On the 25th February, an eight-year old Australian Bulldog named Jaxon was surrendered to RSPCA ACT. Like so many other dogs of his breed, he came to us with significant health issues related to his exaggerated features. In order for him to live a healthy and longer life, our vet team would have to perform significant surgery just to help him breath. In Jaxon’s case, his teeth are overcrowded and the soft palate was too loose and floppy to allow for adequate air flow resulting in a daily struggle, much like a person with chronic asthma. Jaxon’s story is not unusual unfortunately. Turn on any
The now familiar call out reverberates around the Shelter. The signal has been sent to all staff that we have a large number of animals being brought into the Shelter by the Inspectors. Today that number included over 200 rabbits, chickens, birds and assorted small animals. We will work into the late night to process and conduct health checks on each one. Often when people think of the RSPCA ACT Shelter, their first thoughts go to cats and dogs. Whilst there is no doubt that our Shelter is always full of these lovable pets looking for homes – they’re not the only animals we have waiting
He’s still there. Those big brown eyes staring at me through his cage. I walk by his kennel almost every day to say hello. When he sees me, he recognises me instantly. He never fails to show his delight at the extra attention. I walk into the staff only section and reach my fingers through the gate wires to scratch his back first. He rolls over on his back so that I can try to rub his tummy too. If I have time, I might even go into the kennel with him and allow him smoother me with love and leaving me covered in his hair and drool in the process. I don’t have any treats with me this time, but
There has been a lot of talk lately about Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) for dogs after a number of horrific attacks locally. The entire community including RSPCA ACT has a desire to see a reduction and prevention in dog attacks from occurring. However, using legislation in this manner has proven to be ineffective in reducing dog attacks. What exactly is BSL? It’s the restriction of specific breeds or cross breeds of dogs regardless of their behaviour. The only form of BSL that the Australian Capital Territory has in place right now is for greyhounds which are required to wear muzzles until
Summer is well and truly here and many people are already planning their holidays! If you plan to bring your furry companion along with you there are things you should consider. Here are our top tips to ensure that your holiday is everything to remember – for the right reasons! 1. Pet-Friendly? Make sure wherever you’re going allows animals. Some beaches and campsites that normally allow them may have different rules during the busy holiday period. Give them a phone call and do your research. 2. Make sure your pet can swim: When it comes to dogs, some breeds are instinctively comfortable in
