Help Restore Animal Cruelty Watchdog in WA

In recent years the WA Govt Animal Welfare Unit has been the most proactive and effective government animal inspectorate in Australia. Benchmark prosecutions of live exporters, transporters and factory farmers reflected the commitment of this inspectorate to fulfil its duties as the lead response agency in WA for animal cruelty complaints.

The work of the WA Govt Animal Welfare Unit has now been sabotaged by cuts in government funding -- effectively undermining the ability of this unit to function. A unit of six inspectors that routinely inspected saleyards, live export loadings and transporters now has only one inspector -- dramatically reducing its ability to investigate animal cruelty offences. This will result in significantly less scrutiny for industries that are already mired by serious animal cruelty issues, and are already poorly regulated.

This is completely unacceptable from a government that has legislative responsibilities to administer and enforce the WA Animal Welfare Act. Proper enforcement of the Act can only occur if the Govt Animal Welfare Unit funding is restored so that its inspectorate can again fully function.

Please call on WA Premier Colin Barnett to restore funding to the Animal Welfare Unit so that proactive inspections can take place and that those who breach the WA Animal Welfare Act are prosecuted for animal cruelty.

Take Action!

Subject: (please enter a subject line) Dear Premier Barnett, (please edit the letter below, or send as-is) I write to express my dismay and opposition to the funding cuts to your government's Animal Welfare Unit. It is completely unacceptable that a government inspectorate that acts as WA's lead agency in investigating and enforcing the WA Animal Welfare Act has been reduced to one inspector as a result of funding cuts. The community expects that the WA government will take its responsibilities to enforce all legislation seriously, which includes ensuring enforcement agencies have appropriate funding. Please restore the funding to the Department of Local Government Animal Welfare Unit to allow it to continue its important work of inspecting, investigating and enforcing the WA Animal Welfare Act throughout the state. Sincerely, Your Name

We will send this e-mail to:

• The Hon Colin Barnett, Premier of WA

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