Who is Animal Care Australia

Animal Care Australia was founded in early 2018 to represent the interests of animal keepers and breeders throughout Australia.

Animal Care Australia was established as an organisation where the real animal welfare experts, those who keep, care for and breed animals would advocate for real and improved animal welfare, to prevent the suffering of animals.

With extreme animal rights and animal liberationist ideologies influencing government legislation, regulation and policy more often to the detriment of our animals and pets, it has become necessary to provide government with a balancing voice.

Today 73% of Australian households (approx 7.7 million) own pets. It is estimated almost 31.6 million pets are kept in the care of our community, with 86% of owners saying their pets have positively impacted their lives. (Source: Animal Medicines Australia)

Originally founded to speak on behalf of owners of pet and companion animals, Animal Care Australia quickly recognised there is a need to expand our purview to include all animals held in ‘captive’ care with the exception of commercial livestock. The association has a strong committee composed of representatives for each major animal group – dogs, cats, birds, horses, reptiles, hobby farm animals, small mammals, native mammals and exhibited animals. Meet our Team.

In order to ensure animal welfare is at the forefront of all pet owners, Animal Care Australia’s position is to promote welfare education over regulation. In line with this position Animal Care Australia was invited to join the International Pet Advocacy Council. Animal Care Australia accepted that invitation and is a member of a growing list of ‘real animal welfare’ advocates from around the world.

Our goal is to promote and encourage high standards in all interactions with the animals in our care, to encourage responsible pet ownership, and the respectful treatment of all animals in our community, and in doing so, reducing and preventing their suffering.

Animal Care Australia support and consult in the continued development of animal welfare law at all levels of government, including federal, state and local government.

Our core values:

Wisdom. Animal welfare is best advanced through objective, species-appropriate understanding, not through anthropomorphic interpretations of animal behaviour. As the animal care experts Animal Care Australia has confidence in decision-making with good judgment while keeping perspective when consulting with governments and their advisors.

Accountability. Animal Care Australia continually calls for greater accountability, fairness and justice within the structures and ethos of those responsible for ensuring the welfare needs of animals are being met. That is why campaigns like our ‘animal care is welfare’ calling for an Animal Welfare Commission is so important.

Trust. Animal Care Australia are guided by science-based evidence and best practice, rather than ideology, in all aspects of our work. Because of this, governments, departments and our members have trust in the information provided by us.

Growth. Ongoing social and regulatory change requires Animal Care Australia to continually assess and refine its work. Growth is achieved through critical evaluation, learning, and evidence-based improvement, for the benefit of all Australians who keep animals. Maintaining emotional, spiritual, and physical development is one part of growth, but unlike other organisations it is our position that anthropomorphising change does not help our animals – it harms them.

Curiosity. Animal Care Australia believes education is the most effective means of achieving improved animal welfare outcomes  and relieving the suffering of animals. Our Committee and Team has the willingness to explore and learn and to share that knowledge with everyone.

Compassion. Compassion for animals is central to improved welfare outcomes and stronger communities. Through responsible pet ownership, people develop empathy, respect for life, and a sense of responsibility that benefits animals and contributes to the broader social good. Our future generations will rely on the ability to own pets and experience the compassion and value for a life that their pets can instil.

Just some of the lives enriched by Animal Care Australia’s advocacy for pets and companion animals:

Companion and pet owners who are: 

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 
• Animal Keeping Associations and organisations
• Children 
• Elderly persons 
• Families 
• Financially disadvantaged people 
• General community in Australia 
•  (All) gender identities 
• People at risk of homelessness/ people experiencing homelessness 
• People from a culturally diverse background 
• People in rural/regional/remote communities 
• People with disabilities 
• Unemployed persons 
• Veterans and/or their families 
• Victims of disaster 

You can find our Purpose, Mission Statement and Objects on our Purpose and Mission page.

You can find a larger outline of our membership base on Our Network page.

As a society we have a responsibility to provide ‘whole of life’ welfare and protection for all animals living within our care