Advocacy is the process of influencing decision-makers who determine policies that impact animals’ lives.
Advocacy
What we do
RSPCA Victoria advocates for the welfare of animals across a range of industries, environments and issues.
RSPCA Victoria:
- monitors public views and attitudes
- works with decision-makers in government, regulators and industry
- builds strong relationships to ensure our voice is heard
- responds formally via submissions to influence issues that affect animals
- holds decision-makers accountable by calling out harmful law, policy or practice.
Our goals
Our animal welfare goals for 2025 to 2026 align with the RSPCA Advocacy Strategy for 2024 to 2029. RSPCA Victoria will advocate that:
- The Animal Care and Protection Bill is introduced to Parliament
- The Wildlife Act 1975 is modernised
- Animal welfare improvements are made to greyhound racing
- A phase out of conventional/battery cages is legislated
- Pathways to keep pets with their owners are improved
RSPCA Victoria supports the work done by RSPCA Australia on national issues, such as reducing the suffering of millions of layer hens in battery cages, and ending the long-haul live export of sheep by sea. For more information on national issues, click here.
RSPCA Victoria continues to call for an end to jumps racing. Victoria is now the last place in Australia where jumps racing takes place. Learn more and support our cause here.
Our actions
2026
January 2026
RSPCA Victoria provided a formal submission to a government consultation on minor amendments being made to the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2024 and associated regulations that assign infringement penalties (fines) for offences prescribed in the Game Regulations. We provided strong recommendations to increase the penalties associated with dispatching an animal wounded in the course of hunting as these are currently far too low, and additional protections to protect the welfare of dogs used in hunting. RSPCA Victoria opposes the hunting of animals for sport, however while it continues, we advocate for changes to policy to mitigate the worst adverse outcomes. Read our submission here.
2025
December 2025
The Victorian Government introduced new regulations to allow the use of virtual fencing technology on cattle in Victoria. RSPCA Victoria provided animal welfare advice to government highlighting the need for caution and oversight to ensure any new technology introduced, directly impacting animal welfare, does not result in adverse outcomes. We are pleased that there are legislated tools available for the Minister for Agriculture to issue, review and revoke licences and seek necessary information to do this. However, we continue to advocate that transparency must be central to the use of any animal technology, and animal welfare data should be published publicly, including any adverse events that occur.
October 2025
We held a webinar: Help or Harm? Emerging technologies, where we were joined by Dr Natalie Roadknight, animal welfare veterinary specialist and Senior Scientific Officer from RSPCA Australia, to talk all things virtual fencing in livestock. We also discussed artificial intelligence in animal industries and some of the exciting technologies being explored to help us avoid hitting wildlife while driving. You can watch the webinar recording here.
We made a formal submission to Merri-bek City Council’s Domestic Animal Management Plan consultation. The submission makes recommendations for councils considering implementing cat containment laws, advises on services and training available from RSPCA Victoria for council staff and members of the public to assist them in meeting their obligations, and consideration for how councils may facilitate emergency animal boarding options to support people in crisis. Councils are encouraged to reach out to our team if they have any questions on the content of the submission. Read our submission here.
August 2025
RSPCA Victoria continues to advocate for an end to jumps racing. We published the 2025 addendum to the 2024 audit which summarises the horse fatalities, falls and injuries that occurred in the 2025 season. Despite a significant reduction in participation in 2025 as well as the introduction of more safety measures, the key welfare metrics remain consistent with the long-term averages, providing further evidence that risks to competing horses cannot be mitigated. See the full jumps racing section of our website here.
We made a formal submission to the review of the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025, outlining 7 recommendations across key areas for reform, such as introducing mandatory codes, expanding who can microchip horses, and ensuring there are enrichment and socialisation requirements for commercial dog breeders. Read our submission here.
May 2025
RSPCA Victoria made a formal submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Wildlife Roadstrike in Victoria. Roadstrike is serious welfare concern for wildlife across Australia, with an estimated 10 million native mammals and birds hit by cars every year. We recommended that Victoria’s animal welfare and wildlife legislation is urgently updated, funding is provided for the wildlife carer and response sector, the reporting and responding to roadstrike incidents is centralised, and that wildlife are protected from the impacts of development. Read our full submission here.
April 2025
We made a formal submission to the renewal of Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy. Climate change is a serious animal health and welfare issue. We recommended adopting a One Health, One Welfare approach to underpin the strategy, including animal welfare in all preparedness plans for climate-fuelled disasters like bushfires and floods, and urgently prioritising the protection and restoration of our critical natural ecosystems to ensure wildlife, and people, can thrive for generations to come. Read our full submission here.
February 2025
We made a formal submission to the State Government’s consultation on Strengthening Biosecurity Legislation in Victoria. We reiterated our recommendation that improving the traceability of horses across our state is integral to ensuring efficient and effective biosecurity measures. Read our full submission here.
2024
October 2024
Following a devastating jumps racing season where the horse fatality rate was one of the highest on record, RSPCA Victoria released an audit into the publicly available data on horse falls, fatalities and injuries in Victorian jumps racing. We also provided a formal submission to the jumps season review being conducted by Racing Victoria, advocating for jumps racing to end. Read our full submission here.
July 2024
RSPCA Victoria provided a formal submission regarding the proposed Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2024 and the regulatory impact statement. We advocated for a ban on bowhunting, regulating a maximum shooting distance, requiring proficiency testing for all hunters and, due to their threatened status, removing the Australasian Shoveler from the game list entirely. Read our full submission here.
April 2024
We made a formal submission regarding the Victorian Government’s draft Cat Management Strategy outlining our 17 recommendations for improvements. Read our full submission here.
March 2024
We made a formal submission regarding recommended changes to the Exposure Draft of the new Animal Care and Protection Bill, including many that will improve the ability of our Inspectors to investigate animal cruelty cases. Read our full submission here.
We presented to the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee as part of the Inquiry into Pig Welfare. We advocated for changes including limiting pig confinement systems, providing sows with nesting materials at least 48 hours before farrowing, banning single-loader carbon dioxide stunning systems and an end to painful procedures like teeth clipping and tail docking without pain relief. Read our full submission to the Inquiry here.
2023
June 2023
We presented at a public hearing held by the Select Committee conducting the Inquiry into Victoria’s Native Bird Hunting Arrangements. The RSPCA is strongly opposed to recreational native bird hunting and provided recommendations based on welfare impacts including the wounding rate of birds that are shot but not killed outright during the open season each year. Read our full submission to the Inquiry here.
2021
June 2021
RSPCA Victoria provided a formal submission to the Victorian Government’s independent review of Victoria’s Wildlife Act 1975. We made 16 recommendations, including asking for changes that will protect native animals currently covered by multiple pieces of legislation, and ensure the management of wildlife is humane, informed by up-to-date science, and in line with community expectations. Read our full submission here.
Our achievements
2025
The Committee report formed from the Parliamentary Inquiry into Wildlife Roadstrike in Victoria recommended all of our key asks, including centralising the triage and response to roadstrike with one number for members of the public to call, developing a centralised database, investing in infrastructure and research into emerging technologies like roadside animal detection systems linked to dynamic signage, and funding the wildlife rescue sector. The Victorian Government have six months to respond to the recommendations. You can read the Committee’s report, and find the government’s response when it is released mid-2026, here.
Our key recommendations to the Independent Review of Victoria’s Wildlife Act 1975 were included in the expert advisory panel’s report to the Victorian Government, released in October 2025. The release of the report, and the government’s response to the report, was also a priority advocacy goal of RSPCA Victoria for 2025.
We secured an election commitment from the Victorian Government in 2022 to develop a Cat Management Strategy that would improve the welfare of cats across the state and protect wildlife. After years of development work, the strategy has now been released! You can find it here.
2024
The Select Committee report formed from the parliamentary Inquiry into Pig Welfare recommended the majority of our key asks to improve the lives of pigs. These improvements included recommending banning sow stalls and farrowing crates, mandatory CCTV in abattoirs and on farms, research into alternative options to stunning pigs prior to slaughter, and more. You can read the full report here.
Federal legislation was passed in the Senate to phase out the live export of sheep by sea by 2028!
The Select Committee report formed from the parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria’s Native Bird Hunting Arrangements recommended a complete ban on duck hunting. Banning duck hunting was one of our key advocacy goals.
2023
Agricultural Ministers across the country endorsed the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry, which includes a phase out of battery cages for hens by 2036.
The RSPCA Wildlife Ward opened at Melbourne Zoo, along with the RSPCA Koala Ward at Werribee Open Range Zoo and an expanded laboratory at Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre, serviced by a fully equipped vehicle – the RSPCA & Zoos Victoria Wildlife Response Unit. Read more here.
2022
The government introduced mandatory reporting and collection of key data to improve transparency and promote responsible rehoming of animals in shelters and pounds. RSPCA Victoria has voluntarily reported its animal fate data publicly for more than twenty years.
Horse-drawn carriages were banned from Melbourne CBD. RSPCA had been advocating for a ban in the city for many years to improve the welfare of working horses.
2021
New legislation was introduced to Victorian Parliament to directly reunite lost pets with their owners. RSPCA Victoria advocated for this change since 2018. These changes mean that all vets and shelters will be able to immediately contact an owner about their lost pet, avoiding the need to send the animal to the local council pound.
2020
New laws on pet rental reform came into effect after years of campaigning from RSPCA Victoria. Landlords cannot unreasonably refuse tenants with pets.
Together with our partners, RSPCA Victoria developed Welfare Grooming Guidelines to help pet owners and groomers make decisions on when a welfare groom is required during COVID restrictions.
RSPCA Vet Clinics
Caring for your pets while helping all animals.
Our Burwood East vet clinic team are experts in animal health.
