By Jessica Micallef
RSPCA Victoria is urging locals to keep their cats inside after recording an increase in the number of animal cruelty reports during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
For the period between March and May, the RSPCA inspectorate received 385 reports about intentional acts of animal cruelty, an increase of 16 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Reports during the three months involved beating, wounding, tormenting or terrifying animals.
A recent report from Monash University – the Shadow Pandemic – stated that with more people confined to their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown, a greater risk of violence against women and children is present.
RSPCA Victoria’s head of inspectorate Terry Ness said animal cruelty may be a precursor to or occur alongside other forms of violence.
“The links between animal abuse and domestic violence and abuse are complex,” he said.
“However, numerous studies have confirmed that in households experiencing domestic violence and abuse, where companion animals are present, there is also a high probability of animal abuse.
“Animal abuse can involve hitting, kicking causing injury or death or severe neglect leading to starvation.
“Many abused animals are not provided with appropriate veterinary care, this reading to ongoing suffering.”
In June, RSPCA Victoria responded to a report involving a grey, male domestic cat with a fractured leg, tail pull injury and burns to its skin. The cat was found by its owner in Broadmeadows.
Another cat was found in Hadfield with a zip tie and rubber band around the base of its tail.
RSPCA Victorian Inspectorate team leader Karen Collier said considering the sharp surge in animal cruelty, owners were advised to keep their cats indoors
“We’ve seen a number of truly shocking acts of intentional cruelty towards cats and other animals over the past few months,” she said.
“No animal deserves to be treated like this.”
“It’s a sad reality that these acts of intentional animal cruelty occur so we are urging Victorian cat owners to keep their cats safely at home to prevent them becoming the next victim of abuse.
“This is advice we would recommend to all cat owners, regardless of whether we have seen an increase in cruelty reports or not.”
Macedon Ranges cats must now be indoors between sunset and sunrise, after a cat curfew was implemented for the region on July 1.
Cats are also prohibited from most of the Macedon Ranges’ most “sensitive” environmental areas.
