RSPCA responds to calls for facilities in southwest Qld

The horrific case of neglect where an owner called a disabled dog ‘Slider’ after he was hit by a quad bike has prompted calls for an RSPCA animal rescue shelter to be built in Queensland’s west.

SOUTH WEST SHELTER: Facebook users have called for an RSPCA shelter to be built in south west Queensland following the animal neglect case of Slider in Dalby Magistrates Court. Pictured: An RSPCA volunteer with Slider before he passed away.

The RSPCA has responded to calls to introduce animal rescue shelters in the Western Downs and Maranoa regions following a traumatic Dalby court case of animal neglect that went viral.

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Heard in Dalby Magistrates Court in January, the ghastly incident involved Western Downs woman Tina Broom who renamed her dog Slider after it lost the use of its hind legs when it was hit by a quad bike instead of taking it to a veterinarian.

Court documents stated Slider was seriously injured and left untreated for approximately 10 weeks in mid-2019, which resulted in paralysis in both of his hind legs.

Slider was finally transported to a veterinary clinic and then to RSPCA in September 2019, where he received treatment up until his passing in March 2020.

The concerning features of Slider’s case was that between 2017 and 2019, court documents said the RSPCA had received seven complaints in relation to welfare of animals housed at Broom’s property.

“Due to jurisdictional issues, the matters were referred to Biosecurity Queensland,” the documents said.

A spokesman for the RSPCA responded to questions regarding a potential centre in the south west, due to the fact the closest rescue centres are in Kingaroy and Toowoomba.

“RSPCA is funded almost entirely by donations,” he said.

“This currently limits the areas where we can operate, particularly in terms of shelters and inspectorate facilities.”

The spokesman said they had facilities down the eastern coast from Cairns to the Gold Coast, and as far inland as Toowoomba, and said other parts of Queensland were predominantly covered by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).

“RSPCA Qld would love to be able to provide facilities and an inspectorate function across the entirety of Queensland but we would need assistance from government to fund these operations,” he said.

RSPCA Queensland posted the conclusion of Broom’s sentence on their Facebook page, which garnered thousands of reactions on the social media site, calling for stricter animal cruelty laws and facilities in Queensland’s southwest.

The spokesman said the RSPCA said the animal rescue organisation did not have inspectors or shelters in those western and regional areas.

“Animal welfare issues need to be addressed by DAF,” he said.

“[The public] can still report cases to RSPCA, and these complaints will be referred to DAF.”

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