The Victorian duck shooting season commences this weekend, Saturday 21 March 2015. Most shooting is carried out on the opening weekend. South Australia, the only other state that permits duck shooting, commenced its season in February. Studies estimate that up to one third of birds hunted by shotgun are wounded rather than killed, resulting in…
On 12 May 2014 a 5 month old puppy was impounded by Sydney City Council as a stray and taken to Sutherland Animal Shelter. His owner found him at the Shelter on 14 July 2014 and provided photographs to prove she owned him. Shelter staff were satisfied Bam Bam was her dog. However, instead of…
On 2 December 2014 Tez escaped from his owners’ backyard. Despite returning home, Brisbane City Council issued an infringement notice for “wandering.” Then, and on the basis of photographs alone, Council alleged that Tez was a Pit Bull Terrier and requested that he be handed over for a ‘22 point check’ to determine his breed. Tez’s owner provided a veterinary certificate pursuant to s 63 of the…
Labrador cross Kelpie ‘Boss’ has been saved from death. Boss had been declared a dangerous dog by Knox City Council but Boss’s owner was unable to comply with the housing requirements for a dangerous dog within the prescribed time period. He was also unable to afford the thousands of dollars in pound fees incurred as…
The Panel has called for the greyhound racing industry to be shut down in light of the Four Corners program “Making a Killing”. Panel Chair, Joana Fuller, was interviewed by the 7.30 program. The story can be seen here: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4182750.htm
Learning late last year that South Australia’s Wildlife Ethics Committee of the Department of Environment , Water and Natural Resources had approved a project to excavate active wombat burrows in the Murray Darling Basin, the Panel immediately brought this to the notice of RSPCA SA and assisted RSPCA SA in lodging its appeal (under sec…
The High Court of Australia has granted Izzy’s owner special leave to appeal. The High Court appeal will likely be heard in April. The Panel extends its grateful thanks to Panel counsel Richard Kendall QC and Andrew Felkel, instructed by Daniel Beecher of Phoenix Legal Solutions.
It may be recalled from our posts of 10 & 15 September 2014 that Izzy’s owner filed an application for Special Leave (permission) to appeal to the High Court of Australia. On 10 September 2014 the Victorian Court of Appeal upheld a decision of the Supreme Court Judge at first instance, the effect of which…