How should I care for my pet ducks? Ducks are generally very social and curious birds who can bond closely with people when kept as pets. Ducks are...
What should I feed my rabbits? Rabbits are herbivores (they eat plant material). In the wild, they eat predominantly grass, grazing for up to 6-8 hours...
Is socialising my puppy important? Socialisation involves exposing an animal to a range of experiences to help them prepare for and cope with different situations,...
How should I house my bird? Birds are highly intelligent animals who require regular exercise and mental stimulation. It’s important to ensure these needs will be...
What are the animal welfare issues with pets wearing costumes? Many people enjoy dressing their pets in costumes, particularly for special events such as Christmas. Some animal welfare organisations include costume...
How should I exercise my puppy? Providing puppies with the opportunity to exercise is a very important aspect of their care. Apart from providing various health...
My rabbit keeps biting me, what should I do? Rabbits are timid, gentle, curious, and affectionate if given the opportunity. However, they lack the ability to communicate directly with...
What do I need to know about tethering birds? Tethering involves tying an animal to an anchor point for a prolonged period as a means of confinement. Due to...
Where should I keep my rats? Location Where you place your rats’ enclosure is just as important as the type of enclosure and its accessories. So,...
Is tethering of farm animals acceptable? Tethering is where an animal is fastened by a chain to a central anchor point, causing it to be confined...
Is permanently housing dairy cows indoors an animal welfare issue? There are over 1.4 million dairy cows in Australia. On average, each cow produces close to 6,170 litres of milk...
How can free-range layer hens be encouraged to use the range area? Hens’ use of the outdoor range area in free-range housing systems is dependent on multiple factors. These factors include the...
Is group housing preferable to individual housing of dairy calves? Calves born in a natural environment will begin interacting with each other at around 1-2 weeks of age when the...
Why are calves separated from their mother in the dairy industry? For cows to produce milk, they have to give birth to a calf. Standard dairy industry practice is to separate...
Why is it important for layer hens to express normal behaviours? Layer hens will normally lay their eggs in an enclosed nest, perch, forage, and dust bathe [1, 2]. The ability...
What are the animal welfare issues with weaning nose rings and other anti-suckling devices for calves? Anti-suckling devices such as nose rings or nose flaps are designed to wean calves off milk by preventing access to...
Should elephants be kept in zoos? In general, the RSPCA is not opposed to the keeping of animals in government-endorsed zoos where zoos are able to...
What is the RSPCA’s view on keeping dolphins in captivity? Dolphins are marine mammals belonging to the group known as cetaceans, which also includes whales, orcas and porpoises. RSPCA Australia...
What are the key things I should understand about horse behaviour? Understanding at least basic horse behaviour is a very important part of responsible horse ownership. A good understanding of horse...
Why is environmental enrichment important for pig welfare? Providing environmental enrichment may be an effective strategy to improve animal welfare by enabling positive affective (emotional) states and improving...