Liam McNally
Melton had the more animals seized by the RSPCA than any other municipality in Victoria in the last year according to the organisation’s latest data.
Melton residents surrendered 260 animals to the RSPCA in the 2022-23 financial year, the bulk of which came from a single operation.
In April, more than 200 roosters were surrendered to the RSPCA following an operation that broke up an alleged cock-fighting ring in the Melton area.
Melton had an increase of 29 reports to the RSPCA during the year, the total of 317 was the seventh highest in the state.
In Moorabool there were 118 reports, which resulted in four animals being seized or surrendered.
State wide the number of animals seized by or surrendered to RSPCA Victoria has increased for the sixth year in a row, with a 20 per cent increase in the last year alone.
RSPCA Victoria’s chief inspector Michael Stagg said the continued increase in cruelty reports was a worrying trend.
“In the last 12 months, our inspectors have investigated more than 10,000 reports of animal cruelty and seized or took the surrender of 2569 animals across the state,” he said.
“During this time, we’ve also had several investigations resulting in large-scale seizures or surrenders of animals, forcing our teams to find room and resources to care for them in a short space of time.
“When we prosecute cases of animal cruelty, our shelter teams may need to care for the animals involved as the court cases progress, sometimes lasting months or years… [This adds] to the pressure already faced by our near-capacity shelters.”
“Cost of living pressures may be impacting people’s ability to care for their pets, whether it be their ability to provide suitable food or their ability to pay for necessary medical care.”
