The simple answer is as late as possible, when you are absolutely certain of the commitment of your child (and the rest of the family) to horse/pony ownership. Owning a horse or pony is a very big commitment and a lot of thought should go into deciding whether to take…
Horse racing inherently poses significant risks to animal welfare. Racing horses in very hot weather places them at significant risk of dehydration and heat stress. However, there are no consistent rules that prohibit horse racing in Australia above a specific temperature. Horses are particularly prone to heat stress due to…
A tongue tie is a large band (leather/rubber or lycra/neoprene) that is tightly wrapped around a horse’s tongue and then tied around the lower jaw to keep the tongue in place during training or racing. The use of tongue ties is permitted under the rules of racing and is widespread…
RSPCA Australia considers that there are significant ongoing animal welfare problems in the greyhound racing industry. Some of the key animal welfare issues posed by greyhound racing are explained below. Overbreeding and oversupply of greyhounds Due to the need to breed enough greyhounds to ensure sufficient dogs who are suitable…
The RSPCA opposes the recreational hunting of ducks because of the inherent and inevitable pain and suffering caused. Every year, during the government-declared ‘open season’ many thousands of ducks are shot over the wetlands of Australia in the name of sport. Some of these ducks will be killed outright. Some…
The RSPCA opposes recreational hunting, or the act of stalking or pursuing an animal and then killing it for sport, due to the inherent and inevitable pain and suffering caused. Hunting has the potential to result in animals suffering significantly including being: chased to the point of exhaustion; killed with methods…
Duck and quail shooting using a shotgun causes inevitable pain and suffering as not every bird is killed outright. For most of the year, native water birds (mainly ducks) and quail are protected under native wildlife laws. However, during a declared ‘open season’- a specified calendar period announced by the…
Due to the inherent risks involved, many animals hunted for sport or recreation will suffer pain and distress. Most of the animals that are hunted for sport and recreation are introduced species such as feral cats, wild dogs, feral goats, foxes, hares, rabbits, feral pigs, buffalo as well as feral…
The use of dogs in hunting can pose welfare risks to both the animal being hunted and the dog. The regulations and licences regarding the use of dogs in hunting vary between states and territories. In summary, dogs are used during hunting in the following ways: to locate and flush…
The use of dogs in pig hunting poses significant welfare risks to both the pig being hunted and the dogs involved. Hunting pigs with dogs involves the dog flushing out the pig and chasing it until it is exhausted or cornered. When the pig has been ‘bailed up’ (the pig…