Perrottet government pledges $40m to improve animal welfare

With thousands of pets dumped at the pound each year, the NSW government has pledged record funding to boost rehoming efforts and crack down on animal abuse.

A surge in pet ownership during the pandemic has prompted the Perrottet government to pledge a record $40.6 million towards improving animal welfare and rehoming, including ramped-up enforcement efforts to tackle animal abuse.

The move follows a review by the NSW Office of Local Government (OLG) of rehoming practices which found thousands of animals were still ending up at the pound.

It also comes after a surge in people buying a cat or dog during the pandemic, with a record 112,184 pets registered in 2020-21, up from 95,407 in the previous financial year.

As part of the package, the RSPCA will give given $20.5 million to significantly step up its enforcement of animal cruelty laws, and the Animal Welfare League will receive $5.5 million to bolster its animal welfare activities.

Lucy’s Project — a peak body improving access to supports for people with animals experiencing domestic and family violence and abuse — will receive $750,000.

The Cat Protection Society will receive $1.5 million to bolster its desexing services, while $350,000 will go to Greyhound Rescue to support the rehoming of greyhounds.

The funding is on top of $12 million the government revealed on Friday would be going towards the construction of new facilities for companion animal rehoming at the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home in Kurnell.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Scott Meyers with Stormy, and team leader Tanya Dominguez with Jewel. Picture: Tim Hunter

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the funding boost would provide greater outcomes for animal rehoming organisations, and crack down on animal abusers who violated the government’s strict animal cruelty laws.

“The past few years have shown just how important companion animals are to the wellbeing of families and households across the state,” Mr Perrottet said.

“These programs will increase capacity of those organisations that support rehoming and animal welfare to ensure more companion animals are given a safe and secure place to call home.”

The pledge follows a review of animal rehoming practices, with the government hoping its package will reduce unwanted pets being put down.

Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman has a cuddle with Jewel. Picture: Tim Hunter

Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman said the funding would help ensure that unclaimed or abandoned cats and dogs could be quickly adopted by new families into their forever homes.

“This government has made major investments in shelters across the state to fast-track upgrades, and worked closely with metropolitan, rural and regional councils to better understand rehoming practices,” she said.

RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman said the enforcement funding boost would enable the organisation to fast-track its mission to reduce animal cruelty.

“This funding unlocks growth in our enforcement agency so we can continue prosecuting those who cause harm, while implementing prevention programs that reduce animal cruelty across the state.” Mr Coleman said.

According to the draft Rehoming of Companion Animals in NSW report, about 17,000 animals — two-thirds cats and one-third dogs — were put down in 2019-20 through council pounds, animal welfare organisations and rehoming organisations.

The report, published in September last year, found the majority of dogs entering pounds were adult and of larger breeds, “particularly from low socio-economic areas”.

Cats entering pounds were more likely to come from regional areas, from low socio-economic areas, and to be kittens.

The main reasons cited for euthanising cats was that they were feral/infant, while the main reason cited for dogs was behavioural issues.

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