Animal Cruelty Report

Our Inspectors are in the community 7 days a week, 365 days per year, protecting animals from cruelty and neglect, receiving an average of 24.5 reports of animal cruelty every day.

In the 2025/2026 financial year RSPCA Victoria Inspectors:

• Received 8,965 reports of animal cruelty
• Visited 7,516 households
• Completed 34 animal cruelty prosecutions
• Seized or accepted the surrender of 2,225 animals

What do RSPCA inspectors do?

RSPCA Victoria Inspectors are on the frontline rescuing and protecting animals from cruelty and neglect, and helping those who are suffering or in dangerous situations.

We believe prevention is best and, wherever possible, our Inspectors try to support people to achieve good animal welfare. However, our team will also hold perpetrators of cruelty to account when necessary and RSPCA Victoria’s Inspectorate prosecutes more than half of all the animal cruelty cases heard in Victorian courts every year.

RSPCA Victoria is the only non-government body with the authority to enforce the law in Victoria, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (POCTAA) and Part 4 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (DAA). These pieces of legislation govern the circumstances where our inspectors can investigate or intervene.