RSPCA rescues 60 horses on Victorian property as cruelty reports surge | Breaking News & Latest Australia Updates

RSPCA rescues 60 horses on Victorian property as cruelty reports surge — By Coco Veldkamp ABC Goulburn Murray Topic:Horse Farming RSPCA Victoria has received about 1,200 horse cruelty reports in the past 12 months, a 32 pe...

By Coco Veldkamp

ABC Goulburn Murray

Topic:Horse Farming

RSPCA Victoria has received about 1,200 horse cruelty reports in the past 12 months, a 32 per cent increase on the previous year.(Supplied: RSPCA)

Almost 60 horses are seized from a property in the state's north-east during a week in which RSPCA Victoria rescues 131 animals due to animal cruelty.

RSPCA Victoria’s inspectorate has received more than 1,197 cruelty reports relating to horses in the past 12 months, a 32 per cent jump from the previous year.

RSPCA Victoria expects to spend almost $5 million this year caring for rescued animals.

The RSPCA says it has rescued almost 60 horses from a Victorian property amid a staggering surge in reports of cruelty against animals.

RSPCA Victoria inspectors collected 131 animals in "multiple large-scale and complex animal cruelty operations" across the state in the past week, blaming reduced feed in drought conditions and cost-of-living pressures on animal owners.

Last week, the RCPCA says, inspectors were called to check on about 200 horses on a property in the Towong Shire, north-east Victoria, rescuing 60 of the most at-risk over several days.

Inspectors issued legal notices against the owner and investigations continue.

Meanwhile, 60 dogs were seized or surrendered across the state, including 30, some just days old, at a single property near Geelong. One of the dogs gave birth to six pups hours after arriving at the shelter, the RSPCA said.

The RSPCA has sounded the alarm on a horse welfare crisis.(Supplied:RSPCA)

RSPCA

“It’s clear some people are struggling to provide the basics for their animals," said RSPCA Victoria chief inspector Michelle Green.

Towong, like much of much of regional Victoria, is in drought.

With some regions experiencing thelowest recorded rainfall over the last 12 months, feed is scarce.

RSPCA Victoria said it had received more than 1,197 cruelty reports relating to horses over the last 12 months, a 32 per cent increase on the previous year.

Th RSPCA inspectorate's animal care costs are forecast to be reach almost $5 million this financial year.(Supplied: RSPCA)

Earlier this year, the RSPCA sounded the alarm on a Victorian horse welfare crisis, with more than 8,100 horses involved in animal cruelty reports last financial year.

“Reports of animal cruelty involving horses unfortunately increased in the past financial year, with many animals affected by low feed caused by drought conditions and, in some situations, financial hardship," said RSPCA Victoria head of operations Tanya Drakopoulos.

Of the 131 animals rescued by RSPCA inspectors in Victoria last week, there were 52 dogs, eight puppies, one cat, eight kittens, three goats and a duck.

More than 30 of those dogs were surrendered from a single property near Geelong.

The others were taken from eight locations and included popular breeds kelpies, border collies, bichon frises and Labradors.

“Our Inspectors conduct large-scale investigations and seizures on a regular basis," said Ms Green.

Almost 30 dogs and several days-old puppies were recued from a single property near Geelong.(Supplied: RSPCA)

Ms Green said many of the rescued animals were showing signs of malnourishment and it could take months for some to recover.

“Many of the animals the Inspectors saw were significantly underweight, suffering from malnutrition, had not been provided necessary veterinary care and in many cases were in squalid living conditions," she said.

“It took time for these animals to get into such poor condition and many will now require weeks, if not months, of rehabilitation, specialised veterinary care and a whole lot of love to help them recover from the cruelty and neglect they have suffered".

RSPCA Victoria said its Inspectorate animal care costs were forecast to be almost $5 million this financial year.

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