Editor

The Portfolio Committee 4’s Inquiry into the Veterinary Workforce Shortage in NSW was held on the 29th and 30th August 2023. Animal Care Australia was invited to testify about the issues faced by pet owners due to the shortage.. Animal Care Australia President, Michael Donnelly and Horse & Livestock Representative, Karri Nadazdy, appeared on Tuesday … Read more

Veticare or Vet-E-Care? A year ago, Andy Meddick MP of the Animal Justice Party passed a motion through the Upper House in Victoria introducing “Veticare”.  Mr Meddick has since retired from politics, but with Georgie Purcell MP newly elected for the AJP, she will continue the progress on this Motion. In relation to Companion Animals, … Read more

Stay safe while sharing public spaces with horses ⇒ If you encounter a horse on the roads, footpath or trails, please adhere to the following for your safety and that of the horse and rider/driver: ⇒ If you are driving a car or riding a motorbike PLEASE SLOW DOWN to 40 km/hr or less. A … Read more

ACA’s Recommendations to the Inquiry: As ACA’s Horse & Livestock Rep, I was dismayed to see that horse riders, drivers and handlers were not mentioned within the Terms of Reference for this Inquiry. Not only are equestrians not recognised and identified as vulnerable road users, but the industry does not appear to have been consulted. … Read more

This year, the RSPCA’s annual Animal Welfare Seminar focused on Horses. ACA’s Horse & Livestock Representative attended talks by predominantly Equitation Science speakers over 2 days in February.  Following opening welcomes from the hosts at RSPCA, Prof Paul McGreevy of University of New England spoke about how the animal protection movement has failed to benefit horses, … Read more

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 … Read more

In 2016 the Victorian Government introduced the heralded “puppy farm and pet shops bill” this was introduced as the legislation to end puppy farming. While no one would argue that they didn’t want to see an end to dogs and cats bred in appalling conditions, it was clear and to this day remains clear this … Read more

In NSW, the Companion Animals Amendment (Rehoming Animals) Bill 2021 – passed by into law on 4th March 2022 – would have, and has had, far-reaching effects that may not have been foreseen when it was introduced and debated in parliament. This amendment basically means that all animals in council pounds deemed suitable for rehoming … Read more

According to the Animal Medicines Australia ‘Pets in Australia – A national survey of pets and people’ report, 61% of Australian households have a pet, while 90% of Australian households have had pets at some stage. ‘There are almost 29 million pets in Australia today- more than the estimated human population of 25 million.’ (Editors … Read more

As many will know, there are a range of laws at each of the three levels of government in Australia, local, state, and federal, affecting aviculture. Which laws govern which aspect of our hobby? This article aims to give you a brief outline of the matter so perhaps when you see CCBFA lobbying for or … Read more

Two of ACA’s Species Representatives, Tracey Dierikx (Exhibited Animals) and Karri Nadazdy (Horses & Livestock) attended the UNSW Animal Law Conference on 10 September 2022, for a full day of Animal Rights indoctrination. The “Animal Law” Conference was aimed at undergrad and post graduate lawyers, to encourage them to be more involved in Animal Rights … Read more

14th June 2022—ACA President appeared as a witness at the QLD Parliament – State Development and Regional Industries Committee Inquiry into the Animal Care and Protection Amendment Bill 2022 Animal Care Australia – Opening statement Good afternoon, Chair – I ask that this statement be tabled. I am Michael Donnelly- President of Animal Care Australia … Read more

As we all know,  the Animal Justice Party and other supporters of horses remaining within our national parks have been strongly pushing for governments to introduce an immune-contraceptive program which they claim will control the breeding of feral horses, eventually resulting in their natural removal. A United States four-year research project recently found that fertility … Read more

As a child, I was the kid that was always bringing home all manner of lost or abandoned animals, and some that just picked me to be their “friend”, much to the consternation of my long-suffering parents. Some we ended up keeping as pets, but most were either returned to where they came from (in … Read more

Earlier this month (August 2022), several members of the ACA Committee visited Rockley Valley Cavoodles at Bathurst. Rockley Valley Cavoodles is an intensive breeding facility breeding cavoodle puppies for Kellyville Pet Shop. The first thing one notices upon arrival is that this purpose built facility has been thoughtfully designed to be dog friendly as well … Read more

What led you to a career in the pet industry? I wouldn’t say this is a career in the traditional sense that I am earning a wage or looking to strive up a ladder of success. I have kept and bred animals all of my life and so back in 2017 when the NSW Department … Read more

Aggression with humans PLAY AGGRESSION To a cat, play is all about prey. Body postures of play aggression are the behaviours a cat shows when searching for and catching prey. She stalks her target from behind a door or under a chair. She crouches, twitches her tail, flicks her ears back and forth, then pounces, … Read more

What is normal? Cats often behave very differently to dogs and humans. Some normal behaviour that your cat may exhibit are stalking, pouncing, or exploring their surroundings. In order to understand cats, you should learn normal cat behaviour. Cats hate their routine being changed and can act out or misbehave, which drive us humans crazy. … Read more

On a recent visit to one of Sydney’s zoos, I was confronted by multiple classes of school students from varying age groups. The first thought was one of “oh heck… this is going to be fun navigating around hordes of excited children poorly controlled by their carers”… but then I stopped and thought about the … Read more

Sydney, NSW, (26 April 2022) Animal Care Australia (ACA) is appalled by the lack of journalistic integrity and blatant bias depicted within an article appearing in the Sunday Telegraph dated 24th April 2022. The integrity of the article must be questioned given that it relied solely on quotes made by Emma Hurst MP – Animal … Read more