It's time to say 'Goodbye'...

Dear loyal blog readers,

It’s time to bid farewell to our amazingly awesome RSPCA NSW Education blog but fear not! We are moving to bigger and better things!

This blog will be packing its bag, hauling its memories and taking the stories to the RSPCA NSW blog page which houses all types of interesting reads about the going-on’s of RSPCA NSW.

What is a blog if it does not talk to as many people as possible and this is our attempt to reach the masses and let them know that we are continuing our journey to inspire the next generation of animal lovers.

It’s been a fantastic two years talking to you all about the work that the RSPCA NSW Education Team are doing, working hard to meet society’s thirst for knowledge in the world of animal welfare. From lil preschoolers of three years to refined seniors of 95 years, from Albury to Tweed Heads, there’s no person or place the Team will not venture to so they can spread their message
.
If you’re in the mood to reminisce, feel free to look back over our entries over the years for the next few months but when you’re feeling like some fresh news hop onto: rspcansw.blogspot.com.au

We hope to see you all there soon!

xoxo

RSPCA NSW Education Team



Don't gooo...

Cage = Cruelty?

"Should animals be kept in cages?"

This question, often fraught with many ethical and moral considerations, was posed to Year 3 and 5 students from Newington College recently and they had to decide where they stood on the issue.

Education Officer, Eva Wong, went along to give the students an RSPCA perspective and discussed two prime examples of animals in cages including puppy factories and battery hens – two situations that we can all agree are not in the best interests of the animals.

The students were shocked to see the type of conditions some animals were kept and they were adamant that animals deserve better!

The next step was for the students to write an exposition, answering the question and stating their point of view.

Here are some quotes from their work...

“Would you like to live in a cage for your whole life?”

“It is obvious that animals should not be kept in cages because they cannot express their natural behaviour”

“It is cruel to keep animals in cages because it is not comfortable for them”

Thanks to Adrian, Thomas, Dhruv and Alexis from 5M for your opnions on the issue! J

Don't cage me in!

Best biscuits on the block!

Timing is everything in life and boy did a group of kids have the perfect timing recently! Holly, Tim, Claudia and Chelsea decided to hold their very first biscuit stall to fundraise for RSPCA NSW on the same weekend that a certain TV Show held their Open House which meant one thing – heaps of customers!

The kids made some mouth-watering biscuits and decorated their stall with all things RSPCA and animals to attract some much needed attention and support. Education Officer, Eva, sent along some RSPCA campaign info to assist the kids with educating potential customers about the plight of animals in need.

Holly, Tim, Claudia and Chelsea should be super proud of their efforts and confident in the knowledge that each and every dollar will help make a difference in the lives of the many animals which come through RSPCA NSW needing help.

Raising an amazing $320, it won’t be the last we see of these amazing individuals, making the promise  to run regular stalls throughout the year!



Getting ready for the big crowds!




Doing it for the animals!!




Nice...NEIGH!!




Meow Munchies!



Thank you #5...Call Centre!

We can all recall how Supermans' superhuman hearing has aided him in finding damsels in distress, well RSPCA NSW have their own super powers in finding animals in distress!

They’re called the ‘Call Centre’ and they are often the one connection between RSPCA NSW and an animal in need. Operating the phones with just a few staff members, the Call Centre staff are constantly fielding calls from sometimes very concerned and distressed members of the public and must then use their powers for good and find the RSPCA NSW team member who can help the animal in question.

Keeping it cool, calm and collected is their way, doing it for the animals is their game!

So next time you give RSPCA NSW a call, pass on a ‘thank you’, as we did, for the person at the other end, for they are listening to hundreds of calls for help from animals across the State everyday!

Thanks Anna for taking those tough calls!

Animal fun in the sun!

With the new year well and truly underway, the brand new January saw RSPCA NSW Education Team usher in their Summer School Holiday Program.

Week one down and the exploration into the world of animal welfare has been thouroughly thought provoking, sparking many conversations between RSPCA NSW Education Team members and their new bunch of Program participants.

Summer is one of the RSPCA’s busiest periods, where no place in RSPCA NSW is immune to it’s effects, least of all the Sydney RSPCA Veterinary Hospital who see their fair share of neglected, injured and sick animals on a daily basis. It was a good opportunity for participants to get an insight into what a career in Veterinary Science would be like and some of the challenges they would face when not all the animals they see would be their normal happy selves.

RSPCA NSW Training Manager and Veterinarian, Narelle Maxwell, left no secrets uncovered or knowledge unmentioned during the Program as she helped the participants journey through various aspects of animal health and behaviour.

If you would like to be a part of the fun, too late! For the Summer Program that is but not for future School Holiday Programs! If you would like to be on our waiting list and find at when our next School Holiday Program opens, email us at education@rspcansw.org.au



Hmm, is it clean in there?





CPR stat! He looks stuffed! :)



Lovely artists at Lakelands

The RSPCA NSW Education Team love receiving feedback about their Education Programs so what a wonderful new year surprise when Education Officer, Eva, received some words of wisdom from students at Lakelands Public School.

Following a visit last year to chat about the various elements of responsible pet ownership, students from Ms Prior’s class took colouring pencils to paper and documented all that they had learned.

For all  those adult pet owners out there...

Noah says you “have to walk your dog every day”

Jack reminds you that dogs and cats need “a needle every year”

Keira states that “a microchip helps our pets” if they are lost.

Love your work Lakelands Public and we hope to visit again soon!

Christmas came early...

For all the shelter animals at the RSPCA NSW Sydney Shelter!

RSPCA NSW has already launched their annual Christmas Appeal to help with the many more animals expected to arrive at our shelters over the holiday period but it's great to know that there is a wonderful appeal out there taking care of the presents!

The 'Give a Dog a Bone' and 'Keep Kitty Happy' appeal is doing amazing things by connecting businesses and generous members of the public with animals in needs. With collection points across Sydney, the appeal asks the public to donate toys, treats and food for those animals who need that extra little love over Christmas.

Education Officers, Eva and Zoe, have collected over 3 car loads of goodies for the RSPCA NSW shelter animals from just two of these collection points - Annandale Animal Hospital and Greencross Vets in Petersham.

Thank you to all those involved in the appeal and those who gave so generously! Life will be that much better for the animals who call currently call RSPCA NSW home - let's hope it's not for too much longer though!

Pressies under the RSPCA Christmas tree!



We promise the goodies go to the animals,
not Slade our Inspector :)



Thank You #4...Animal Attendants!

Responsible pet owners around the world are thinking the same thing, ‘if only I could train my dog to pick up its own poo!’ But alas, we are yet to stumble upon such a dog, although consuming said faeces definitely helps but is not encouraged.

So imagine the fun RSPCA Animal Attendants have everyday when their responsibility encompasses anything from a few rabbits and guinea pigs to a few hundred cats and dogs. When RSPCA staff attend to their animals needs, attend they do! With a routine that starts with the morning feed and cleaning for over two hours, providing environmental enrichment and mental stimulation throughout the day and making that all important match between a new family and their potential animal friend, it’s a big job but someone’s gotta do it!

So our next thank you card goes to all the Animal Attendants and staff at RSPCA Shelters who ensure that all those unwanted animals enjoy the love and care they deserve until they find their furever homes!

Shelter Manager, Adam, just goes on and on
and on...

Thanks Emanuel!!!

Last week, Zoe from Education was invited to attend the secondary school assembly at Emanuel School in Randwick.
Not only did Zoe have the chance to meet some of the fantastic, dilligent and articulate students, Sharon Koren (a year 12 student at Emanuel) presented Zoe with a cheque for the RSPCA for $770!
Sharon is a big advocate of animal welfare, and is the head of the Environmental Committee at school, through whom she organised a fund raiser to help the RSPCA.
On behalf of all of the animals in our shelters, thanks Sharon and thanks Emanuel!


Sharon Koren (right) presenting the cheque to Zoe from RSPCA NSW



International cans of goodness

For the third year running, International Grammar School has spent most of 2012 collecting cans of pet food for the shelter animals at the RSPCA Sydney Shelter. Delivering them just in time for the Christmas period, the students went ‘can crazy’ with a collection of 215 cans!

Why are these cans so important? Although wet food does not make up the bulk of our shelter animals’ diets with their sustenance coming mainly in the form of dry biscuits to aid dental hygiene, that mooshy goodness does have its place. For those animals who have had dental surgery, oldies with no teeth and picky eaters, canned food is a welcome and often necessary substitute!

With an anticipated influx of unwanted animals over the Christmas break, RSPCA NSW are bracing themselves for another difficult festive season. So thank you to all the students at the International Grammar School for making our shelter animals’ lives that little bit better!

Good luck to next years students, setting themselves the challenge of beating 215 cans!

See you guys next year with hopefully even MORE cans!

Such a Sweet Show!

The number is staggering...it costs RSPCA NSW just over $39 million to operate in the last financial year.

The Education Team did the maths - yes, we're not just good for animal welfare education! With the New South Wales population last recorded at 7.2 million people, if each person donated just $5.40, all the animals can sleep a little easier knowing that RSPCA NSW would be around to help them in their time of need. But alas, as hard as it is to believe, not everyone loves animals enough to donate so when we say “every dollar counts” we really mean it!

With the festive season upon us, many of those dollars may be spent on pressies for friends and family so the RSPCA NSW Education Team would like to thank two schools who have instead donated funds to their furry friends!

A round of applause to two Year 9 students from Macquarie College who ran a very successful lolly shop as part of their commerce elective. ‘The Sweetest Thing’ operated for just a single day yet it was enough to rake in a lovely $120!

Now a standing ovation for students from Leppington Public School whose Student Representative Council chose RSPCA NSW as a worthy cause for their fundraising activities. They ran a “Have-A-Go-Show” where students were invited to showcase their talents and asked contestants and the audience to donate a little money, collecting a wonderful $103.30!

If you’ve run an equally awesome fundraiser, we would love to hear all the jiucy details! Drop us a line at education@rspcansw.org.au

Fundraising? Ooh, pick me! I'm in! I can do it!



Thank You #3...Vet Nurses!

Who is Batman without Robin?

How can there be Mickey Mouse and no Minnie Mouse?

Where would Superman be without, err...Lois Lane?

Well you get the picture! Right beside every awesome hero is the sidekick that makes sure they continue to be awesome! And this is no different at the RSPCA Veterinary Hospitals where the Vet Nurses play an integral role in the many animal success stories every day, alongside Veterinarians.

While the Veterinarians sometimes get all the glory, the Vet Nurses are the ones who ensure each patient receives the best care during their entire stay in hospital, may they have fur, feathers or scales. The Vet Nurses are happy to get down and dirty, knowing that each cute and cuddly patient says a silent thank you for all the extra care and attention.

So our next 'thank you' card goes to all the RSPCA Vet Nurses who without their tireless efforts, we wouldn't see so many healthy and happy animals in the community!



Thanks Bronwyn and Skye for always being awesome!



Clucky ladies

RPSCA NSW Education reach an audience aging from 3 years to 139 years old! Okay, so it’s RSPCA NSW itself who’s 139 years old but you get the idea, no matter who you are, the Education Team have made it their mission to educate you about all things to do with animal welfare.

And although with age comes wisdom, there is always new animal welfare knowledge to be discovered so it was a great opportunity to enlighten some lovely ladies from Gymea Aged Care Services with a visit from Education Officer, Eva.

It is quickly becoming a running joke with our talks, but yes, RSPCA NSW is always the oldest in the room and it definitely makes the ladies feel oh-so youthful!

We shared stories, both of past animal friends and current RSPCA successes and it became clear that the ladies had a role in educating their family and friends with regards to puppy factories and humane food options.

At the end of the visit, the lovely ladies made a commitment to be a part of RSPCA’s Cupcake Day Event next year – baking only with free range eggs ofcourse! Can’t wait to see you all then!

Find the RSPCA NSW's 'free range' hen!

Thank You #2...Veterinarians!

Ever been faced with a dilemma and had but a few clues to solve it? Well imagine this problem faced by Veterinarians everyday when they encounter animals who are evidently ill yet cannot communicate how they’re feeling!

What a quandary! Oh, the conundrum! Such an enigma!

But never fear, Veterinarians are well prepared for such challenges, especially those at the four RSPCA NSW Veterinary Hospitals who see to private and shelter patients on a daily basis.

The spectrum of cases through the RSPCA NSW doors vary immensely, from assisting RSPCA Inspectors with animals who have been neglected and not received vet treatment to ensuring that pets are desexed to promote longevity and prevent adding to a pet over population problem.

So here it comes, we present the RSPCA NSW Vets with a ‘Thank You’ card from Rosehill Public School to say thank you for all your tireless work helping animals in need.

 You guys never cease to amaze us!

Thanks Amy for your awesomeness!

Spring has sprung!

The RSPCA NSW Education Team sowed the seeds for animal welfare in the most recent graduates of the School Holiday Program and blossom they did!

With a whopping 48 participants, the Education Team were so proud to see their eager little seedlings absorb all the knowledge and experience from the day and leave as inspired sprouts.

The kids and youths often turn up assuming they’ll spend the day playing with cute puppies and kittens but the world of animal welfare goes way beyond this! Partcipants were faced with the harsh realities of caring for animals in the largest animal shelter in the Southern Hemisphere – that’s right, alot of canines and felines who needed their attention. So we...

...bathed, groomed, trained and fed our way through heaps of lucky animals

...delved into the realm of animal cruelty investigations

...scrubbed our hands until there wasn’t a germ in sight

...positively rewarded smart canines for awesome behaviour

And ensured that we made an animals life that much better – whether it was the Shelter animals, our pets at home or the unseen chickens and pigs on farms far, far away!

School Holiday Program, we shall meet again in the summer!

Treats?!

Way too many in here!



Ready for surgery!





Good sit!



Good things come in small packages

This saying rings so true for one little individual by the name of Mary Alexander.

Long time blog followers may recall RSPCA NSW Education Team’s encounter with Miss Mary last year when she decided, at the ripe old age of 6, to ask for donations to RSPCA NSW instead of presents for her birthday. It was an amazing request by a young individual who just knew that animals needed her help.

Well hold onto your hats bloggers because if you thought that was astounding, Mary has outdone herself this year! She again passed up the opportunity to receive gifts of things and this time invited all of the Year 1 children from her school to a party of enormous proportions! With this came that all too familiar request of gifts in the form of a donation to RSPCA NSW and generously give they did!

Mary raised a whopping $1065!

Education Officer, Eva, couldn’t believe it last year when she heard of Marys’ amazing feat, so you can imagine that she was completely beside herself and totally impressed with Marys’ efforts this time around. Not to say it doesn’t take two wonderful parents to support Miss Mary endeavours but as Gaelene, her mother, reminds us time and time again, the idea was all Marys without a hint of parental influence!

To show Mary how her funds help RSPCA NSW assist the 45,000 animals that come through their doors, Eva along with Jodie, RSPCA Tuggerah Care Centre Manager, took Mary and her family on a tour of our newest adoption facility.

RSPCA NSW and all the animals can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned for your birthday next year Mary!



Jodie, Eva and Mary with one of

the lovely canines awaiting adoption!

 

We heart you too!



Thank You #1...Inspectors!

As RSPCA NSW Educators, we know that the smaller the groups, the more chance we have of engaging in good discussion and maintaining a high level of interaction but imagine a ratio of of 1:226,213. That's the number people in New South Wales to each RSPCA NSW Inspector, with the potential for thousands of cruelty complaints, where each one may require hours, days, weeks of investigation.

Overwhelming isn’t is? Faced with dealing with some of the most severe acts of animal cruelty, RSPCA NSW Inspectors are a resilient bunch. As the main animal law enforcement body in the State, the pressure is definitely on our small team of 32 Inspectors but with the lows come some amazing highs when they come to the aid of an animal in need. And unlike Superman with his keen awareness of damsel in distress, RSPCA NSW relies on the community to keep an eye out and make a report when they think there’s an animal in trouble.

With over 15,000 cruelty complaints made in the last year, it’s amazing to see that many of these are resolved with a conversation and some education around animal welfare and the proper care of our creatures great and small.

So we take the time to say thank you to our heroes: RSPCA NSW Inspectors, members of the community and all you responsible pet owners whose animals will never know what it means to be unwanted, neglected or abused.

Rose Hill Public ‘Thank You’ cards went out to some of our Regional Inspectors and Natalie, one of our Metropolitan Inspectors!

Keep up the awesome work Nat!

Let the 'thanking' begin...

Rosehill Public School, you have definitely left your mark here at RSPCA NSW!

Blog followers, keep your eyes peeled over the upcoming weeks to see the students' 'Thank You' cards given out all over the organisation, thanking numerous people from various Departments for their work preventing animal cruelty!

'Thank You' number one is just around the corner...

Education Officer, Eva, is ready and raring to go!

Book...dog?!

Everyday the RSPCA NSW Education Team have a mission: ensure that learning is happening all over the State! So where better to stage a learning event than in a library!

During the School Holidays, Education Officer, Eva and her trusty sidekick, Rusty, took a day out of their hectic schedule to visit Strathfield Library and present their Dog Safety Program. This is quickly becoming a series of talks following a successful ‘Responsible Pet Ownership’ Program during a previous visit to the library.

Participants ranged from curious Kindy’s and hooked high schoolers to conscious caregivers and amused adults. The audience were enthralled with all the new knowledge despite many non-pet owners as the information will come in handy should they be faced with canines in public, a very likely siutation.

Following the talk, Rusty went browsing for some light reading, forgetting that he left his library card at the office!

Hmm, where's the 'RSPCA Tales?!'

You smile, so I smile

A core message of the RSPCA NSW ‘Dog Safety’ Program involves getting participants to realise that many of the emotions we feel as humans are simlar for our animal friends, though expressed in vastly different ways.

It was great to see children at Northmead Early Education Centre being supported to come to this realisation during a recent visit by Education Officer, Eva. As part of the program, children were introduced to the world of dog body language and how an understanding of these concepts will help to keep them safe when interacting with our canine companions.

The children and staff had come to a different realisation previously: that the animals at RSPCA NSW needed their help! So the Centre held their very own Cupcake Day fundraiser prior to organising the Education visit.

Thank you to the staff and children at Northmead Early Education Centre for now being able to stay safe around dogs and helping those animals at RSPCA NSW.

If you or a group you know would like to be part of the ‘Dog Safety’ revolution, please contact the RSPCA NSW Education Team on 9782 4460 or education@rspcansw.org.au

Happy!!

Angry!

Scared...!

Supportive :)