Sheep, especially Merinos, have woolly wrinkles and folds around the tail and breech area which attract blowflies and may become infested with maggots (flystrike). Sheep farmers have traditionally used mulesing to reduce flystrike risk. Alternatives to mulesing have been trialled over the years; the most recent is ‘sheep freeze branding’,…
Cats have special nutritional requirements because they have some fundamental differences in what and how they can metabolise and utilise different food sources compared to many other animals (such as dogs). Cats’ special nutritional requirements Cats have evolved as obligate carnivores, which means they are dependent on the nutrients that…
RSPCA Australia considers that the welfare of an animal includes both physical and mental states. Ensuring good animal welfare goes beyond preventing pain, suffering or distress and minimising negative experiences, to ensuring animals can express their natural behaviour in an enriching environment, feel safe, have healthy positive experiences and a…
In 1994, Professor David Mellor and Dr Cam Reid proposed a new model to think about animal welfare and its assessment [1]. The Five Domains Model of Animal Welfare was most recently updated in 2020 and is increasingly used globally when considering the lived experience of animals in humans’ care….
The Five Freedoms was the first widely accepted evidence-based framework to capture the key aspects of animal welfare in one model. In 1993, the RSPCA adopted the Five Freedoms as part of RSPCA Australia policy and they have played a crucial role in consideration of animal welfare, particularly in terms…
How do you feel today? As humans, our welfare at any point in time is affected by many different things, including our health (do you have a cold? do you have any aches or pains?), our social life (are you lonely?), work (is it stressful?), sleeping patterns, living arrangements and…
Our pets need regular and consistent dental care to make sure their teeth stay healthy and functional for as long as possible, and to prevent dental plaque and tartar/ build up and dental and periodontal disease. Dental plaque is a soft but sticky deposit of bacteria from saliva, food and…
Whether you’ve just adopted a new cat or kitten, or are considering how best to care for your existing cat, the RSPCA Australia guide to keeping your cat safe and happy at home can help. We know that cats can be safe and happy at home, avoiding the dangers of…
Mange is a parasitic skin infestation which, if left untreated, can cause crusting, bleeding and intense irritation. In wombats and other animals, including humans, it is caused by sarcoptes mites, which are microscopic insects that burrow into the skin. Severely affected animals have difficulty walking and eating, and lose a…
Leptospirosis is a disease which can affect animals and humans, caused by infection with bacteria called Leptospira. Leptospirosis can cause kidney failure and liver failure, and occasionally severe lung disease and bleeding disorders in animals. The clinical signs of leptospirosis vary considerably from no signs of infection, to just a…