21 September 2024

RSPCA WA has revealed which local government areas generated the most animal cruelty reports last financial year. 

Analysis of the 2023-24 data also shows the most common offences reported to the charity’s 24-hour Cruelty Hotline. 

RSPCA WA answered 17,848 hotline calls last financial year, an eight per cent increase, with inspectors investigating 7,138 cases - an average of nearly 20 a day. 

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Metropolitan 2023-24 (Perth and Peel)

Rank	Reports	LGA	Change	Previous Rank (22-23)
1	686	Swan	8% up	1
2	595	Wanneroo	13% up	2
3	399	Stirling	9% down	3
4	395	Gosnells	15% up	5
5	356	Armadale	7% down	6
6	346	Rockingham	8% down	5
7	291	Mandurah	8% up	7
8	272	Cockburn	25% up	8
9	209	Joondalup	2% up	9
10	163	Belmont	11% up	12

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Regional 2023-24

Rank	Reports	LGA	Change	Previous Rank (22-23)
1	214	Greater Geraldton	14% up	2
2	158	Albany	16% down	1
2	158	Bunbury	8% up	4
3	116	Kalgoorlie-Boulder	27% down	3
4	112	Busselton	7% down	5
5	74	Capel	51% up	11
5	74	Harvey	20% down	6
6	61	Broome	17% down	7
7	60	Northam	20% up	10
8	49	Collie	9% down	9
9	48	Plantagenet	14% up	12
10	41	Esperance	16% down	11

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Offences reported	2023-24	2022-23
Ill-treatment*	3397	3296
Failure to alleviate harm	1919	1604
Insufficient food/water	1885	1507
Abandonment	1165	1173
Insufficient shelter	934	764
Unnecessary harm	683	603
Malicious beating/wounding	411	311
Harmful containment (vehicle)	405	506
Harmful containment	263	203
Injured	108	147

NOTE: many of the reports received by RSPCA WA in 2023-24 included allegations of multiple offences involving multiple animals.
*This is a broad offence which captures all manner of cruel behaviour, neglect and abuse. It may be selected in place of, or in addition to, the other offences listed in the table. 

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RSPCA WA Executive Manager Animal and Enforcement Operations Hannah Dreaver said the cost-of-living and housing crises were key themes in 2023-24.

 

“Reports about owners failing to alleviate harm rose by 19 per cent last financial year, following on from an 18 per cent jump the year before. Meanwhile, reports of animals without enough food and water were up by 25 per cent,” she said. 

“On the surface these reports might seem less serious than violent acts of cruelty, but the sad reality is, the animals in these cases have often suffered day in, day out for weeks or months. We understand owners fall on hard financial times, but ignoring your pet’s pain or hunger is not a solution, it’s animal cruelty.

“While it is concerning to see such a large jump in reports of animals without enough food and water, I am pleased to see a 20 per cent drop in reports regarding dogs left in hot cars. Hopefully this means our messaging about the dangers of leaving dogs inside vehicles is getting through.” 

Ms Dreaver said most of the cases prosecuted by RSPCA WA last financial year related to animals deprived of their most basic needs. 

“In 2023-24, RSPCA WA finalised 36 prosecutions relating to 59 dogs, nine cats, seven birds or poultry, six equine, five goats, a sheep, and a pig,” she said. 

“Many cases related to animals without adequate food and water and failure to seek vet care which is likely a reflection of broader societal issues impacting our community. 

“Other shocking cruelty cases included Bear, an 18-year-old dog who needed urgent vet care, and Maverick and Mossy, two horses who were starved by their owner.” 

Animals most commonly reported 

Welfare concerns for dogs, cats, horses and birds or poultry made up the majority of reported cruelty offences in 2023-24. 

• 5880 reported offences involved dogs and puppies
• 1315 reported offences involved cats and kittens
• 594 reported offences involved horses
• 543 reported offences involved birds or poultry. 

Note: Some of these offences involved multiple animals. 

Ms Dreaver said RSPCA WA had ramped up events like Community Action Days to help struggling pet owners. 

“In hotspots where cruelty is prevalent, RSPCA WA works hard to improve standards of animal welfare, but we’re still getting a consistently high number of calls,” she said. 

“With the rising cost-of-living hitting WA families hard, we’re worried neglect of those basic needs is only going to increase. If you’re no longer able to care for your animals to the standard they deserve you must reach out for help sooner rather than later.” 

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About this data 

• Many of the 7138 reports investigated by RSPCA WA in 2023-24 included allegations of multiple offences involving multiple animals.
• Not every report contains a substantiated offence. Some reports involve concerns that do not meet the threshold for an offence in WA, and others were not substantiated through investigation.
• Not every offence results in a charge or a prosecution. Many offences are resolved quickly by the owner or person in charge of an animal after they have been contacted by an RSPCA WA inspector.