THE Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals NSW (RSPCA) and the Animal Welfare League NSW (AWL), will receive $12.5 million towards enforcement and compliance activities that provide protection for cats, dogs, livestock and other animals.
The RSPCA NSW will receive $11.3 million, and the AWL NSW will receive $1.17 million.
The funding will be used to fund animal welfare inspectors who play a crucial role in enforcing NSW animal welfare laws and investigate animal cruelty complaints, protecting vulnerable animals from harm or distress.
Enforcement action on those people doing harm to animals’ harm will get increased funding as well as a one-off upgrade to AWL operating systems for streamlined compliance data and reporting.
Vehicle operating and legal expenses will also get a boost.
The announcement follows recent Government animal welfare initiatives, including introducing new ‘fit and proper’ laws preventing people who have been convicted of repeat animal cruelty offences from keeping or breeding animals and introducing into Parliament last month a Bill to ban the appalling practice of puppy farming.
The grant applications and subsequent funding was assessed in accordance the requirements under the NSW Grants Administration Guide and was overseen by an independent panel.
The purpose of enforcement grants is to support approved charitable organisations and carry out Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 enforcement and compliance activities for the current 2024/25 financial year.
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said the NSW Government is committed to improving animal welfare standards across our state.
“We will continue to work with stakeholder, advocates, and the community to improve animal welfare and to build a better and stronger framework of animal protection,” she said.
“We recognise the compliance work the Animal Welfare League and RSPCA do and value the long-standing relationships we have with them to achieve better outcomes for the animals of NSW.”
