCA Inspectorate will continue ensuring ongoing education and intervention is provided for those in need by investigating cruelty complaints and supporting at risk animals.

A RSPCA spokeswoman said the organisation would continue to rehome animals in the region through the Dakabin and Gympie sites.

Noosa Council will be exploring alternative impoundment options for the couple of animals they receive per month and will work closely with RSPCA Queensland to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements.

“Council thanks RSPCA Queensland for its enduring commitment to the Noosa community and we look forward to working together to continue promoting responsible pet ownership,” Noosa Council’s director of development and regulation, Richard MacGillivray, said.

“Noosa Council looks forward to announcing new arrangements for the management of lost and impounded animals in the very near future.”

Noosa RSPCA

The Noosa RSPCA team held fundraising events in the region to support animals in care, raising $53,335 since 2020 from donation boxes, shelter donations, shelter fundraising activities, garage sales, raffles, and more.

The local community can still support RSPCA Queensland by helping to fund proactive animal welfare initiatives, cruelty response, and community education efforts that prevent neglect and mistreatment before it occurs.

The final Sunshine Coast RSPCA Million Paws Walk will be held on Sunday, May 25.