Purpose:

Animal Care Australia’s primary purpose is preventing or relieving the suffering of animals through education and advocacy.

Animal Care Australia advocate for responsible pet ownership and acknowledgement of society’s need for a human-animal bond.  

Our definition of animal welfare, which forms the basis on which we operate, is the physical and mental state of an animal in relation to the conditions in which it lives and dies. We believe an animal experiences good welfare if the animal is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear and distress, and is able to express behaviours that are important for its physical and mental state. 

The mechanisms Animal Care Australia use to achieve our goal of preventing and relieving suffering of animals across Australia include: 

Developing and implementing campaigns, partnerships and education initiatives, such as:

• Animal Welfare is Animal Care;
• Pets in Aged Care;
• Pet friendly rentals & strata;
• Pets in Natural Emergencies
• Standing against animal cruelty on social media
• and more.

Animal Care Australia also leverage our network of member associations (who in turn represent a broad range of animal species) to cascade welfare education and higher care standards practices. 

With the help of our members, industry partners and the public, Animal Care Australia compile real time responses to all levels of government and the general public, in order to drive positive change for the keeping and care of pets and companion animals, and advocacy for the people who care for them.  

As a nationally recognised stakeholder Animal Care Australia use our national voice to promote and educate for the humane treatment of all pets and Animal Care Australia have consulted across the country on the development of programs that deliver higher animal welfare standards.  

With the support of our members and supporters, Animal Care Australia continues to achieve higher standards through social media activities that identify and communicate best welfare practice to the wider community.

Within our network of Member Associations Animal Care Australia provides ongoing development and review of keeping codes of practice, broad-based care through re-homing services for animals no longer able to remain with their owners, animal agility and training, animal boarding, exhibitors, and general pet owners. Animal Care Australia works to support the millions of Australians who live with pets and companion animals.  

Mission Statement:

As a national animal welfare body for pet and companion animals, Animal Care Australia unites and represents the Australian pet and companion animal keeping community to prevent and relieve the suffering of animals with the vision of securing and maintaining society’s need for a human-animal bond. 

To achieve our mission Animal Care Australia strives to:

• Engage with and advise government and legislators on animal welfare issues relating to pets and companion animals
• Promote welfare education over regulation
• Educate to create, uphold and encourage the highest standards of care, health and welfare for pets in our community
• Promote and encourage responsible pet ownership through national campaigns, partnerships and initiatives
• Support member organisations to promote and operate at high welfare standards to ensure that ethical animal keeping and breeding practices contribute positively to animal welfare outcomes.
• Collaborate with our members and other stakeholders to identify and communicate best welfare practice
• Distinguish evidence-based animal welfare from ideological positions, ensuring that policies and practices supported by the Association lead to genuine improvements in animal welfare

Objects:

1.  Animal Care Australia will prevent and relieve the suffering of animals by:

• • educating pet owners and society about the importance of treating animals with kindness and respect for their needs, and
  • supporting and representing the interests of animals in rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming situations by advocating for welfare-improving policies and practices affecting animals whose owners are unable to care for them.

2) Animal Care Australia will promote public awareness and informed debate regarding animal welfare legislation and policy at all levels of government to maximise positive welfare outcomes for all pets. This is achieved by:

• • undertaking and researching the most effective models for improvements to animal welfare outcomes and their delivery;
  • promoting public discussion on proposed or existing legislative or policy changes affecting animal welfare; and
  • developing and recommending improved approaches that enhance the welfare of pets and companion animals.

3) Animal Care Australia will advocate for change in how Australia’s national animal welfare laws are structured and delivered by:

1. • undertaking wide consultation on the most effective models of animal welfare legislative and policy regimes; and
   • promoting responsible pet ownership as a foundation for improved animal welfare; and
   • advocating for government funding to be directed towards programs that prevent or relieve the suffering of animals, including through education on responsible pet ownership.

4) Sub-purpose:

Animal Care Australia is established with a sub-purpose of enhancing the natural environment by promoting through education and advocacy the conservation benefits of maintaining sustainable, genetically diverse populations of endangered and vulnerable species in captivity, whether to support potential future recovery in the wild or to prevent the complete extinction of species whose natural habitats are no longer viable.