Editor

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

Animal Care Australia’s (ACA) President, Michael Donnelly & Dog Representative, Kylie Gilbert provided evidence at the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Puppy Farming in NSW, Animal Care Australia Opening Statement: Good morning,Chair – I ask that this statement and related survey results be tabled. I am Michael Donnelly – President of Animal Care Australia or ACA, … Read more

Animal Care Australia’s (ACA) President, Michael Donnelly & Vice President, Sam Davis provided evidence at the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the approved charitable organisations under POCTAA 1979. Opening Statement Good morning, Chair – I ask that this statement and document be tabled.I am Michael Donnelly – President of Animal Care Australia or ACA, and I … Read more

Animal Care Australia’s (ACA) President, Michael Donnelly & Vice President, Sam Davis provided evidence at today’s parliamentary Inquiry into Animal Welfare Policy in New South Wales . Opening Statement Good afternoon, Chair – I ask that this statement be tabled. I am Michael Donnelly – President of Animal Care Australia or ACA, and I am … Read more

As has become apparent over the last 12months the changes to the Victorian Domestic Animals Act (DAA) which was heralded as the gold standard for welfare has done nothing to stop puppy farmers, in fact it has seen an increase in breeding by so-called ‘back yard breeders’ (BYB) who have undertaken little to no research … Read more

With Autumn comes the cooler nights, followed by the cooler, shorter days. It is a time of year that can bring dread and fear into every keeper’s life. So many questions that need answering. Do I have to brumate my reptile? Is it safe to brumate my reptile? Are they old enough? And the all-important … Read more

With so many changes Australia wide with the keeping and breeding of domestic animals it can be a daunting task to keep up. The consultation that takes place when changes are being proposed is also one of those things that is done in a way that ticks a box but the stakeholder’s responses are not … Read more

By: Joanne Payne – Animal Care Australia Reptile Representative – Originally published: March 2020 ACE Newsletter. Well show season is upon us! The time of the year when all avid keepers wait patiently for the first expo which signals a couple of months of pure bliss as they peruse the aisles, picking up much needed … Read more

Why are Vegans so universally maligned and ridiculed? Why do we not see their efforts as commendable, and even aspirational? Surely the diet someone chooses is not worthy of such contempt, whether or not we choose to follow it as well. Yes, Veganism is a diet. Its a diet devoid of animal products, and a … Read more

In recent times there has been numerous stories around the temperament testing of dogs for re-homing, in recent weeks we have been alerted to the story of Franklin a greyhound who unfortunately found his way to a Victorian shelter after his owner was no longer able to care for him, there were offers from a … Read more

On Thursday 13th February 2020, Michael Donnelly (President) and Sam, Davis (Vice President) appeared as witnesses to provide testimony to the Select Committee on Animal Cruelty Laws in New South. Wales. This is the first time Animal Care Australia has received such high acknowledgement and recognition. In their opening statement the representatives from the Pet … Read more

In this current climate we are facing a lot of change in the ownership of dogs, we have seen revision’s to the animal Acts and Codes nationwide which in some cases are decreasing our ability to own dogs and in a lot of cases the ability to breed dogs for the future, and  now we … Read more