Animal Care Australia’s (ACA) small team of unpaid volunteers are making headway in changing legislation and policies surrounding pet ownership around the country, explains Michael Donnelly, President, ACA.
THE GROWTH of Animal Care Australia (ACA), through the creation of new subcommittees and expansion of its membership base, is helping ACA receive recognition from governments.
Michael Donnelly, President of ACA, said this recognition is reflective of the challenging work they put into ensuring its members and supporters’ voices are heard, and while it is extremely time consuming for the team, which are all unpaid volunteers, it is worthwhile when you see the results.
“ACA is now having direct input into legislative changes, such as animal welfare acts and regulations, native wildlife licensing reviews, and of huge relevance at the moment, recognition of animals as victims in domestic violence and pets in strata legislation. To see our recommendations appearing in legislation is mind blowing for us.”
Over the coming year, ACA will be looking at the animal welfare policies for the different parties leading up to the elections in both Victoria and NSW.
“We will then be connecting with successful politicians in order to ensure they are aware of who Animal Care Australia is, and what our animal welfare policies entail and how we can provide them with a stronger, sensible approach rather than listening to the advocates for animal rights. Most are unaware there is an enormous difference between animal welfare and animal rights until we approach them to set the record straight.”
As well as this, ACA will be focusing on legislative changes such as ensuring pets be allowed in strata.
“People must be able to keep their pets, especially in these economically challenging times. This one change will have such a massive knock-on effect, including fewer abandoned animals, greater mental health for the owners and of course the fact the animals benefit the most.”
Among the challenges that ACA faces, says Donnelly, are the animal rights policies that are hidden within animal welfare legislation which is happening across the country at all levels.
“Did you know one political party was updating its website daily during the lead-up to the Federal Election? Every time the true outcome of its policies was highlighted to the voters its website was updated.”
Regarding the much discussed Puppy Farming Bill, ACA would like to see an official definition of what a ‘puppy farm’ exactly is, as it currently has no legal definition and Donnelly claims that poses a huge problem.
“Ultimately ACA will continue to advocate that any breeder who does not place the welfare of their animals as a priority, and who intentionally ignores the legislated breeding standards should face the courts. We will also continue to support that improving animal welfare does not include restrictive caps or limited breeding.”
Donnelly believes that all animal owners should care about these issues, and that it is our voices that change the political playground and agenda as elected officials are accountable to us, but we need to engage with the issues to hold them to account.
“It would be great to see all the pet industry come together to fight common issues. Yes, I know it has been tried before, but at some point, we are going to find ourselves in the minority of social conscience and when we do – it will either be too late, or it will require a major pushback to overcome.”
Words by: Thomas Oakley-Newell interviewing Michael Donnelly, Animal Care Australia President. Article: Pet Industry News Nov-Jan 2022/2023
