Dog Safety hits the City!

The RSPCA NSW Education Team has joined forces with the City Of Sydney Council to offer RSPCA NSW's Dog Safety and Responsible Pet Ownership Program to all the school's in the Sydney Local Government Area.

Unfortunately, numerous dog bite incidents are reported each year and coupled with over 63% of the Australian population owning a pet, the educational messages couldn't come at a better time. The RSPCA NSW Education Programs will play an important role in equipping the younger members of our community with the knowledge to staying safe when interacting with our canine companions and how they can take on the responsibilities for caring for their furry friends.

Both programs will dispel many misconceptions when it comes to dog behaviour and pet care and many students may be surprised to learn how knowledge has changed over the years and what family and friends previously advised may not be best practice.

But don't be fooled though by this initiative, RSPCA NSW Education Programs are no longer just targetted at children in schools, the Education Team can adapt any animal welfare topic to any group, at any location and we can be there anytime!

If you would like to book a program for your group, please contact the Education Team on 9782 4460 or education@rspcansw.org.au



I love my daily walk, that's right humans, I need a DAILY walk!



Munch, munch, THANKS, munch, munch...

Not only did the Education Team get a whole lot of good conversations from the Sydney Pet and Animal Expo but they also received a donation of doggie treats for the Shelter dogs!

Thanks to "Pooch in the Pantry" for three massive bags of dog biscuits which will go down a treat with the dogs, staff and volunteers!

RSPCA Shelter's are always in need of treats as it helps us when we use positive reinforcement to train our dogs. As Tanya Dominguez, Pet Behavioural Trainer, would say "you wouldn't work for free, so why would our dogs?" and treats always come in handy when rewarding our dogs!

See the pics below of Animal Attendants Sarah and Taz, with Cadet and Jock (both currently awaiting adoption) getting into the treats!

(From left to right) Sarah, Cadet, Jock and Taz before the treats
are opened!

Mmm, let the feasting begin!



Sarah can attest to their good taste!



Sydney Pet and Animal Expo...

Pets and animals of every kind including the RSPCA NSW Education Team!

The Sydney Pet and Animal Expo draws pet and animal lovers from all over New South Wales so it was great to connect such great passion over the weekend with our Education Team - Matt French (RSPCA 'Animal Rescue' personality), Tanya Dominguez (mother to lovable Education mascot Bailey) and Eva Wong (super-keen Education blogger).

The Expo were eager to feature the "stars of RSPCA Animal Rescue" so along for the Saturday was Inspector Gillian Hay (creater of mouth-watering cupcakes for Cupcake Day). Gillian and Matt had stage appearances to speak with the crowd about the work that they do in the community and how everyone can recognise animal cruelty to help RSPCA NSW.

Thanks to those who dropped by our Exhibition space (generously donated by Pet Parking) to ask all their animal-related questions including many queries about our humane food and close puppy factories campaigns. Also, Matt French couldn't stop beaming at the number of people who came by just to say "hi" and grab an autograph!


Matt loves a good crowd!







Another happy fan!



Thanks 'Pet Parking' for our space!

Inverell, here we come!

Steph and Zoe to be exact, will be presenting at the Inverell Show this weekend.

Read our RSPCA NSW Blog for more info.

Max is tagging along for the trip too!

Support for Somersby Shelter

Our biggest thanks to NRMA Insurance for another successful Corporate Support Day, this time at our Somersby Shelter.

Community Education Manager, Claire and Education Officer, Eva, went along to provide an introduction to RSPCA NSW, with Claire providing an insight into some of her work as an Inspector. The group were shocked to learn of the animal cruelty that RSPCA deals with on a daily basis and it heightened their awareness of how we are bound by legislation in many cases where we would have demanded a higher level of animal welfare.

The group were then given the difficult job of spending time with adoption cats and dogs and share in some affection and cuddles! Dog walking and bathing as well as cat grooming were on the agenda and the smiles from the group couldn't get any bigger. Hands were then thoroughly dirtied with some much needed gardening undertaken to make the Shelter environment more pleasant for the animals, visitors and staff.

If you know a group of super passionate individuals from your workplace who would love to lend a hand at an RSPCA NSW Shelter then click here for more information.

The launch of CAWS draws an applause!

The Community Animal Welfare Scheme South West Sydney (CAWS SWS) is now a reality with Community Education Manager, Matt French, currently fielding initial enquiries and taking registrations!

Registering for what exactly you may ask? Well CAWS SWS is a partnership between RSPCA NSW, The University of Sydney and Campbelltown City Council and is aimed at allowing pensioners and low income earners to get their cats and dogs desexed at a greatly reduced rate.

Those who enjoy following our Education Blog would have read about the benefits of desexing yesterday and this initiative will ensure those who may not have been able to fulfill their responsibilities as a pet owner can now do so!

To read more about the scheme click here.

If you are a resident of Rosemeadow or Ambarvale and am currently a pensioner or low income earner and wish to have your pets desexed, please contact the RSPCA NSW Education Team on 9782 4460.

Desexed puppies are healthier and happier!

Everyone needs to desex!

Did you know that in five years one female dog and its offspring can produce approximately 20,000 puppies?

And in only two years, one female cat and its offspring can produce approximately 20,000 kittens!

Many pet owners are unaware that their one undesexed pet can contribute to the many unwanted litters that RSPCA NSW take in every year as well as the hundreds of stray animals left to fend for themselves. Stray animals often suffer an awful life of starvation, disease, lack of shelter and love, abuse and continue the cycle of over-breeding.

The solution is simple - desexing our cats and dogs!

For a cost as small as $100 for a male cat and $165 for a small male dog, the RSPCA NSW Vet Clinic can desex, provide pain relief before and after the operation, organise a discharge consult and ensure optimal nursing care during the entire process.

And the benefits for both you and the animal are endless! See our RSPCA Knowledge Base for more information.

Lost Pets?

Today we received a number of calls from concerned pet owners looking for their lost pets. Did you know there are simple things you can do to increase your chances of being reunited with your pets should they become lost?

Here are some things you can do;

·         Keep up to date quality photographs of your pet which you can duplicate and distribute.

·         Make sure your pets wear their collar and ID tags at all times and have them micro chipped. For most animals in NSW a microchip is a legal requirement.

·         Always have a secondary contact number, preferably a mobile, on the ID tag or microchip record.

·         Contact your local animal shelters and council pounds – even try the ones outside of your area. Sometimes animals wander far from home or are found by people and taken to pounds in another area. Also contact the vets in your area and see if your animal is there or someone may have left details.

·         If your pet is micro chipped contact your council and ask them to note on the Companion Animals Registry that your pet is missing.

·         Do the rounds of pounds and animal shelters yourself – go at least once a week.

·         Make up leaflets with a description of your pet and drop them in letter boxes and put signs up around your area.

·         Recently moved? Check your old home regularly. Leave food out in the place you used to feed your pet and ask neighbours to keep an eye out and contact you if they should see your pet. Put up signs and do a “letter box” drop in this area also.

And remember, keep looking! Even if it is weeks after your pet went missing. Sometimes people that find stray animals keep them for a while before handing them in or perhaps your pet was so frightened whilst lost that it took a while before anyone could catch it and take it to a pound or Shelter.

For a detailed list of things you can do to search for your lost pets, visit our website 

Brrrm, Brrm! Woof, Woof!

Cars and animal welfare? What the?! But if you had popped by the Community Tent at NRMA's Motorfest on Australia Day you would have seen the two in perfect harmony.

NRMA has an ongoing relationship with RSPCA NSW as one of it's chosen charities for workplace giving, so RSPCA NSW Education Team gladly accepted the invitation to be part of the festivities and educate the public on our organisation and what its' role is in the community.

Community Education Manager, Matt and Education Officer, Eva went along to the motoring event and were overwhelmed by the many car and pet enthusiasts! Many members of the public were surprised to see RSPCA at such an event but were quick to capitalise on the opportunity and ask their animal-related questions.

Max, the Education Team mascot, was on hand to teach the kids the best way to meet a dog for the first time. Nice work as always Max and all the kids were fantastic in learning this new information - some even came back to test out their new found knowledge!

Knowledge in 3 ways: Matt, Max and flyers!



Max loved getting out and about!



Rain, hail or shine, SHP is still divine!

All those who sign up for our School Holiday Program are made aware that the fun will go ahead whether it's raining cats and dogs (not that we need anymore animals at RSPCA!) or scorching hot and the weather definitely did not deter all the kids aged 8-12 years with our Primary Program last Wednesday!

Sure it's great to come along and meet some of the amazing animals awaiting adoption at the largest animal shelter in the Southern Hemisphere, but the participants went away having learnt something new! Whether it was about how they can be the best pet owners to their own pets or some never before told stories from our Inspectors, the awesomeness of the day never ceased!

Thanks to all the kids who came along, we hope to see you and more new faces at our April 2012 School Holiday Program!

Tanya loves to show off the Vet Clinic gadgets!

Vets get pets!

Our amazing Animal Doctors, also known as Vets, totally understand when a pet is feeling ill and it's an awesome skill to be able to have!

Sure it takes many long years studying in University and then practice after practice to perfect it, but without Vets, we wouldn't know why our dog stopped eating or why our cat has a strange rash.

And some very lucky youths learned what it means to be a Vet as part of our very first 'Save Lives - Veterinarian Role and Animal First Aid' School Holiday Program. Vet Nurse of 13 years, Tanya Dominguez and Veterinarian of 35 years, Narelle Maxwell were on hand to give the participants a first hand look at some of the major issues they have to deal with in the profession.

Who would've guessed that the annoying flea is such a smart organism?! Book into our next 'Save Lives' session to find out why!

Enrolments for our April 2012 School Holiday Program open up soon, so stay tuned for more info!

Our flea was inflatable, phew!